Christina Chung is going to medical school. Ben Shea plans to
work instead of continuing his education. Both are graduating and
said they think more students are going to graduate school now than
in the past.
But statistical data collected by UCLA and the U.S. Census
Bureau suggests that the number of students attending graduate
school has not increased or decreased in recent years.
“Students are not attending graduate school any more than
in past years,” said Kathy Sims, director of the UCLA Career
Center.
The number of students applying to graduate programs and
professional schools at UCLA decreased between 2002 and 2004,
according to the Office of Analysis and Information Management at
UCLA.
However, the enrollment numbers for graduate programs during the
same period remained steady.
This decrease in the number of applicants may be due to students
being more thoughtful about applying to graduate programs, Sims
said, adding that applicants are more serious and committed to
attending graduate school once accepted.
Because the applicant pool is stronger, it is not easier to get
into graduate school even though fewer people are applying, Sims
said.
Fewer applicants and steady enrollment are “healthy”
and “good for the graduate programs,” because schools
no longer have to consider applicants who are not serious about
attending graduate school, Sims said.
Despite a lack of supporting data, many UCLA students have the
perception that more students are attending graduate school.
Some students attribute this perception to the fact that they
hear their peers discussing plans to attend graduate school. Also,
students believe the job market has become more competitive and a
master’s degree is now necessary to be noticed in the
workforce.
“The (bachelor’s) degree is more accessible. More
people need to stand out. They can’t do what they want
without a (master’s) degree,” said Benoit Healy, a
fourth-year history and European studies student.
Sims said she does not know why students have this perception,
but said because some students who plan to attend graduate school
ultimately do not, other students may get the impression that more
people attend graduate school than actually do.
While one national survey suggested that students are attending
graduate school earlier, Sims said the timing of attendance depends
on the program.
Students interested in becoming college faculty members tend to
go to graduate school immediately after finishing their
undergraduate education, as do students interested in law or
medical school, whereas most business students wait a bit longer,
Sims said.
Chung, a fourth-year ecology, behavior and evolution student,
said she is planning to go to medical school after taking a year
off to work.
While some students have definite plans for attending graduate
school, others are not so committed, especially in regard to the
near future.
Jason Fang, a fourth-year electrical engineering student, has no
plans for graduate school as of now. He plans to work, but said
graduate school is a possibility.
But others consider the knowledge they can gain outside the
classroom more valuable than what they can gain in graduate
school.
Shea, a fourth-year mathematics and economics student, said he
would like to have a job in investment banking and stockbroking
after college and has no interest in going to graduate school.
“I don’t think I’d be able to learn anything
in grad school that I can’t learn on my own,” he
said.