“Why go to graduate school?” is a question many students ask after completing their undergraduate degree, unsure of whether grad school is really the best way to help them achieve their career goals. Both the cost in tuition fees and the extra length of time out of employment can mean that applying to graduate school is a decision not to be made lightly.
For this reason, it is essential that your overriding reasons to go to grad school are firmly founded. Below is a list of 10 of the most common reasons to go to grad school, which, depending on your field and mindset, should help you decide whether applying to graduate school is the best next step for you.
“為什么要去讀研?”這是很多學(xué)生在完成他們的本科學(xué)位之后會問的問題, 他們不確定讀研是不是幫助他們實現(xiàn)自己職業(yè)目標(biāo)的最好途徑。在綜合考慮學(xué)費成本和長時間不就業(yè)的情況下，也就意味著申請研究生不是一個能夠輕率做出決定的事。
出于這種原因的考慮，你必須找到一個壓倒性的理由說服你選擇去讀研。下面是出國留學(xué)網(wǎng)為大家獨家整理并且翻譯的為什么讀研的10個最常見的理由，這也取決于你的專業(yè)領(lǐng)域和心態(tài)，應(yīng)該能夠幫助你決定申請研究生對你來說是否是最佳的下一步。
1. Invest in your future
Although it’s not strictly necessary to have a firm view of your future career before applying to graduate school, it certainly helps. This is because grad school often acts as the academic version of professional training, enabling students to graduate with all the right knowledge in all the right places, ready to jump straight into their desired careers.
Either way, students applying to graduate school should do so with their eyes on the future, seeing further study as an investment in their own potential and not simply as a way to postpone the end of student life.
1、投資你的未來
雖然在你申請研究生之前，沒有嚴(yán)格要求你對自己未來的職業(yè)生涯有一個明確的規(guī)劃，但是如果你有的話，當(dāng)然會有幫助。因為從學(xué)術(shù)方面看來，研究生院是一種專業(yè)訓(xùn)練，使學(xué)生能夠在正確的地方獲得正確的知識，準(zhǔn)備好投入他們的職業(yè)生涯。
無論哪種方式，申請研究生院的學(xué)生應(yīng)該著眼于未來，將攻讀研究生作為一種自己潛在能力的投資，并不是簡單地作為一種延長學(xué)生生涯的方式。
2. Get noticed in today’s job market
More people than ever are attending graduate school today, and because of this an undergraduate degree alone can sometimes fail to get you noticed alongside equally or more highly qualified candidates. With university education in contemporary society increasingly viewed as more of a rite of passage than a luxury, and 11% of the workforce (in the UK) now holding a graduate degree, bachelor degree holders are struggling to appeal to employers even at entry level in certain industries – especially when up against candidates with PhDs.
2、注意當(dāng)今的就業(yè)市場
時至今日，有比以往更多的人選擇讀研，正因為這樣，有時候僅僅獲得本科學(xué)位無法使你獲得同樣的注意或者成為更合格的候選人。大學(xué)教育在當(dāng)代社會中越來越習(xí)以為常，英國11%的勞動力現(xiàn)在擁有研究生學(xué)位，學(xué)士學(xué)位持有者正在努力呼吁雇主放平某些行業(yè)的準(zhǔn)入標(biāo)準(zhǔn)——特別是和博士學(xué)位候選人同時競爭的時候。
3. Get more than a qualification
Whereas much of the worth of an undergraduate degree is in the qualification itself, the most important reasons to go to grad school may be more for the professional skills you’ll gain, the personal development you’ll undergo and the valuable connections you’ll make with fellow graduate students, academics and industry experts.
It’s frequently said that grad school is about much more than obtaining a few letters behind your name and a fancy piece of paper; it’s about developing yourself professionally so that you’re ready to enter the world of work. If you act smart in grad school, by the time you graduate you’ll have built yourself a professional landing mat of contacts and relationships, which will serve to keep you in the field and, ultimately, employed.
3、收獲的不僅僅是一個學(xué)歷資格
很多本科學(xué)位的價值就是在那個學(xué)歷資格本身，而攻讀研究生的最重要原因是你將獲得更多的專業(yè)技能，并且將經(jīng)歷個人的發(fā)展，此外你將與你的研究生同學(xué)、學(xué)者和行業(yè)專家建立更多、更密切的聯(lián)系。
人們常說研究生院遠(yuǎn)遠(yuǎn)不止是在你名字后面加上后綴，或者得到幾張學(xué)歷的紙，而是讓你自己變得更專業(yè)從而準(zhǔn)備好進入職場。如果你在研究生院里充分學(xué)習(xí)、鍛煉自己，當(dāng)你畢業(yè)的時候你已經(jīng)為自己進入社會做好了鋪墊，建立了必要的聯(lián)系以及關(guān)系網(wǎng)，這將能夠幫助你在你的專業(yè)領(lǐng)域里繼續(xù)發(fā)展，最終找到一份好工作。
4. Pursue your interests in more depth
Although most undergraduate degrees allow students the opportunity to study modules and classes of personal interest, a graduate degree does this to a much greater extent. In order to get the most out of your graduate degree, you will be expected to conduct personal research alongside set study topics, in order to develop your thoughts and ideas regarding something that deeply interests you.
Attending extracurricular activities and meetings, hearing from guest speakers and lecturers as well as full-time faculty members you find interesting, is what makes grad school so diverse and multidisciplinary. For students with passionate academic interests then, the answer to the question “why go to graduate school?” is obvious!
4、更深層次地追求你的興趣
雖然大多數(shù)本科課程有機會學(xué)習(xí)自己感興趣的模塊和課程，但是研究生學(xué)位在這一點上延伸更廣。為了最有效地利用你的研究生學(xué)位，在學(xué)習(xí)專業(yè)之外，你還需要進行個人研究，這是為了發(fā)展你對你感興趣的東西產(chǎn)生自己的想法和意見。
參加課外活動和會議，聽聽嘉賓講者和講師說什么，還有你發(fā)現(xiàn)的你所就讀全日制學(xué)院的感興趣的教職員工，這些能夠使得你的研究生院是多元化和多學(xué)科的。對于那些有學(xué)術(shù)激情的學(xué)生來說，“為什么去讀研?”這個問題的答案是顯而易見的。
5. Contribute to the world’s knowledge
If you’re someone who wants to contribute to the world within any field, professionally or academically, you’re going to have to know your subject inside-out. For STEM subjects or other highly specialized fields, grad school helps to make that happen. Kylie Rochford, a graduate student at Case Western Reserve University, explains that this was one of her main reasons to go to grad school: “Undergraduate study gave me the opportunity to understand existing knowledge in my field. Graduate school gives me the opportunity to contribute to that knowledge.”
5、對世界的知識作出貢獻
如果你是一個想要在任何領(lǐng)域貢獻世界的人，不管是專業(yè)上或者是學(xué)術(shù)上的貢獻，你就必須徹底了解你的專業(yè)。對于STEM專業(yè)(科學(xué)Science，技術(shù)Technology，工程Engineering，數(shù)學(xué)Mathematics)或者其他高度專業(yè)化的領(lǐng)域，研究生院能夠促使這種情況的發(fā)生。Kylie Rochford，凱斯西儲大學(xué)研究生，解釋說這是她去研究生院的主要原因之一：“本科階段的學(xué)習(xí)給了我機會去了解我的專業(yè)領(lǐng)域里現(xiàn)有的知識。研究生院給了我機會去為這種知識作出貢獻?！?BR> 6. Make connections
Grad school is different to undergraduate studies in a number of ways. One difference is that while undergraduate level student life is widely associated with socializing, sleeping late and cramming alone in the library, grad school is much more about connecting with people professionally – not just fellow graduate students but faculty members too.
So while you may have locked yourself away in the darkest corner of the campus library during your years as an undergraduate, as a graduate degree student you’ll need to learn how to network like a pro by honing your ‘people skills’. If that sounds scary, remember that networking doesn’t have to be a dirty word; networking is your friend! In the professional world, networking is something many of us must do to get our feet in the door, and simply means you’ll be connecting with like-minded people within a professional context in order to collaborate, discuss and further your own knowledge, skills and professional circle.
Not only will you be making professional connections, as a graduate student you’ll be making good friendships as well. The very nature of graduate school makes finding friends who are motivated, focused and mature just that little bit easier; your grad school friends could be the ones you end up sticking to for longest.
6、建立聯(lián)系
在許多方面，研究生學(xué)習(xí)和本科學(xué)習(xí)是不同的。一個區(qū)別是，雖然本科生的生活與社交廣泛相關(guān)，睡得晚，獨自一人在圖書館臨時抱佛腳，但是研究生院則是更多的與專業(yè)的人聯(lián)系在一起——不僅僅是你研究生的同學(xué)，教職員工也是。
所以當(dāng)你作為一名本科生時，你可能在就讀本科的幾年里都將自己封閉在校園圖書館的某個黑暗的角落里，但是作為一名研究生，你需要學(xué)會如何建立你的關(guān)系網(wǎng)，鍛煉你的人際交往能力。如果這聽起來嚇人，請記住“網(wǎng)”不一定非得是一個骯臟的詞匯;各種網(wǎng)絡(luò)是你的朋友!在專業(yè)的世界中，網(wǎng)絡(luò)是我們很多人必須做的，這可以讓你邁進第一道門檻，并且這就意味著你將與志同道合的人在專業(yè)范疇內(nèi)建立聯(lián)系，為了協(xié)作、討論以及進一步擴大自己的知識、技能和專業(yè)的圈子。
你不僅是建立專業(yè)的聯(lián)系，作為一名研究生你也需要建立良好的友誼。研究生院的特性決定你找的朋友都是很積極、專注以及成熟的;你在研究生院交到的朋友可能到頭來是你最長久的朋友。
7. Increase your financial prospects
Bettered financial prospects is a popular answer to the question “Why go to graduate school?” – though it may not necessarily be the most important factor. Even so, a graduate degree has been found to improve the financial prospects of UK workers by over UK￡5,000 (US$8,200) more each year, compared to someone holding just a bachelor’s degree. Although this may not seem like a life-changing amount, the additional money accumulated in a working lifetime works out at around UK￡200,000 (US$328,700). And that’s just the extra!
7、增加你的財政前景
更好財政前景也是對“為什么攻讀研究生”這個問題非常流行的回答——盡管它不一定是最重要的因素。即便如此，與學(xué)士學(xué)位持有人相比，研究生學(xué)位持有人在英國每年可以多掙5,000 歐元(約合8,200美元)。雖然這可能不是一個足以改變你生活的數(shù)額，但是在你的職業(yè)生涯中你會多獲得大約200,000歐元(約合328,700美元)。而且這還只是額外的金額哦!
8. Get academic recognition
Grad school provides a stable forum to research and explore theories and ideas. If during your degree you conduct any research that is particularly exceptional, the chances are you’ll be recognized for that achievement by the academic community – perhaps by being invited to present your paper at a conference, contribute to a research project, and even receive accreditation in a piece of work published in a journal. International recognition is also a prospect for those who continue their research after graduation, and one day, who knows, you may well become a prominent expert in your field.
8、得到學(xué)術(shù)認(rèn)可
研究生院提供一個穩(wěn)定的平臺讓你去研究和探討理論和思想。如果在你攻讀學(xué)位期間，你進行了任何別人未進行過的研究，你可能會被某個學(xué)術(shù)團體認(rèn)可這一成就——也許是被邀請在某個會議上呈現(xiàn)你的論文，為某個研究項目作出貢獻，甚至能夠?qū)⑦@個作品發(fā)表在期刊上。在畢業(yè)后也繼續(xù)你的研究也有可能得到國際上的認(rèn)可，也許有一天你會成為一個在你領(lǐng)域的著名專家，誰知道呢，是嗎。
9. Work with the best
At grad school you’ll be surrounded by leading thinkers in your field – including both the faculty members and guest experts at the front of the lecture hall, and the fellow graduate students around you. When working with people we’re inspired by and look up to, staying motivated and working hard is much, much easier.
In addition to all these talented people, you should also have access to excellent material resources, potentially including the latest technologies and high-end equipment being used within your field, such as spectral imaging scanners or nanotechnology systems.
9、與最好的人一起工作
在研究生院你會被在你領(lǐng)域的頂尖人才包圍——包括你教學(xué)樓里的教職員和客座專家，還有你周圍的研究生同學(xué)。當(dāng)跟我們仰望和能夠鼓舞我們的人合作時，保持動力和努力工作將要容易得多。
除了這些有才華的人之外，你還可以獲得極好的物質(zhì)資源，可能包括在你的領(lǐng)域的最新技術(shù)和高端設(shè)備，如光譜成像掃描儀或納米技術(shù)系統(tǒng)。
10. Gain an internationally recognizable qualification
Although last in this list of reasons to go to grad school, gaining a qualification which is recognized by employers around the world is incredibly important to many prospective graduate students. This is particularly the case for international students and students wishing to work abroad.
10、獲得國際認(rèn)可的學(xué)歷資格
雖然這是在這篇文章中最后一個去研究生院的原因，獲得被世界各地的雇主認(rèn)可的學(xué)歷資格對于許多未來的研究生來說非常重要。這對國際學(xué)生以及想要出國工作的學(xué)生來說尤其如此。
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