Go to Grad School or Get a Job?

As a kid, I always knew I would go to college someday, and with two teachers as parents, grad school was always the logical next step. But now, as I prepare to graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications from Florida State University in just two short months, I find myself questioning for the first time whether immediately furthering my education is truly my best option.

For the past four years, I have focused on readying myself for a career in public relations. Now, I’m at a crossroads. Do I go to grad school in hopes that it will give me a professional edge long-term? Or do I seek a full-time position that will provide me with “real-world” experience and put me on a path to earning accreditation in public relations? Which is more important?

The questions are relentless and sometimes debilitating. Will the investment of grad school be worth my time and money? Will a graduate degree make a difference in my career through a higher salary or more prestigious job position? If I don’t go to grad school now, will it be more difficult to do so in the future if I change my mind?

In most other professions, these questions wouldn’t be relevant. In fact, professionals in other fields can’t understand why I wouldn’t choose grad school over starting my career. But public relations is different. Apparently, you don’t even need a college degree in the industry to practice public relations, which appalls me, but that’s another story.

From my understanding, it seems the most important factor for anyone entering this profession is their level of experience and “real-world” accomplishments. If that is indeed the case, then grad school would only postpone my ability to gain that experience and achieve impressive results. Right?

Recently, after endlessly wrestling with all these concerns, I presented my dilemma to my internship supervisor at Taproot Creative, Stacey Getz. Her advice? You’re going to love this: There is no right or wrong way to go. In other words, as significant as this decision seems to be for me right now, whatever I decide will not make or break my career.

Well, you know what? I think she’s right!

Who says that grad school won’t pay off? If I choose to go, whether it’s now or later, I will gain invaluable knowledge and life experiences that will only contribute to my long-term success. And if I never go, I can rely on the professional experience I gain through my first full-time job, and eventually, I can earn accreditation in public relations to help solidify my credibility in the industry.

Bottom line: There are many roads to success, and I don’t have to follow any specific one. I can blaze my own path. As long as I know where I’m headed, I’ll get there eventually, even if it means making a few mistakes and changing direction from time to time. After all, isn’t that what makes life the adventure that it is?

I’d love to hear from others out there who are going through this same predicament, as well as PR professionals that wouldn’t mind sharing their advice. What’s the best next step for a budding public relations practitioner?