Thread: After graduation advice...

  1. #1
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    After graduation advice...

    I'll be graduating next week with my Bachelors in Computer Science. I am faced with a choice now. I have currently been interning at a small embedded software company. They offered me a really good position but I kind of want to go to graduate school to get my masters in CS. I know ultimately I am the only one that will be able to choose, but I thought maybe some of you have faced a similar situation and you could tell me your thought process of making your decision. I love the company and the pay is awesome. I just think that if I don't get my MSCS now that I will be too lazy to go back later. I have already been accepted to grad school back home in Florida.

    Any opinions/advice welcome.
    "...the results are undefined, and we all know what "undefined" means: it means it works during development, it works during testing, and it blows up in your most important customers' faces." --Scott Meyers

  2. #2
    Registered User khpuce's Avatar
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    Its my personal view. If I were in your position then definitely I would've accepted the job offer. It is quite difficult to go back to study after entering into a full time job (specially if its a good one!). If you really want to do your MS then you can do it part time along with the job.

  3. #3
    5|-|1+|-|34|) ober's Avatar
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    Stay with the job. Grad school can always come later and it's always better when you have a company to pay for it! Besides... what is the master's degree REALLY going to do for you? Make you feel better? In most cases, it's not going to mean a major increase in pay (for the computer field at least). I considered getting my master's after I graduated with my BS in Computer Engineering last summer, but both my CE department head at my university and my old boss said that it would be kinda pointless as it would make me too specialized and wouldn't really gain anything for me.

    I still think I might get it one day. But I'll take the classes on the side and have someone else pay me for it.

  4. #4
    Crazy Fool Perspective's Avatar
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    If you've finished a 4 year BS and you still feel like you could do more school work without going completely insane then do the masters. I had planned on doing a masters but now (just finishing my 3rd year) im heading off to do a 16 month internship and not a moment to soon. School just kinda gets to you after a while and many people i know just want it to end. If you have the thirst for it now, then do it now. Thats just my 2 cents.

    btw, what kind of future might you have at this job? Will 2 years of working there put you in a better position than doing the masters? just something else to consider.

  5. #5
    CIS and business major
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    This is how I'd like to think of it:
    Do you want to move on with your life... (take the job).

    otherwise go off to graduate school.

    Remember, you don't know what bumps in the road you'll face three years down the road, and you may not want to go to graduate school full time.

    Part time school with full time work can be a real pain, even if someone else is paying for it.

    And, since you already have your b.s. in computer science, it will likely only take you a year to complete your masters.

    The job opportunities will be there afer your masters, maybe not the same one you have right now, but they'll be there.
    Last edited by Terrance; 04-15-2004 at 04:59 PM.

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