Studentsweighprosandconsofgrodua1eschool

GRAD SCHOOL, page 1 jobs I will have an edge. At least I hope I will! I think the immediate benefits are that I picked up some more skills and sharpened ones I already had. I can definitely say that I apply what I learned in grad school to my job on a daily basis," said Hindman.

Dr. Mary Harris, an assistant business administration professor, said, "The benefits of graduate school are many. Receipt of a graduate degree for many companies results in an automatic increase in pay, and more importantly, more opportunities for advancement or to change career paths."

Despite the warnings Benton gives about not going to grad school. Professors at Cabrini College have a much different outlook on graduate school. Dr. Phyllis Rumpp, an education professor, said, "It is most definitely necessary to attend grad school if you are an education major. In some school districts, you will not be hired without signing an agreement to achieve a graduate degree within a certain time limit, perhaps 3 years. In addition, most school districts in the public school systems do have tuition reimbursement. Most districts pay 80 percent of tuition as long as the courses apply to the subject you teach or may teach."

Jennine Picini, assistant director of the co-op and career services office, said, "The best advice I can give students who are considering graduate school is if you are not completely certain what you want to study then you should not go directly after graduation."

"In business, graduate school is much more applied in nature, and students will not benefit from it if they have not had real work experience. I also recommend that business students wait and see what post graduate degrees or certifications are the most appropriate in their chosen field," siud Harris.

Dr. Kimberly Boyd, an associate professor of biology, said, "Grad school is 100 percent dependant on the student's career goals. With a bachelor's degree you are very limited to what you can do and have a limited chance for advancement. The doctorate is key in the biological field. To teach or run your own research Jab and experiments a doctorate is essential, a master's degree really will not provide many more options."

While the cost of a master's degree can do extreme damage to your bank account, a doctorate degree can destroy it, But ~oyd said, "It is very possible to find a company to pay for your Master's degree but as for your doctorate, no company will pay for you to leave work for five ~o seven years. However, grants and colleges will most definitely pay for the doctorate because they want· you to produce research. There is absolutely no reason to pay for your doctorate. Through government grants I received a quarter of a million dollars to pay for everything I needed while I was earning my doctorate."

Harris said, "Most jobs in the business field will pay for graduate school as long as it is related to the job. There is no reason why anyone in the business field should have to pay for graduate school."

Francis said, "I don't recommend anyone attend grad school without first thinking it through and determining whether or not it will enable them to achieve their career goals."

Pete Schulster, a 2005 alum and Cabrini admissions counselor, said, "I would have gone to graduate school whether or not Cabrini paid for my tuition. In my field, education, it is necessary. Without my master's degree in education I might never achieve my goals. This was something I had to do."

"I do not know of any television station, newspaper or broadcast group that would ever foot a graduate school tuition bill for one of their employees. But then again I would say anyone major-

Hindman

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