Forced to aim high after higher education

There was a time within recent history when attending college was an option. Graduation was an accomplishment, and graduate school was reserved for only those wanting to be doctors or lawyers.

Today, that is simply not enough. It seems that many undergraduates are feeling the pressure to expand their education further.

With such a poor job market, many students fear unemployment, according to Ann Spittle, Director of Graduate Admission at DePaul.

"The worst thing to do after undergrad is nothing," Spittle said. "Many times, starting a graduate program is a good long-term strategy if employment is not an option."

While this may certainly continue to add to debts, the director advises that even taking graduate classes slowly is a good way to show an employer your commitment to self-improvement.

"Its necessity largely depends on the program you choose," Spittle said.

In the past five years, DePaul's graduate enrollment has increased by about nine percent overall. The graduate program had 7,983 students enrolled in 2011, up from 7,353 in 2007. Based on enrollment in fall 2011, the top graduate majors at the university are finance, computer science, information systems, accounting and counseling. While these figures support the trend within LA&S, they do not include DePaul's largest graduate program, the law school.

David Barnum, pre-law advisor at DePaul, agrees that students should attempt to get as much education as they can, but urges potential law students to consider the expense as well. It seems that even law, a historically ‘safe' choice, is being affected by the economic downturn.

"The vague assumption was that if you went to law school, you would become a lawyer," Barnum said.

Now with the job market "substantially weaker" than it was two to three years ago, Barnum explained, it becomes much harder to find an income that makes law school debt worth it. Most students can expect to pay at least $40,000 per year in tuition nearly anywhere you attend, according to Barnum. This does not include the additional costs that come with attending most schools, such as books, housing and living expenses.

"Many lawyers are spending a lot of money to make a meager salary," Barnum said. "The days of six-figures have passed."

Senior political science major Brad Thomas is set to graduate in the spring. He is preparing to work for a year and plans to attend law school in fall of 2013. Many graduate programs, including law school, give admission preference to students with work experience.

"I know a lot of my friends are in the same position but can't find jobs," said Thomas. "I think this will give me an upper hand when I apply early next year."

For 2011 graduate Andrew Summers, his plans were figured out his freshman year when he enrolled in the "combined MS" program offered through the CDM department. This five-year program allows students to complete their master's degree coursework in significantly less time.

"Master's degrees are the old bachelor's degree," said Summers. "I didn't want to be stuck in the work force into my mid-twenties without the right degree to advance, so I knew grad school was a must."

Summers was a computer science and mathematics major during his undergrad and currently works full time as a web and mobile developer for Dom & Tom, Inc. He is taking graduate classes at night and is on schedule to earn his master's by spring of 2013.

According to Spittle, graduate students in majors such as public service or management are advised to get work experience before applying. Students should take some time to ‘be managed' before learning how to manage others.

According to DePaul's Department of Institutional Research and Market Analytics, 49.1 percent of graduate students were age 24-29 and 31.9 percent were age 30-44. This indicates a gap from the typical undergraduate age that reflects this ‘work first' mentality. Some have been in the workforce for years and are returning to graduate programs to help remain competitive in a fierce job market.

Darcia Hill is spending time to work before even considering the prospect of more school. After graduating from DePaul last year, he has sent over 20 applications and is attempting to gain legitimate experience before exploring his educational future.

"I think the most effective way to use a graduate program is to actually get real work experience first," said Hill. "However, I know a lot of people that couldn't find jobs after graduating, so instead of paying loans back, they just went to back to school."

While taking time to work can be valuable, according to Spittle, grad school hopefuls should try to work in a "related field." This means that while your job at Starbucks may be paying the bills, it may not be the type of resume-building work that graduate programs look for.

Although there seems to be some debate, graduate degrees seem to be in the future for most. In an unstable job market, many seem to feel the safest place is in the classroom.

*DePaul University Career Outcomes - 2010 degree recipients. Source: DePaul Career Center