Higher education always follows a different path for everyone and there are very few hard rules to follow. This is especially true for those who study abroad, which truly opens up a world of new opportunities with regards to how you’re going to pursue your degree. Choosing carefully and staying informed on current trends is important, but it’s also important to have a good plan for your near future.
Sometimes, even the best plans fall apart though, and instead of going for a master’s, you end up rushing to land a job straight after your bachelor’s degree because you need to stabilize your situation. There’s nothing wrong about that, but it often leads to a difficult question: when is it too late to improve your education?
Do You Need to Leave Your Job?
Depending on how you’ve played your cards, you might find yourself in a situation where your job allows you to stay on a reduced contract – e.g. 20-30 hours a week – for a limited duration. As long as you make it clear that it’s about your studies, most companies should actually be enthusiastic to help you follow this path, as this will bring value to them in the long run as well.
You might be conflicted if you decide to leave your current position and seek another opportunity after obtaining your master’s degree, but as long as you communicate your intentions clearly, there’s nothing unethical about that. After all, you work less, and you get paid less as well.
Saving up for a Few Years
If that doesn’t work out, you should look at increasing your current rate of saving. Tighten the belt for a year or two and if you have enough money to comfortably follow a degree for a couple of years, this should allow you to continue working at a better job immediately after graduating, all without impacting your lifestyle.
Of course, you might need to get used to living on slightly less money, but hey – you’re a student again, so act like one.
Market Experience Is Very Valuable in Education
You’ll find that many people come back for a master’s degree once they’ve been on the job market for a while, and you’ll also find that these people usually perform much better with their studies. There are many reasons for that – just look at the content summary for the New Jersey Institute of Technology’s master’s in electrical engineering here, and you may recognize a few familiar terms from your current job. Plus, the increased level of discipline doesn’t hurt either, especially if you want to follow a degree at a university like NJIT Online, which might be a bit more advanced.
So, to answer the initial question – it’s never too late to take a break from the job market and improve your skillset with a master’s in whatever field you feel would work best. Many people choose to wait a few years before pursuing a higher degree, and that plan often carries plenty of attractive benefits that make it more than worth considering.