<p>I’m looking specifically for the viewpoint of parents in answer to my question, which is why I am posting it here.</p>
<p>I am considering going for a Master of Science in Astronautics and Aeronautics from Stanford University. My company will pay 100% of the cost of my education (application fees, books, tuition, cap and grown when I graduate), but I take classes on my own time while working for them full time.</p>
<p>Is this something that you’d encourage your kids to do? I am 30, have an undergraduate degree in mechanical engineering, and will finish my first masters (mechanical engineering) very shortly. </p>
<p>I’m debating about the benefits and drawbacks to getting the degree. Certainly I’ll learn a lot. I’ll have a degree from Stanford, which is highly coveted. On the other hand, I don’t need another degree. I will likely start a family shortly and then will be doing graduate coursework while raising a newborn, and every parent will probably say that’s crazy.</p>
<p>You’re thirty. Why would your parents have a say in what you chose to do?</p>
<p>Take the degree IF YOU WANT IT, and it’s being offered. Degrees are (largely) forever. Unless you already have a significant other and a place of residence/nursery room picked out, go to school, make yourself more valuable in your job and THEN worry about a family. If you don’t want it, why bother at all? You already have one.</p>
<p>Go for it. But do check into the taxability of the reimbursements. The rules used to be anything over xx $ per year became taxable income to you, the recipient. Don’t know if such tax rules still apply, but at least you’ll be forewarned before you have a huge tax bill due. Of course, your employer may even gross up your wages for the additional taxes.</p>
<p>I don’t think he said he was asking his parents for what to do. I think he said he was asking the parents here what they thought and I think he’s smart to seek advice from the adult crowd on CC.</p>
<p>There are a lot of hoops one jump through for an employer paid PhD. Some programs will not allow you to have a full time job if OP were getting a fully funded PhD from school.</p>
<p>I think it is a win-win situation because unless you are independently wealthy and never have to work another day, you still have ~37 years until you reach retirement. the concept of a job for life is dead and you need to look at will an advanced degree will make you more marketable for your next job (or moving up in your current job). I beleive that anything over $5000 for grad programs are taxable to the student.</p>
<p>Also check to see if there is a service requirement attached to you going to school. If there is a service requirement, if you leave the job you would have to pay back a pro-rated portion of the tuition your employer paid for you. However, if you are laid off, you do not pay back anything.</p>
<p>Employer paid education is tax free (unlimited amount) if you meet certain criteria, like the education improves your work skills and does not qualify you for new employment. If you don’t meet the criteria, it’s tax free up to around ~$5000. In my case, I meet the criteria so no new tax liability.</p>
<p>I’ve looked into PhDs but they are not very practical for working people.</p>
<p>How many classes do you need to take each term? Full-time job, plus everyday life, plus a new baby would leave room for at most one class at a time. If your spouse is agreeable to this, it’s doable. If you would be a single parent, either finish the degree before the baby, or get the baby at least to the “sleeping through the night” stage before the degree. </p>
<p>In your case, I think that taking the degree just to have “Stanford” on the label is not the point. You should look at what the degree means for you in your career, and whether or not you want/need this coursework now or ever.</p>
<p>Are you doing it for personal interest or for career advancement? If you feel you will learn things that fascinate you and you are anxious to do this, why not if it’s free?</p>
<p>OTOH, from a career perspective, at a certain point piling on more alphabet soup has dimishing returns, unless maybe you are going for academia and want a PhD. Employers are far more interested in what you accomplish on the job, at least that is my experience. Through my years in the defense, power, and semiconductors industries some of the most successful people only had BS degrees. If there was a huge benefit to multiple masters degrees I never saw it.</p>
<p>Unless your company is encouraging you to take this particular course of study for some reason.</p>