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Graduate School or Work Experience First?

At the end of your undergraduate years, it’s time to decide whether to go on to graduate school or take a break and gain some work experience in your chosen field before continuing.

There are many perspectives on this question. Only you can decide based on your circumstances and your goals. Here are some documents that lay out the issues you will need to consider as you are deciding what’s best for you.*

Graduate Degree or Job First
Ryan Rampersaud, Journal of Young Investigators, Science Career Center

Graduate School: Now or Later?
Ball State University Career Center

Graduate School: Now or Later?
Department of Cell Biology, University of Alabama, Birmingham

Graduate School: Why Me? Why Now?
Dereck J. Rovaris, The Black Collegian Online

The Lab Technician: A valuable stepping stone
Samantha Bragan, Journal of Young Investigators, Science Career Center

Ph.Dollars: Does Grad School Make Financial Sense?
Sarah Webb, Science Careers.org, AAAS

Should You Go to Graduate School Now or Wait?
Tara Kuther, Ph.D., About.com: Graduate School

Special Feature: Science Careers for Undergrads
Jim Austin, ScienceCareers.org, AAAS
July 2007

Undergraduates Ask: Should I Do a Ph.D.?
Elisabeth Pain, Science Careers.org, AAAS

You might also want to check out materials in these sections of the APS Career web:

Benefits of a graduate degree

Graduate/professional school: What should I expect?

*APS does not endorse or assume responsibility for the information posted on these web sites.