graduate school or not

You should go to graduate school if you love a subject so much that you want to spend several years studying it exclusively. Graduate school is really designed to be an intellectual challenge- not a path to a job. Career-related master's degrees are of course an exception to this rule. You should not go to graduate school because you are unsure of what to do with your life, are afraid of the real world, or want to prolong college life. Also, consider your career goals. If you want to teach at the university level, you will need a doctorate. If you want to do scientific research, you will most likely want to get a doctorate too. The length of programs is highly variable. Some PhD programs are funded, while master's programs rarely are. Take the GRE. Apply. See where you get in and then make a decision!

What you are going to school for is a MAJOR consideration... what is your undergrad major? If you are considering to go to grad school to pursue a degree in an overly saturated field, then in my experience and opinion, don't waste your time. Pros of grad school include: gaining a deeper understanding and mastery of your chosen major. Cons include: the possible lack of openings in your chosen field and then not being employable as you are overqualified for most other jobs. Similarly, a Ph.D. is good only if you intend to teach at the university level... other than that, it really isn't worth the time and money it costs. Degrees currently in demand include law, medicine, and criminal justice. A sociologist would be concerned by this as a reasonable argument can be made that all of these degrees can be considered a subset or supporting industry of criminal justice. Are you smart enough for grad school? I don't know you, your work, your education, your interests, your success, etc. so how or why would you suppose I am capable of answering this question to any intelligent level? Based solely on the evidence I have herein - the formating, grammar, and sample of your writing, I would venture to say you are smart enough but you need to work on your writing and presentation. Again, I have no way of knowing your aptitude other than by what you have provided. Best of luck to you.

There are several questions you need to answer. 1. Why are you going to graduate school? 2. What is you present career and what will you do with your degree? 3. Is the degree necessary for advancement in your career or a new Job or career? 4. How will you pay for the education? 5. What degree will you be going for? you can get better advice if you answer these questions. These are also the same question you should be asking yourself before you decide what you are doing.

Your questions are much too broad. Whether or not you should go to graduate school should be based, first and foremost, on whether or not you really WANT to go. Secondly, you should base your decision on your career goal. If, for example, you want to be a chef or a business man, it is probably not critical for you to obtain a PhD. If, on the other hand, you want to be a college professor or the head of a research laboratory, well... Weigh the probability that you will enter the career you are studying for with the salary that career provides, and compare it against the cost. If your goal is to become a computer programmer, making $80,000/year, is it worth it to get a degree that will cost you $80,000. (These are rough guestimate numbers) Probably. You should prepare by getting a study guide for your particular entrance examination. Speak to your college advisor and ask for advice. If you have done well as an undergraduate and have the drive to attain your goal, I am sure you will be successful as a graduate student. Good luck!