You finished four years of college and feel that you have finally accomplished your goal. Now you will be able to go out and get hired, on the spot, for the job you have always wanted. Or will you?
Obtaining the job you want right out of college isn’t always a reality. Many college graduates end up working jobs just to pay the bills, often in industries unrelated to their chosen majors.
As a result students who thought they were done with school at the bachelor level, choose to go back to school for an advanced degree in hopes of securing a better job and earning more money.
There are some differences between graduate and undergraduate school. The following is a list of some of the changes you can expect.
When choosing a graduate degree program it is important to know where you will live. If you have to have an off campus apartment, then you may have to also maintain a full or part-time job while in school.
While at the undergraduate level students must take a lot of general education courses they may not care for, graduate degrees usually require courses that all relate to the student’s major. This will help a student to be more focused and enthusiastic about their course work.
3. Assistantships/Fellowships Many graduate programs offer students the opportunity to apply for assistantships and fellowships. If a student earns one of these, they work for the school and usually the entire tuition is paid for.
The student also earns a stipend each semester. The student may work as an assistant in a department, or they may even teach undergraduate courses. Applying for an assistantship and/or fellowship is a great way to offset the price of going back to school.
Graduate School vs. Undergrad: What to Know
Graduate school is a whole different arena than undergraduate studies - make sure you know what you're signing up for.

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