For some, going back to school after graduating college sounds like a nightmare. For others, it sounds like a necessary step for pursuing your dreams.

How do you discern whether attending graduate school is right for you? Even if you know it’s something you want to do, a major factor of the decision is timing.

While I don’t have all the answers, I have my own personal experience of deciding to go back to school and change careers. While I’ve written as a contract writer for WayUp, I am a full-time student at the University of Illinois at Chicago gaining my masters of social work to become a licensed therapist.

Additionally, I interviewed college graduates and wrote a book about navigating the changes in post-grad in order to understand more about the pivotal life transition. In Coming of Age: Our Journey into Adulthood, I share anecdotes from hundreds of survey respondents about their own experiences to bring to light a major transition that isn’t often talked about in society at large.

For this article, I wanted to share insights about going back to school, whether it’s a step immediately after college or many years down the road. Regardless of when you choose to go back to school, it’s an important life decision and one that will shape your future.

Pursuing the Path Immediately After College

In certain careers, additional training or higher education may be required in order to practice or continue in that field. If you enter graduate school immediately following your undergraduate graduation, you delay the transition from student to professional as you maintain the identity of a student. You also have a clear path ahead of you, which helps to answer the dreaded question of, “So what are you doing after graduation?”

There are many benefits for continuing in higher education. You already know the rhythms of school and what’s expected of you as a student. You may need a graduate degree in order to practice or work, so you don’t want to delay your career further without it. You may have certain goals or ambitions that are accomplished only through gaining another degree or additional certification.

Many describe this decision as one they knew they had to do immediately after undergrad because they otherwise could not imagine going back to school. Once you step away from being a student, especially after that’s all you’ve known for your life at that point, it can be difficult to go back.

Whether it’s law school, medical school, a program related to humanities, or another field, the material becomes much more specialized compared to an undergraduate education. While meaningful, the workload often becomes more difficult too. In my book, some respondents described graduate school as the hardest they have ever worked in their life. Others openly shared about imposter syndrome, especially if they went to a prestigious university or entered a program in a different or competitive field of study.

Another mentioned the academics as the most challenging part, but also highlighted the value of the decision itself as it related to their goals:

“I was thankful to meet the most amazing and supportive people in my program who have made the challenging coursework more manageable. Although it was stressful, it is rewarding to know that I am one step closer to becoming a nurse practitioner.”

Coming of Age, p. 120

With specific career goals in mind, graduate school is a vital and necessary part of a career journey. The sense of accomplishment and professional confidence that grows from stepping more fully into your desired path cannot be overstated.

That said, there is no one right way or time to go about pursuing higher education and your specific career goals. Others wait many years before going back to school.

Taking Time Off or Rerouting Plans

It can be invaluable to take time off after graduating from college before jumping headfirst into another program. Graduate school has additional costs, intensity of work, and implications for your career. It is no small decision. Taking time off from being a full-time student for a season could help you become a better and more focused student in the future.

“I wish I had known that taking off that year between undergrad and grad school was actually really, really good for me. I was apprehensive about it, but it was so restful, it allowed me to hit med school with a running start and fresh mind.”

Coming of Age, p. 120

Taking time off from academics could be the best decision before starting a program, especially if you know it will be your reality for several years. We have to remember life (and our careers) is a marathon – not a sprint. You cannot expect everything out of yourself those first few years.

While the application process for graduate school is different from trying to find entry-level jobs, applicants deal with rejection just the same. You may be open to moving for the program or you may be tied to a specific location. Depending on how many schools you apply to, you may have several options of programs. While you may not get acceptances everywhere, most don’t expect to receive a rejection from all schools.

For one respondent in my book, her plan was to go to grad school but she was waitlisted at the two schools she applied to and didn’t know what to do from there. She waited a year and applied again, so she ended up taking a year off without intending to do so. Again, timing is a major aspect of decision-making in the real world.

Another respondent dealt with rejection and it resulted in a change of plans that he had not anticipated.

“I applied in two separate years, so to be rejected twice was really difficult. That had been an end goal for me as I thought about my early career, so it took a lot to reorient my career goals and what I wanted out of life.”

Coming of Age, p. 121

Life doesn’t always unfold in the ways we want it to, and that’s a bitter reality of the real world. Rejections can help to evaluate options through a different lens, which then can help determine a new path moving forward. It is trials like these that build resilience and character as people forge their own lives.

Pursuing a Career Change by Going Back to School

For those that choose to go back to school after several years, it is often a byproduct of wanting to change careers or enhance their professional experience. Going to graduate school can be a great way to pivot, whether slightly or into a completely new career.

Many choose to wait to pursue higher education so they can gain work experience, making them a more valuable candidate for the program. It may become more difficult to leave a salaried job to become a student again, but there are benefits to going back to school later in life too. For some professions, gaining life experience only benefits you in the profession.

For me personally, I worked in marketing for eight years before going back to school to get my master’s of social work. My interest was first piqued during a counseling course I took in college, but I wasn’t sure if I wanted to pursue it as a career, so I chose to put it in the back of my mind. I also considered how life experience would benefit me as a therapist, so I knew I could always become a counselor later in my life.

After college, I began and continued my career in marketing. Working remotely during the pandemic helped kickstart the desire for me to work more directly with people in my day-to-day life. As to not feel as overwhelmed by the potential decision to change careers, I attended information sessions out of curiosity. I talked to old professors and friends who had made similar career changes to seek counsel. I eventually decided to apply to a few programs, knowing that didn’t force my decision itself.

Through my own process of discernment and data collection, I became more assured in my decision and felt ready to commit to a career change. I could not pursue the new field without attending graduate school, so I made the decision to become a student again in my early thirties.

While I had major adjustments in going back to school, I also felt such excitement to be in class again and listen to lectures about topics I cared about. While it took some time getting used to weekly reading assignments and writing papers again, I felt as though I gained a greater perspective and appreciation for my education itself.

While it was a difficult decision to change careers, I look back and see how quickly time passes. If I had let fear stop me, I would not be in a field of work that feels more aligned with my own goals and values. In a span of two years, I will have changed from a marketing professional into a social worker and it wouldn’t be possible without graduate school.

If you aren’t sure whether grad school is something for you to explore, I recommend talking to mentors, college professors, and contacts within the field itself. If you are considering it as a next step for your post-grad journey, you can review some additional resources on WayUp’s website here.

You never know how grad school may shape your career. Even if it means becoming a student again.