In my role as career counselor I am often asked these questions, both by the students and their parents, “Is it worth studying any further?” “Is it worth spending more time and money on education, or it is better to take up a job?” These questions generally come from students who are about to or have just finished their bachelor’s degree. Both these questions I feel, are difficult to answer.

How do you judge the value or worth of education? Most students try to gauge the value of a particular program by the starting salaries that they could expect after passing out from the program. While this is fair enough, I personally feel that this is a short sighted approach. The purpose of education is not just to get you a job. The real purpose of education is to ‘educate’ you. Your decision behind pursuing higher education should be driven by your desire to ‘learn’ and not just ‘earn’. Earning eventually will follow. But in an environment with so many institutions advertising their programs by highlighting the salaries that their graduates earn, I don’t completely blame the students for thinking likewise.

It is understandable that you went to school, and eventually to college too, because your parents and social factors forced you to do so. You probably chose a stream/branch that your parents, peers, teachers and others felt was best for you rather than the one that you really wanted to. However your decision to pursue a master’s program should be driven by your desire to learn. Choose a program that you would enjoy attending; where sitting in class would be more fun than bunking lectures. The benefits would follow, and not just in terms of your job after graduation. You will experience the benefits of good education all throughout your career and even more. And you don’t have to consider higher education immediately after you finish your bachelor degree. If you don’t feel like studying further, it’s fine. Take a break, join a job. There are enough options and opportunities for studying further.

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In the articles that would follow, I plan to talk on topics related to higher education. Being a counselor of foreign education, my shift would be towards education abroad and a comparison between the Indian and foreign degrees. Most of my blogs would be addressing college students (and their parents) who are exploring options for higher education.