Learning About Graduate School

This week, in my Journalism Capstone class, we had the pleasure to hear from three professors at Appalachian State, who went to graduate school.

Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect. I'm already back after eight years of being away from college to finish. Why would I even consider it? There'd be more school, more work and much more money. Add to it, I have a bad GPA from not being productive my first time at ASU, it seemed like something I wouldn't be interested in learning about.

Dr. Carolyn Edy, Dr. Lynette Holoman and Dr. Matthew Richards came Wednesday and spoke about the positives, and negatives, about considering graduate school.

My interest picked up when Dr. Edy mentioned that graduate schools don't consider your GPA completely. Sure, it will help you to have a good GPA when you submit. But, most schools prefer you to have real world experience to show them, you can handle the "real world" and could tackle something demanding, which graduate school is.

Obviously, this caused me to consider the option. Yeah, my GPA stinks. Yes, I'm returning after years away from school. But, completing a degree, and being able to apply it, could show I'm capable of taking it on.

But, what intrigued me the most was the possibility of becoming more versatile. I didn't get all the access to classes some of my fellow classmates have had. So, my exposure to what they've learned will ultimately come when I get an internship, as I near graduation in August. But, if I want to learn more, specialize in something different, or even teach graduate school would give me that ability.

There is always just going out and getting a job, and not even worrying about graduate school, which is a definitely something I'm considering. I'll have finally completed something that it took me way too long to finish.

It's one thing that is not for everyone, with the amount of stress and money that you could owe, it is almost something you need to know you will see through to the end.

So, maybe graduate school isn't for me, and that's alright.

I just hope the itch to teach, is just a minor bug right now. I don't believe I want to follow in my mother's footsteps -- and briefly my brother's - and mold young minds. But, the more I have considered it, and listened on Wednesday, the thought continued to grow.

For now, I just want to receive my diploma from Appalachian State University, and call myself a college graduate. Considering graduate school can wait a bit.