Guide

Should I pursue Master's Degree?

3:45 PM


Let's face it. It is not easy to decide especially on matters that involve a whole lot of money.

Personally, this very question ran through my mind numerous times. When I first finished my undergraduate degree, I told myself "This is it, I am finally done with school."

My parents did hint me on furthering my studies (including sharing links to a Chevening scholarship for Malaysian students) after they saw my results, and I did get an offer to do Master's Degree at my alma mater. But I wasn't just into the idea yet.

I thought that it would be better to actually gain 1 or 2 years of working experience and then continue my studies. I also did a little Google search whether I should pursue it right after I finish my undergraduate degree or not --to which the results inclined to a "No" basically.

But then... why not?

In my opinion, you may want to consider these if you are thinking to pursue Master's Degree right after you complete your Bachelor's Degree:

  1. You Know You Want to 

    I believe this is vital in every single thing you do. You have a goal, you have a picture of what you want to achieve, you know what your passion, interests and strengths are, you are firm with what course(s) you want to pursue.

    I cannot stress this enough because you do not want to do something halfway and end up regretting it after, and then having to start all over again. Make sure you are firm with the decision that you want to do this.

    Because when you feel like giving up in the middle of the journey, especially during those moments when your stress level reached sky high, you can remind yourself why you wanted to do this in the first place.

  2. You have the Resources 

    So you know what you want. What's next?

    Having money and study fund is also essential. Pursuing any kind of degree requires a lot of money particularly if you are an international student. You've got tuition fee and living costs to think about. Let's not forget all the other things you have to pay for even before you're going to the university such as visa application, language tests if applicable, documentations, medical checkups and the list goes on.

    If you already have a study fund, then good for you. But if you have none, fret not, there is still hope for you if you put effort into finding (and applying) scholarships or even convertible loans. Do your research and have patience. The search engine should be your best friend by this time.

    For Malaysian students, you may want to check out these two websites as a starting point:

  3. You are Still Enthusiastic to go to Classes 

    There are two types of people after they graduate university:
    a) Those who are still in the mood to continue study
    b) Those who are so done with school

    If you are going for taught Master's Degree, you will eventually go back to classes or lecture halls to learn from your professors. If the thought of going back to these places bores you, don't proceed.

    If you still have some room left in your heart to listen to lectures, do individual works and group projects, go for it. Not everyone is willing to go through all that again after they have received their undergraduate degrees.

  4. You have Few Obligations 

    Personally, I think this is the best time for me to continue my study because I do not have many factors that would hold me back from going to a university again. I do not have bills to pay. I do not have children of my own to look after. This makes it easier for me to decide because I have little commitments.

    This does not mean that you cannot pursue a postgraduate degree after you have all sorts of commitments and responsibilities. You can. A lot of people do; and they still excel at it. It is just that if you have the opportunity now while you have few obligations, why wait?

  5. You have a Support System 

    Everyone needs support in whatever they do. That is only human. If you have someone who would encourage you to go further, who would have your back when you needed it the most, they will play a crucial role in helping you to reach your goals.

    It is just so much easier if you have a solid support system because if anything goes wrong, you know you can count on them. Sometimes all we need is a little push from the ones we love and care about to stand strong and keep going.

    In my case, if it were not because of the endless encouragement from my family, I would probably have not consider pursuing Master's Degree as an option right after I graduate Bachelor's Degree. They have indeed given another option for me to further equip myself with knowledge so that I could enhance my life.

    Know that the road to pursuing postgraduate degree is not as easy as it may seem. You may feel overwhelmed and unnerved even before you go to the university of your choice. Having a support system that helps you go through all these processes is definitely a win.
So these are the 5 factors that you may want to consider before applying for your postgraduate degree, from my point of view. 

Of course there are a lot more factors to it as different people have different circumstances. However, as the saying goes "Where there's a will, there's a way". If you really want to continue, I say, go for it! 

Good luck and all the best!

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