I've ended up having to pay back all of the tuition reimbursement I've received due to moving on, but I still think it was worth it. Just don't spend the reimbursement; they typically want it back on a pretty short timeframe. Keep it in CDs or munis or something.

I think if you don't really want to do it and it won't affect your future too much, don't do it.

If, however, you like school, it *could* help you in the future, it's paid for, and you'll actually go through with it, do it.

I'm getting a pretty much useless in the whole career sense graduate degree (to go with my undergrad degrees, weee), and paying for it myself. I think school/education is never actually useless as long as you are learning and thinking and growing as a person.

Being educated is good.

My two cents.

wow, that's a great tip, thank you - I never would have thought of it.



Are you doing it for the personal benefit?



lol. It's actually 8-4 every Saturday. Sounds like a regular work day, eh? It's an accelerated program - 10 wk semesters instead of 15 so it's more hours, less weeks.

I'm doing graduate school because I think having a higher degree will at least keep a few doors open for me. I also really enjoy learning and find a classroom environment useful.

I say go for it!! You never know who you'll meet & this may lead to a different career path - one you're feelin less 'stagnate' in.

You're welcome! It's very important to keep the money safe and reasonably liquid or at least recoverable. Money market, savings account, CD ladder (or CDs when you have enough in your emergency fund to cover them if needed; CDs are ok as an emergency fund by me, as long as the penalty isn't too bad, and that can even help you keep the fund for emergencies). My last job wanted the money back in ten days, and wanted a check, not a credit card. (I wouldn't recommend relying on a credit card for this in any case; I just wanted to run the payment through my rewards card.)

Sounds like a perfect situation!

This thread is interesting to me. I personally am not interested in going to grad school in the foreseeable future. My job and job advancement does not call for it and though I went to an academically rigorous school, I'm not interested in repeating student life.

Meanwhile, one of my best friends left for grad school about a month ago. She is very ambitious and smart and her eventual position definitely requires an MA/MFA. However, after about 3 weeks she decided to leave the program and is coming back to Portland. She realized that while she needs the degree one day, she a) was in the wrong program for it and b) did not really WANT to be there. One of her closest professional collaborators is set to get a very good position in the industry she's in and wants to take her along. She was about to sign herself on to $60k in student loans and she realized she had a lot more post-undergrad professional work to do before grad school was the next logical step.

It sounds like it's the next logical step for you. Keep us updated!

As everybody else says, it's obviously the thing to do. You're right about it being a lot of work. It's easily worth giving up some lazy Saturdays, but that's ultimately for you to decide.

To the OP: I sense some hesitation and not all that much enthusiasm in the 1st and subsequent posts. Am I right? If so, you might want to wait another year or so, when you might actually want to go back to school! If I am wrong, go!

yes if it's not law school (unless you realllly think you'll enjoy it)...