Should I go to Grad School?

acefox
Fri, 19 Aug 2016 17:02:02 +0000

Hi everyone, I’m looking for the wisdom of someone more experienced than me, so hopefully this hits home with at least one of you

Some quick details:

I recently graduated Penn with a GPA of 2.76 (junior and senior GPA amounted to a 3.20) in Bioengineering. Sophomore year was my low point, but it was only an upwards trend every semester after that (I think my last semester I had a 3.83 or something).

I haven’t had any major related work or internship experience. The only general work experience I’ve had is math tutoring at my old high school for during freshman summer.

As a result, my resume is pretty much loaded only with my project experience, with a particular focus on my senior design.

So for the last couple of months, I’ve been looking for a job in the medical device industry. Unfortunately, it has been largely unsuccessful. There have been a few bright spots with people in my network, but I’m beginning to grow anxious.

Enter my dilemma - would it be more beneficial to me to try and go to grad school starting this spring? If I couldn’t go to a higher tier grad school, would it still be worth it to pursue a Master’s at my local school?

Or would the alternative of continuing my job search be more ideal for me considering my current situation, even if it means taking a less than ideal job?

If anyone has been in a similar position or has some advice, I’d love to hear your story.