spock

I'm still an undergrad.Although I'm not studying in the commerce/business field,i think that getting a post grad degee is a BIG plus.In places where there is an abundance of skills or workers,those who are the most highly qualified will get jobs before the people wih basic qualifications. People who do study further gain a deeper understanding of that subject. Surely Everyone wants to get the best job possible and earn as much as possible?
Put in the effort now,sacrifice 2/3 years and you'll reap the rewards for the rest of your life!!

ncgti

If you think that you are going to remain in your field of study for your employment, then a Master's will get you, and keep you, further ahead. If its just to "fill out" a resume, then take the money you save and invest it - you will be much further ahead in the long run.

Schwan

I guess it all boils down to your personality. I just got my BA and felt that it's time to get a propoer job, but after seeing what's really available I thought better, and decided to spend the next two years on getting a master's degree. The options for MA owners are much better, as far as I can tell.

SirSeymour

I graduated and went into the work force. I had no desire for a Masters degree at the time. For the last 13 of the last 15 years, I have been lucky enough to work for people who did not care what my educational background was and only valued me on my work. The last two years have been different though as the company I work for replaced the VP of my division and he values paper very highly. I have been demoted from my management position because I did not have the right degree and no weight was given to my experience at all. So I now find myself back in school working on my MBA so I can have the "right" paper.

I think a Masters is not bad idea but I think a couple of years of experience in the work place before getting it is a good idea. I am taking very different classes now than I would have taken before knowing the things I have learned in my 15 years in the work force. What I am learning in school now will have direct application to what I want to do and I am comfortable with my choices because I have the experience to know that what I want to do now is really what I want to do, not just an idea of it. Make sense?

What I hear these days from senior execs at my company is that a Masters without any experience is just a piece of paper. For a while the trend was to hire those with Masters for more money and larger positions right off. Not so sure that is as prevolent right now. I know a lot of morons with Masters degrees and they are still morons. I would go for the experience in the working world first.

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radioguy

for teaching, i don't need a masters. all i would get is an extra $1000 a year. like SirSeymour said, without the experience the masters degree wouldn't matter. i'll get more out of continued years in the classroom than i would in a classroom earning my masters.

tropple

A masters is not necessary unless you want to impress other people who have a masters degree. Sort of the same thing as wearing a blue suit when you meet with a banker who wears a blue suit. It re-affirms their choices in life.

Not all fields have a masters program, and despite the hype associated with the advent of the MBA in the 60's, American business is more fucked up npw than ever.

Outsourcing of manufacturing and high-tech jobs is eroding the economy to the point where soon the only jobs left will be retail sales, blue collar, flipping burgers, and janitorial.

Maybe I exagerate slightly, but man, in general things are sluicing into the scuppers damned quick. The best job for an MBA is guarding lawyers at the bottom of the sea.

When I review resumes, MBAs automatically get the "Sorry, but not interested" letter. I'm just sorry I can't do it every time my company has an opening.

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yournamehere

You've got at least 4 more years (ouch - it hurts to type those 3 words) before you need to make that decision, But, if business is your future, then an MBA will open many doors.
With the obvious exception of academia, I can think of two majors that require graduate study - if it's business, you need a masters; if it's psychology, you need the doctorate. Other than those two, most (not all) disciplines' masters programs are carbon copies of their bachelors programs, with the addition of more term papers and a final thesis.

As far as continuing straight through after your undergraduate studies - cross that bridge when you come to it. Like many people have said, the longer you're not in school, the harder it is to go back. I'm the poster child for academic procrastination - 22 years between my freshman and senior years of college. I graduated at the age of 40, and hit the work force competing with 22-yr. olds for the same jobs. I wouldn't advise that path for anyone.

Just get your bachelors first - chances are you'll switch majors before you finish anyway.

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Fire

unfortunately, as most of my friends have found out, a masters is very usefull for some fields- check before hand- some of my friends have one, and dont need it, and are still paying loans- some need it, and cant get anywhere without it- school is now so expensive that you have to weigh the cost versus bennifit- the other option is to start your own company- which I did- but that is a hell of an uphill battle- or join a startup on the basement floor- budy of mine did that, and now has several years real management experience in his field at the age of 24- so shop around and follow the path that seems to lead to your dreams- but never feel that the first path is the only one.........

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byesman

I got my Masters 2 years ago. I decided one day I wanted it, checked into the programs offered in the Human Services field, settled on one, and went for 3 years (one night a week) to get it. Will it help me with my current job? Nope, although I got the job while working on my Masters. And I can't move up in this job any, either, because I am the Executive Director here. But it may help me if I decide to go back into the public sector/government fields.

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Clark

The full time MBA program I was in less the 15% of the students came right from undergrade. If fact the program looked for at least 2 years of work. I was out for 10 years. It was hard to go back but after the first sem I got back in to the grove.

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SecretMethod70

Yes, MBAs are quite different from most others in this regard, as is the case with teachers and masters degrees. Outside of that though, many people getting a masters do so immediately after school. For example, someone with a degree in philosophy who will be pursuing a masters degree is most likely to do so immediately after undergrad. MBA programs are in the minority when it comes to placing such a significant emphasis on prior experience before entering the program. Clearly, this makes sense for that program, but for most masters programs it is irrelevant.

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Clark

I agree that most masters programs are better done immediately after undergrad. I would say that holds for law school and Med school as well.

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anti fishstick

I'm with you there.. I feel like going to school as a graphic design major is a complete waste of my time and I am learning nothing except preparing myself to finally learn something...

it's a bit weird. I think in this field, a lot of the learning (if not most) happens after you graduate... In the mean time, i'm learning about basic design principles, typography elitism do's and don'ts and obscure art history about furniture. yes.

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archer

This is really a difficult thing to decide, and you're probably best looking around at your current job opportunities, talking to current masters students, etc.
Most qualifications are very subjective.
Many bachelor's degrees are of much lesser value than they used to be, with a master's being afforded about the same esteem conferred on a bachelor's degree twenty odd years ago. This is mainly due to a lot of people who think that everyone should be university educated. This leads to a whole lot of people who would do better as vegetables taking part in higher education, the coursework has to be adjusted to allow them through, and thus the course is of less value.

Anyway off the rant, a lot of job opportunities are found through various contacts, and chance meetings, not necessarily wholly based on formal qualification.
In my case, I haven't even finished my bachelor's (comp. sci.), and I'm already working in the industry, for good pay. My boss has no formal qualifications, yet earns roughly US$250K, as a software project manager.

Also, if you're thinking of doing a master's, not because you want to, but because you think you have to, are you really going to be enthusiastic enough about it to do the work well?