This post focuses on external factors to consider when deciding to attend Graduate School. For more on the academic side of this question, read What is Graduate School?
Although this post is written for undergraduate students doing a Minor or a Major in Spanish, this information is useful to any student interested in pursuing a doctoral degree in the Humanities.
Commitment to Studying
Depending on your previous academic preparation, research experience, and clarity of purpose, a doctoral degree can take between 5 to 7 years to complete. In some cases, it can take longer due to funding issues, research challenges, or other factors.
During these years, you are going to spend a lot of time in classrooms, libraries, or archives. You will read hundreds of books, write dozens of papers, and engage in intellectual discussions about texts, new trends in the discipline, and related topics.
Do you like to read and write? Do you like public speaking? Are you interested in presenting your research at conferences? Are you willing to sustain a student lifestyle for a few years? Are you committed to spending winter breaks and summer vacations doing tasks related to research and teaching?
Family Considerations
Another important aspect to consider in attending Graduate School is family.
Are you willing to live apart from family members for years? How are you planning to keep in touch with them? Do they understand what a doctoral degree entails? Or, do you want to attend graduate school to be as far as possible from home?
What about a family of your own? Do you want to have kids? Are you willing to relocate for graduate school or for a job? Do you mind living in a remote location for a few years? If you have kids before finishing your degree, how are you going to deal with degree requirements and home demands?
Financial Worries
A semester of a doctoral degree can cost thousands of dollars. The price depends on the prestige and location of the school you are attending. For example, this year the cost for tuition for a degree in Romance Studies at my Alma Mater, Cornell University, is $29, 500. This does not include other fees or health insurance.
In most cases, you will receive a financial package that includes money for research during the first year and a tuition waiver in return for teaching or other research obligations. In some cases, you will have funding for a year to write your dissertation. Make sure that you read the specifications carefully.
Once you enter Graduate School, you will be exposed to a way of life that might demand expenses that you could not afford during your undergraduate years, such as coffees, conferences, dinners, etc. It wouldn’t be surprising if you forget that the money is not going to be available after the years stated in the letter. You can always apply for grants and fellowships to complement your studies. In fact, you should.
Are you willing to have a frugal life? Do you understand how putting off a “grown-up” salary affects your retirement? Do you know that most graduate programs do not allow students to work outside the department for more than 10 or 20 hours per week? If you lose your funding, what is your plan? Will you go into debt to cover your expenses? Are you aware of the financial repercussions of a loan?
Job Prospects
Given that one of the main focuses of graduate school is research, one of the most valued outcomes is to land a tenure-track position after graduation.
A tenure-track position is a contract for six years in which you must excel at research, teaching, and service to an academic institution. If you get tenure, you have a degree of “job security” or, better yet, perceived “job security,” as the institution cannot fire you for freedom of speech.
As universities face budgetary constraints and low enrollment rates, these positions are less common and there are more good candidates competing for them. Get in the habit of reading The Chronicle of Higher Education, The Professor Is In, and publications by the Modern Language Association to get a better understanding of the challenges of the discipline.
Are you interested in becoming a university professor after your doctoral degree? What would you do if you are not able to land a tenure-track position? Are you willing to consider other alternatives? Will you prepare for careers outside academia while completing your degree? Do you understand the differences between academia and industry? Are you familiar with a CV and a résumé?
Meaningful Life
In thinking about graduate school, you will find information related to work and life balance.
Sometimes, the demands of an academic discipline require you to neglect other aspects of your life, such as family, friends, health, spirituality, joy, etc. Other times, this path will allow you to have flexibility and more time to do the things you love.
As someone said to me once, work and life balance are aspirational. You cannot always achieve it, but you must try to have a plan that works for you.
Are you living a meaningful life? Do you have a purpose? How does graduate school contribute to that purpose? Does the program align with your values? What are your values? How will graduate school help you to achieve your goals?
Final Considerations
Although these questions are not as important for you now as they might be in five years, it is important that you are mindful of these issues to better plan your time during graduate school.
Graduate School provides rich experiences and opportunities. It has benefits, delightful challenges, and a different mindset. Sometimes, it offers good monetary compensation. However, it should not be the goal of every student with a degree in Spanish or in the Humanities.
Graduate School does not have to be right for you. It is a question of fit... and fit goes both ways.
Are you planning to go to graduate school after finishing your Bachelor’s degree? What is attractive about graduate school? What factors are most important to consider when applying to a graduate program?
Disclaimer: Information shared and advice offered in this post does not substitute academic advising at your institution. As a student, it is your responsibility to carefully read degree requirements, understand the sequence of courses, and communicate effectively with faculty members and administrators.