Chris Massad
Many have been talking of the effects the weak economy has had on the United States. The economy has effected many aspects of life, higher education being one of them. The economy's recession has marked a spiked increase in the number of graduate students in the United States. Could this due to the fact that employers are looking for the most qualified employees, and knowing this, employees are competitively earning higher degrees? Doubtful. Based on the general consensus of students, surveys have shown that students who finish undergraduate school go straight to graduate school because the job market is horrendous. The strength of the job market is directly proportional to the economy.
University of Illinois second year graduate student Andrew Stevens was one of the students surveyed and was further interviewed. He is currently studying aerospace engineering and graduated at a time with a relatively stable job market, but decided to get his masters anyways. He explains, "At the time (of my graduation), the job market was high. Shortly after, my friends started to get laid off," Stevens said. "So grad school was a smart economic decision for me." The University of Illinois recorded a record high 10,495 graduate students enrolled this semester, marking a 4.27 percent increase from last year's number of grad students.
Many have been talking of the effects the weak economy has had on the United States. The economy has effected many aspects of life, higher education being one of them. The economy's recession has marked a spiked increase in the number of graduate students in the United States. Could this due to the fact that employers are looking for the most qualified employees, and knowing this, employees are competitively earning higher degrees? Doubtful. Based on the general consensus of students, surveys have shown that students who finish undergraduate school go straight to graduate school because the job market is horrendous. The strength of the job market is directly proportional to the economy.
University of Illinois second year graduate student Andrew Stevens was one of the students surveyed and was further interviewed. He is currently studying aerospace engineering and graduated at a time with a relatively stable job market, but decided to get his masters anyways. He explains, "At the time (of my graduation), the job market was high. Shortly after, my friends started to get laid off," Stevens said. "So grad school was a smart economic decision for me." The University of Illinois recorded a record high 10,495 graduate students enrolled this semester, marking a 4.27 percent increase from last year's number of grad students.
This is not just a local Illinois issue. Acr0ss the nation, students are taking advantage of the weak economic times to earn higher degrees. Stewart Heiser, spokesman for the Council of Graduate Schools stated, "For this semester, applications to graduate schools for domestic students (from the U.S.) are up 8 percent." Either way, officials believe that it is a smart move for students to wait a while before joining the work force; furthering your education is a wise decision that will more than likely be beneficial in the future.
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