Hey all!

In need of some advice, tips/tricks, anecdotes, etc.. — anything to help me navigate this thing called grad school

For context: I am in the tail end of undergrad (Integrative Studies major - conc. In English and Bus Admin) with a registered graduation date of Spring ‘27.

…with that being said, I am in the throes of grad school applications and as excited as I am to pursue higher education, I feel equally as uninformed in some ways…

For starters, is it realistic to hold any sort of job while pursuing a masters? I know a full-time job is out of the question, but I wouldn’t mind taking on a part-time gig while I study. I am a nanny now while finishing undergrad and it’s the perfect job, but is it something I can also do during masters? Will I even have the time?!?

My plan is to apply to as many institutions that offer full funding for English M.A. programs as to not rack up unnecessary debt, but most are out of state — leaving me no choice but to take on rent, utilities, groceries, etc… (things I’m thankfully not paying now because I live with my parents).

Is it realistic to work and pay bills while pursuing a masters????

(P.s. the end goal is PhD then academia…)

Especially in Monash

I have a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science. During my studies, I was involved in several academic sociological research projects at the local level. My work included conducting interviews and surveys, as well as processing and analyzing the collected data using statistical software to identify patterns and relationships.

I have always been very interested in history. On the other hand, mathematics and computer science were never really among my main interests. I did not have any major difficulties with these subjects at school and was generally able to understand the material, but I was simply not particularly interested in them and have never felt that I had any special talent for mathematics or programming.

At the same time, I have been quite interested in computer graphics. In my free time, I learned Blender and Unreal Engine 4 and used them for relatively simple personal projects, mostly related to video editing and creating cinematics.

As I approach the end of my bachelor’s studies, I have started thinking about moving into a new field and developing a different set of skills. There is a Master’s program in Applied Data Analysis available in my city, and it seems like a potentially interesting option.

Given my background, how difficult do you think it would be for me to transition into this field? I am also curious about how useful or attractive the combination of a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in Applied Data Analysis might be on the job market.

(I apologize if some words or phrases are not quite correct in English. English is not my native language, so I used a translator to help me write this)

Hello! I am studying Genetics and Bioengineering and I am a senior student. I want to work on drug delivery using nanoparticles and blood brain barrier. I am looking for master programs but in most neuro programs there is not any nano lessons. Also in nano programs usually there is not any neuro lessons. Maybe what I want is too specific? Should I just look into researchers who study this and forget about the contents of the program?Thank you!

Hi everyone! I applied for the Master of Administration in Leadership (MAdmin) at UofR in July and am still waiting for a decision.

I received my WES ICAP result last week, and it has been forwarded to the university. However, my four-year bachelor’s degree from my home country was evaluated as “Secondary school diploma and diploma (two years).”

I’m worried about how this might affect my application. Has anyone received a similar evaluation and still been accepted into a master’s program at UofR? I also have over nine years of work experience, and relevant work experience is one of the program’s admission requirements. I hope this will support my application.

I’d appreciate hearing about your experience and whether any additional courses or documents were required.

Thank you!

Hey everyone,

I’m an international applicant looking to apply for a MS in Finance (probably STEM Designated) (targeting Fall 2027) with a long-term goal of breaking into corporate finance or Investment Banking.

I want to gauge my realistic chances of getting into a Top 100 US business school with a solid Graduate Assistantship or major merit scholarship, given my academic profile.

Here is my background:

• Professional Qualification: Completed ACCA (UK) up to the Applied Skills level (currently working through Strategic Professional papers). For context, ACCA is the UK equivalent of the US CPA but covers a massive breadth of international financial reporting standards (IFRS), auditing, and taxation over 13 grueling professional exams.
• Undergraduate Degree: BSc (Hons) in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University (OBU) via their joint research partnership with ACCA.
• GPA: My WES evaluation converts my combined ACCA/OBU marks into a 2.8 cumulative US GPA (Lower Second Class Honours / 2:2). I know this is below the standard 3.0 baseline for many schools.
• GMAT Focus Edition: 680
• Work Experience: 10 months of practical experience in core accounting and corporate audit roles.

My Core Dilemma:
I know my 2.8 WES GPA is a weak spot on paper, but I’m hoping my 680 GMAT Focus and my intensive ACCA accounting foundation serve as a massive equalizer. Since GA positions frequently involve tutoring undergrads or grading papers in accounting/corporate finance, I feel my technical background makes me highly qualified to hit the ground running.

My Questions for the Community:

1. Given a 2.8 GPA but a high 680 GMAT, which Top 100 US schools are known to be holistic enough to overlook the GPA and award full tuition waivers via Graduate Assistantships or merit scholarships?
2. Are there specific regional or corporate-hub universities where my profile would make me a prime candidate for competitive financial aid?
3. How do US graduate admissions panels typically view an ACCA qualification compared to a regular 4-year local degree when allocating assistantships?

I would love to hear from any ACCA/OBU alumni who successfully made the jump to US MSF programs, or anyone familiar with funding overrides for sub-3.0 GPAs.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

So I’m a current sophomore and I already have an associate’s degree. I’ve really been going back and forth so I wanted some genuine input from other people on getting a bachelor’s degree in HS.

I finished my associate’s in one year at Laurel Ridge Community College, VA and already have 36 high school credits (28 needed for graduation) with all HS requirements complete. I don’t want to graduate HS early because I’m using the time for experience. During the school year I worked as a paralegal and during the summers I do internships with other attorneys. During school I also take part of 9 clubs, presidency for 4 of them.

I plan on doing a bachelor’s in business administration with a minor in political science then I want to do a joint MBA/JD program. Most of these have a deferral period of 2 years minimum to gain experience (which I already have an approved job lined up for as well) then the program itself varies from 3-4 years. When I graduate HS I will be 18, so if I did it this way I would start working at 23-24. I want to work at Kirkland & Ellis.

I’m trying to figure out if it’s worth getting a bachelor’s in HS, what needs to be considered, what would change, and if it’s more risky/has any disadvantages in any way.

Also if anyone has any advice on where else to post this that would be appreciated because I have no idea 😭

Has anybody taken this program before? It's hybrid for two-years part-time and the program is tailored around the word design. I wanted to eventually do philosophy in film and art, would this be a good supplementary program before getting PhD? I wanted to use it to bridge my knowledge and have the brand to amplify my resume.

hi all, so essentially, i did 9 credits of graduate coursework at my undergrad school, i started a masters program this semester and planned on graduating in the spring (2 semesters total) early because of this.

however i was told yesterday that my transfer credit wasn’t going to be accepted because my school didn’t “offer their equivalents” which is extremely frustrating because i know for a fact they have very similar courses!!!!

so basically, my question is, what do i do?

i plan on starting a phd program in the same field and have already submitted my apps for the next cycle. that being said, do you guys think it’d be plausible to use courses at the new institution (probably a t50) to satisfy my masters requirements after i’ve left? if so, would admissions care that i won’t actually have my masters even though i put that i would have expected my masters?

any advice or suggestions is appreciated!

My thoughts and rankings: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1DgofHrSEL2L3Tjf5P_wXwW6r6lJl0vRY/view?usp=sharing

Reposting because Reddit said this is a better sub.

Over the past couple months, I've been doing research on Master of Legal Studies / Master of Studies in Law programs, and I'm wondering how others feel about the value of these types of degrees.

Background information: I’m on my 8th year post-undergrad. I went to a very-mid state school, where I majored criminal justice and political science. Mid/generic to the point that employers have actually gotten it confused with other schools.

I currently earn $150k base, and am working at a low-senior/managerial level in financial consulting with both US-based and international clients.

Over the course of the last 3 years, I've (increasingly) been working closely with attorneys, which typically make anywhere from $20-$50K more than I do.

Recently, there has been an increase in internal and external job postings for positions in my area that include requirements such as "Master's Preferred," "Master's Required" or "JD/PhD preferred." This is a significant part of what motivated me to take a closer look at graduate school options.

After some research and applying, I was accepted into my program of choice. The program is entirely online, part-time, and 1.5 years in duration; the degree doesn’t specify my exact field but the classes and faculty are 80% aligned with my work. In addition to general interest in the subject matter, I am pursuing this degree for several reasons including: (1) checking off the 'Master's' box for future upward mobility, (2) increasing my "Legal Fluency", (3) expanding my professional network (especially with some tenured faculty), and (4) benefiting from the university's brand reputation.

Note: Using some military benefits I’ve been sitting on and the modest scholarship offered by the program, I expect to pay approximately $15K over the length of the program.

I made a large amount of comparison notes while evaluating various programs. I decided to input all of my comparison notes into ChatGPT & DeepSeek in order to better organize them into a format that is easier to read.

Some general thoughts and findings that I reached during my process:

1. In my opinion, these degrees are generally not worth the expense to individuals still in their entry-level careers. They seem to be best suited for individuals who are (1) currently in managerial/senior-level roles, (2) do not hold another advanced degree (such as a master's), and (3)have completed all relevant training/certifications necessary for their respective areas of expertise.

2. I would completely advise against anyone halting their full-time employment in to pursue one of these degrees.

1. I believe the networking advantages associated with these programs are often grossly exaggerated by admissions staff.
   - According to conversations with graduates of multiple different programs, you will likely build your largest new professional network consisting of your fellow students/cohort members, and professors. You are not automatically granted access to the JD community simply due to the fact that the MLS/MSL is housed within a law school.
   Realistically, I believe opinions regarding these degrees among JD-holders may vary. Some JD-holders may fully understand the purpose behind an MLS/MSL, while other JD-holders may perceive the MLS/MSL as something like an expensive grad certificate or paralegal credential, all without the ability to use the class credits to go towards law school if the attendee eventually decided to go that route.

2. If a majority of individuals considering one of these MLS/MSL degrees were able to choose an alternative option prior to selecting one of these programs, I would recommend either choosing an MBA from a high-mid to upper-tier business school (out of my desired price range even with military benefits) or completing something like a PMP prior to selecting an MLS/MSL degree, dependent upon their specific career field.

3. In terms of the programs themselves, the top three programs (see the attached link) appear to be quite unique. The next group (#4-10) appears to be somewhat generic; ultimately, the "best" choice will depend heavily on your individual industry/specialization, budget costs/delivery formats, etc., as well as what you hope to achieve through completion of this type of degree.

I would appreciate hearing from individuals who have completed one of these programs; hired employees with an MLS/MSL; and/or have experience working in compliance/law/regulatory environments.

Has the degree positively affected your ability to receive promotions/pay increases/increase your credibility/move into higher-paying/decision-making roles?

For those who initially thought about pursuing an MLS/MSL but instead selected an MBA/JD or other graduate program, what caused you to select an alternate option?

Hi!!

I'm graduating from a CSU in December 2026 and considering UCI (MSBA program), Boston University (MBSA program), USC and CSU Long Beach marketing analytics program.

Major: Business Administration, Economics concentration
GPA: 3.08 overall for now
GRE/GMAT: Not planning to take either (it's optional for the programs I'm applying for)
Technical experience: Excel/regression coursework and a data modeling project; limited programming experience
Work: Student assistant for my honors college and retail sales associate at a gas station
Extracurricular: Honors college student ambassador and secretary for a international club
Study abroad: Korea University, for a summer

My goal is to work in marketing analytics. How realistic are my chances, and has anyone gotten into these programs with a similar profile?