Advice on grad school?

Question

I am 23. I have been working on my undergrad since I was 17 and am about to graduate. I have never changed my major. Instead, I entered college as a high honors student with no clue on what I wanted to do after graduation. I have only taken 12 hours a semester. I have recently discovered that I love research. I also know that my dream job is teaching at a university. Both of which require a Masters degree at the minimum. Up until this semester I was planning on entering a health education master's program upon graduation. With my newfound love of research I am debating this.
Should I learn from my past indecisive nature and put off grad school and work until I am dead certain on what I want? I have already been accepted to a heal ed masters program- should I enter that program? Is it easier or harder to enter grad school after taking time off?
Thanks!

Answer 1

Your degree really depends on what you would want to teach at the university level. If you don't know that yet, I would suggest just getting a regular Masters in Education degree - and if you needed to get a PhD specific to a field of study later, then you can do that. (Keep in mind that most universities require a PhD to become a professor. Most allow adjuncts with field experience, though.)

I understand your confusion... I am 25 and about to finish my BS, and will be entering the masters program in August - it took much thought, but I think that it would be most beneficial to not put it off... I don't know about you, but I know that if I put grad school off I will be 40 before I go back - and by then I may have other life priorities that keep me from school.

But, good luck on whatever you decide to do!

Answer 2

Just to clarify, these days you likely need a PhD to teach at a university if it is in any way a respectable university. (The only exceptions to this are things like art or law, but it didn't sound like those are the areas of interest to you.)

You could start a grad program and leave after a Master's if you decide you're not interested. Just because you were undecisive before doesn't mean that you will continue to be so.

All that said, taking time off should not have much of an effect on your chances of grad school as long as you only take a couple of years off.

Answer 3

I used to think i loved math, until i entered graduate school; think about it, are you okay with being treated like dirt? are you ready to see janitors make more money than you do? are you ready to say "I am one if the fortunate ones" if you have a little room in the basement for an "office"?