Graduate School Discussion
JAMES B. AVEY PHD
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS
CENTRAL WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
Topics
 Why Graduate School?
 Why not Graduate School?
 What course of study?
 What school?
 Logistics of Preparation
 Logistics of Graduate School
 Note on Post-Graduate school
Why Graduate School?
 Money (40k entry vs. 60k + entry depending on school)
 10/26/06 AP “College graduates made an average of $51,554
in 2004, the most recent figures available, compared with
$28,645 for adults with a high school diploma. High school
dropouts earned an average of $19,169 and those with
advanced college degrees made an average of $78,093.”
 http://economiclogic.blogspot.com/2008/08/what-is-mbaworth.html
 Access to Professions and Levels
 Promotion (caution- an advanced degree is not salvation)
 Personal Goals
 Respect
Why not Graduate School?
 Bias?
 Time commitment
 Tired of school
 Cost of Degree
 Deployed to remote area
 Can’t find a job?
 Not now?
 Entrance to Program (Exec MBA)
 Remember your high school friends “I think I’ll go to college
later”….yeah right!
What course of study?
 Profession?
 What is your profession?
 Business- MBA
Emphasis as appropriate
 Broad emphasis may be better at graduate level
 Do not get a non-business or non-law degree if you will be in
business/management.


Psychologist


Psychology
Sociologist

Sociology
What school?- The System
Input
Process
Output
What school?
 The best one possible, without exception.

Investment strategy: the higher caliber the school
The more the payoff
 The stronger the networks
 The higher caliber the networks in terms of opportunities



The one you can get in
Do not take the road of convenience
 Schools in Washington (U.S. News and World Report)


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

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University of Washington (not satellite campus)
Big Gap
University of Seattle, SPU, WSU
WWU, EWU, Gonzaga
Big Gap
City University, Univ. of Phoenix, Capella
Logistics of Preparation
 Gaining Entry
 Grades
 GMAT
Minimum 600
 Preferred 700
 750 or higher guarantees entrance



Service
Personal Contacts within the University
 Time Preparation
 Class Time
 Study Time
 Collegial Time
Logistics of Preparation
 Family
 Married?
 Kids?
 Putting first things first or you will fail
 Cost
 Education reimbursement
 Scholarships/Grants
 Loans/Parents/Sponsors
 Paying your own way
 Geographic/living
 No house? Live Close
 House? Buy a Diesel Jetta
Logistics of Graduate School
 From a Pike in a Puddle to a Guppy in the Pacific
 Class sizes smaller (typically)
 Depth is deeper
 Breadth is broader
 More synthesis and integration of real-time issues
 Expectations in syllabus; no babysitting
 Homogeneity of colleagues
 Can you sluff through? Yes, but it is more difficult
and others will know
Note on Post-Graduate school
 Must have good reason for a Ph.D.
 Job Requirement
 Current Job
 Desired Job
 Personal Requirement
 Time commitment (MBA) vs. Brain commitment (PhD)
 Different Discussion
Summary
 Graduate school…*
 Is fun
 Is hard
 Opens up opportunities
 Is an investment no one can take away
* Side effects may include a know-it-all attitude, an urge to tell others what to do,
friends asking to borrow money, extreme attraction from the opposite sex and 22
inch rims on your ride.
Open up for questions
AVEYJ@CWU.EDU