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I currently work at an accounting firm and will be coming up on my first year this September which I am grateful for. I am also working to get my CPA license and hope to have it by this Fall. I'm currently looking at going to grad school, though, for economics which is my true passion. To be honest, I took the CPA route because it looked "recession proof" and would enable me to get a job, which it did. If I didn't spend a year getting those required 150 credits in the Masters of Accounting program then I wouldn't have had the job I have now.
My question is am I insane to consider going to graduate school to pursue my true interests (after about 2 years of working in the real world) in this economy when I have such a good job?
I DO intend to pay off my current student debt before going and WILL NOT enter a program unless I am 100% sure I can be debt free at the end of my economics study (i.e. grants and scholarships).
I would not consider doing such a thing in todays economy.
The only way I could get my degrees was to work during the day, keep moving up the ladder, and go to school at night.
To be totally honest, the reason I went onto college was to be able to secure a good career and make more money. I did not persue my interests, I persued my financial well-being.
If you can't make any money at it, it is just a hobby.
Depending on the schools around you (and the ones you can get into) you may have an option to work and go to school at the same time. Graduate school is a lot easier IMO than getting an undergraduate degree so you could balance it and not go into significant debt. If you could spin it, like getting an MBA with an Economics focus, if your employer has tuition reimbursement then you have that to fall back on as well. Economics and Accounting would actually be a great combination to fall back on for the future. But, if you do really want to look at Economics programs, I would go for a strong one. This is a list one of the GMAT Club users came up with:
I would put it off for a few years. After a few years of experience in public accounting you could make the move to industry, and maybe then a grad program in econ might be more workable.
One exception to that advice....if you work for a Big 4 econ could possibly be useful if you moved into a specialty group, but you would still need to work for a few years to get to that point.
I currently work at an accounting firm and will be coming up on my first year this September which I am grateful for. I am also working to get my CPA license and hope to have it by this Fall. I'm currently looking at going to grad school, though, for economics which is my true passion. To be honest, I took the CPA route because it looked "recession proof" and would enable me to get a job, which it did. If I didn't spend a year getting those required 150 credits in the Masters of Accounting program then I wouldn't have had the job I have now.
My question is am I insane to consider going to graduate school to pursue my true interests (after about 2 years of working in the real world) in this economy when I have such a good job?
I DO intend to pay off my current student debt before going and WILL NOT enter a program unless I am 100% sure I can be debt free at the end of my economics study (i.e. grants and scholarships).
Thoughts?
I personally wouldn't do it, but I never look down on people who pursue their passion. What do you plan on doing with a Master's in Econ? Also are you gonna try to go to V Tech?
In that case, you need more experience first. It is even more competitive to go abroad and international students are held to a much higher standard. Does your current job have an office abroad by a program you would like to attend? Are you thinking about the London School of Economics?
It seems like you don't want to gain more experience, so I guess your first step should be preparing for the GMAT because frankly, that makes up most of the admissions decisions. So, you need to get a crazy high score to be a shoe in! Right now it is very competitive because so many who lost their jobs with the recession chose to go back to school.
I did it. I left the real world for grad school full time. It was a big risk, but I came out with a job doing exactly what I wanted to do and am making about 3 times as much as I was at two jobs before school (keep in mind I was basically dirt poor before going back, so I'm not totally rich). I do have some debt, but I didn't have any from undergrad, most of my grad expenses were paid, and I'm already paying them early to lessen the pain.
It's up to you, but I know MANY people that have done this and have ended up just fine, with jobs to boot.
You make more $$$ gaining a degree while employed than coming into a company with the degree already. There are people 20 years older than me who are going to school now & will get raises upon graduation whereas I came in with the degree & get paid the worst. Experience always beats education.
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. If I didn't spend a year getting those required 150 credits in the Masters of Accounting program then I wouldn't have had the job I have now.
