Grad School Options for Young Professionals

In this — or any — economy, remaining as marketable as possible is vitally important. Whether you’re trying to increase your value at your current position or score a new job, going back to school might be an option.

But before you start registering for entrance exams and applying for student loans, here are some things to consider.

• Know your goals. “Make sure the graduate school you select is aligned with your goals,” says Jay Bryant, director of admissions for the Thunderbird School of Global Management. Be confident the school you choose can get you where you want to go in your career and provide a return on your investment.
• Check a school’s accreditations. “The title of the degree from different schools might be the same, but they are accredited by different organizations,” Bryant says. And HR staff in a company, he notes, will likely be aware of these.
• Do your research. Get on your preferred school’s distribution list, Bryant suggests. Some admissions officers travel around to meet candidates, and being on the distribution list is key to getting an invitation to events. (“Inside the MBA” on Oct. 12 will bring representatives to Phoenix from business schools across the country to meet with prospective students.) And utilize resources like MBA.com and U.S.News & World Report to further your research.
• Know the commitment. It is possible to work and go to school, Bryant says, if you opt for a part-time program. “But if you choose a full-time program, I would not advise students to continue working because school will be a full-time job itself,” he cautions.
• Dive in. Bryant has some advice for starting graduate school students. “A graduate program is going to go by very fast. It’s not like four years of undergrad where you can goof around the first two years,” he says. “Students should consider their job search their very first priority from the beginning. Especially in this difficult economy, a job isn’t going to be handed to them.”

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Thunderbird School of Global Management
www.thunderbird.edu

This story, written by Stephanie Conner, is part of the Chamber's monthly Valley Young Professionals email newsletter. To sign up for any or all of the Chamber's email newsletters, click here.