Why did I enter grad school?

That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it as well.
-Abraham Lincoln

There are actually lots of benefits we could reap out of entering into graduate school. However, these are subjective and thus, depend upon the individual. In order for these to be strong reasons, they have to revolve around the very essence of graduate school. That is to promote the reaching out towards the boundaries of knowledge in your chosen field of discipline. We can only get there by specialization. That should be the main priority of a student in graduate school.

When we obtain our undergraduate degree, we are equipped with the knowledge needed for us in the workplace. The skills and experience we get from our job were acquired with the help of some of the courses we have taken from college. However, in order to catch up with the times, we have to have advanced knowledge of some sort in order to be more knowledgeable in our chosen field.

Teachers perhaps would want to be more knowledgeable about how to effectively deliver their subject matter to students or maybe wants learn how to run a school or manage it. A business owner may want to learn modern trends in management. A government employee may want to be an effective public servant by being knowledgeable about concepts in public administration. These are some of the reasons or instances in an undergraduate degree holder’s life that pushes them to obtain a graduate education. There is only one word that describes this, specialization.

I want to specialize! I want to learn more than what I have right now! I want to be ahead of the others in this field! I’m not contented with what I have learned in college! College education is just not enough! Is there more knowledge out there waiting to be discovered by me? These are voices that were ringing inside my head after I finished college. These were the exact words that became my reasons for entering graduate school. And if you are hearing the same words right now, then you have taken the first step in entering graduate school.

How about you? What's your reason for entering grad school?

(Photo from: americancivilwar.com)