This post was sponsored by College Avenue Student Loans. All opinion expressed are my own, thank you.
“You’ll never make it,” they said. “You’re just not smart enough,” they explained. Those were the comments I heard from my extended family growing up when the topic of me attending college was discussed. And though their words were meant to demoralize and discourage, they became my personal anthem of progress when it came time for me to not only attend but to flourish and ultimately graduate from my university. With not just one but two collegiate degrees.
Their words also propelled me to make the decision to attend graduate school. I could provide myself with not only a large and more diverse educational background but also provide myself with a way to better differentiate myself in today’s increasingly competitive job market.
Luckily, I’m not the only one who considers attending graduate school a no-brainer. According to the Federal Reserve, earning an advanced degree offers a substantial payoff, with graduate degree holders earning 30 percent more than those with only a bachelor’s degree. And with the ever-changing needs of employers across various private and public sectors desiring professionals who continually upskill themselves, graduate programs can help new students and returning students alike in immeasurable ways.
Also, by obtaining your master’s degree, you develop transferable skills that apply to various jobs, organizations, and industries, such as analytical, interpersonal, organizational, communication, and advanced technological skills. Skill sets that are often transferable and can help you become both a versatile employee and a more valuable asset to hiring managers and recruiters.
A graduate degree can also help you move into more senior roles, including management and leadership. Many companies not only recognize the benefits of earning your master’s degree but encourage their employees to get one through tuition reimbursement. In fact, 38 percent of employers nationally require applicants to have previously obtained a graduate degree as part of their educational requirements.
For these reasons, you may already be considering expanding your educational opportunities to include graduate coursework. Which leaves one of the largest and final decisions in attending, wondering if a graduate degree is worth the financial cost?
For me, it was. It was a key investment in my financial plans for the future. I’d like to say that I was able to pay for my continued education out-of-pocket, but this was not a reality in my world. I was not in a position to take on non-traditional payment plans and graduate student loans were my most viable financing option. Which is why I implemented the use of graduate student loans to obtain my degree.
My graduate student loans allowed me to borrow enough money to attend school and by doing so, I was also to obtain a degree that gave me the opportunity to implement new lucrative career opportunities in place. I knew I would not be borrowing more money than I expected to make in my first year at a firm. Coupled with setting a personal goal of working while attending school in an effort to pay down accrued interest, I felt at peace with borrowing money for school. And why, despite being a debt-free blogger, I’ll always encourage people to take out graduate student loans if they make financial sense to attend graduate school this season.
And I wasn’t alone. According to the College Board, in 2015-16 alone, 5% of master’s degree recipients, 20% of doctoral degree recipients, and 50% of professional degree recipients borrowed $100,000 or more to fund their graduate school study. As many MBA programs can cost tens of thousands of dollars for each potential student, and the average medical school degree can set students back upwards of $180,000.
Which is why, like me, you’ll likely need to borrow to help pay for a graduate degree after all scholarships, grants, and personal savings options have been exhausted. This makes private graduate student loans one of your next best bets to finance your educational pursuits for graduate school.
For those looking to find smarter graduate student loan opportunities, I encourage you to consider College Ave Student Loans as an option when financing your graduate degree.
College Ave offers new and returning students a better overall loan experience. From helping you find your best graduate school loan to providing borrowers with budget-friendly repayment options, this company makes borrowing fast and easy. They also provide applicants with a simple-to-use application process. It’s so simple that you can complete your application from any mobile device in minutes and find out instantly if your loan approved. Plus, borrowers can choose the loan term that works best for them and their budget with clean, concise borrowing terms upfront.
Graduate student loans are designed with students in mind, and College Ave takes the stress and guesswork out of paying for college or graduate school by putting you in charge of how your student loan will best fit within your budgetary needs this season. Coupled with helpful online tools, no origination fees, and great customer service, these loan programs can be one of your best bets for obtaining private loans for postgraduate, masters or professional degrees to help advance your educational career paths too!
When it comes to balancing the cost of school with other financial priorities and going to graduate school, you’ll be faced with big decisions that require even bigger investments. Which is why borrowing from College Ave can help make your graduate school dreams a reality. Leaving you more time to learn, study, and grow as a student in your own right.
Now, friends, I want to ask, are you considering getting your graduate degree this season? And if your educational future includes student loans, what are your biggest concerns in securing this type of educational funding? Leave your comments below!
