TEM #030: Decide when to go back to graduate school.
February 17, 2024
Happy Saturday!
We had a surprise 4-5” of snow fall in Ohio with no wind yesterday (see below), I’ve been living in a snow globe fantasy and loving it. 🌨
If you’re starting to consider graduate school but are getting caught on when to go back, today’s edition may help.
I’m going to get super personal and share the factors that helped me decide when to go back to graduate school (with the information and life experiences I had at the time).
Note: even though the details of my story will differ from yours, hearing someone else’s thought process and priorities often help as you determine your own.
This week’s highlights:
Your education affirmation
How I decided when to go back to graduate school
A rocky Sahara desert 🪨
(Still) Coming soon: The Graduate School Shop
Education affirmation.
“The expert in anything was once a beginner.” - Helen Hayes
How I decided when to go back to graduate school.
As a first-generation college student, neither of my parents graduated from college which means graduate school was never on my radar until senior year of college when friends started applying.
Deciding when to go back to graduate school came a bit later.
My initial introduction to the concept came from my career advisor who (after many sessions) told me I could do what he was doing one day. This came after I shared that I wanted to help people figure out their goals and reach them - a broad life interest I developed after coaching a local cheerleading team.
However, doing his job involved going to graduate school (which I knew nothing about) so I tucked the suggestion away and focused on getting a job post-graduation.
But it was 2008… you can imagine how the job search went. Yay Great Recession.
Ready for the rest of the story?
(Or prefer the TL;DR version with the top personal and professional priorities that helped me decide?)
Fun fact.
Only 25% of the Sahara is actually sand.
The rest is a variety of rock formations, limestone, sandstone and the occasional oasis.
(Yes, the cartoon depictions of greenery and a few animals are based on real life).
(Still) coming soon.
The Graduate School Shop (including digital resources and 1:1 Strategy Sessions) is coming, I promise!
This past week I attended an incredible summit which gave me a few ideas to improve what you’re about to access…
Stay tuned, it will be worth the wait 😉
Thanks for being here - have a fabulous week!
Dr. Jena
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Hi! I’m Dr. Jena. I help working professionals confidently apply to graduate school and advanced degree programs so they can achieve their career goals.
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