Becoming a computer scientist will be a huge step in your
life. The work can be both incredibly rewarding and frustrating.
The same can be said about getting your degree. You'll be
learning a tremendous amount of valuable information, meeting
interesting people, and getting clinical experience. But getting
a graduate degree in computer science also takes a serious
commitment of time and money.
When weighing whether or not to go to graduate school, you
should realistically assess what you expect from your degree and
exactly what program will suit you best.
Why go?
Many people make the decision to return to school after working
in "the real world." Some feel that their career options are
otherwise limited. Others find that their interests and abilities
have developed over the years and no longer have anything to do
with their undergraduate education.
A graduate degree is one way to change all that. While you
might have to take qualifying courses to get into the program of
your choice, there is no specific undergraduate degree required
for you to apply. So many people look to a graduate degree as a
drastic way to change their career.
The Lure Of Ivy Walls
If your goal is teaching, you'll generally need at least a
master's and maybe even a doctorate, to teach at two-year
colleges. To teach or do research at four-year colleges,
universities, and graduate programs, you'll definitely need a
doctorate.
Making Your Investment Pay
Off
Any graduate degree is a significant investment of time, money,
and work. Most master's programs take a year or two to complete —
at a private school, tuition can easily run $20,000 a year or
more. A doctorate generally takes at least four years, and
usually more, so the financial strain is even more significant
(financial aid is generally more available at the doctoral
than at the master's level though). Even if you're willing to
take on loan debt to finance your degree, you may be looking at
twenty years of loan payments!
