When to Go Back to Graduate School Quiz  🎓

Quiz Questions

• 1.
  What do your career goals look like?

  • A.
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    I have a 3-5 year plan
  • B.
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    I'll know what's next when it pops up
  • C.
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    Is there a fairy godmother for career goals?
• 2.
  How long have you been thinking about going back to graduate school?

  • A.
    At least a year
  • B.
    The past few months
  • C.
    I saw another article about layoffs, graduate school seems like a safer bet right now
• 3.
  What's the best case scenario if you get a graduate degree?

  • A.
    I can move up in my industry (or pivot to a new one) and reach my career goals sooner
  • B.
    It should open up new opportunities for my career
  • C.
    People will call me "Master"
• 4.
  How do you really feel about applying to graduate school?

  • A.
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    A little anxious but mostly excited to see what happens
  • B.
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    I'm hoping it's worth the effort
  • C.
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    I'd rather watch Titanic on a 24-hour loop
• 5.
  When did you graduate from college (or with your last degree)?

  • A.
    Less than 2 years ago
  • B.
    3-7 years ago
  • C.
    8 or more years ago
• 6.
  What type of graduate degree are you considering?

  • A.
    Master's degree (ex. MA, MBA, MFA, MPH, MS)
  • B.
    Professional degree (ex. JD, MD, EdD)
  • C.
    Doctoral degree (ex. PhD)
• 7.
  Have you talked to anyone who has the type of degree you're interested in?

  • A.
    Yes, they're my inspiration
  • B.
    Not yet, but I've started a list of people to contact
  • C.
    Um, I need to get on that
• 8.
  Consider what this degree will make possible for your life. Is going back to school worth the financial investment?

  • A.
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    100%. Even if I need to take out loans, the career opportunities this opens up will make it worth my while.
  • B.
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    Possibly. It depends on what I end up doing with the degree after graduation, I'm still figuring out my options.
  • C.
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    Ehh, debatable. But if I can get a degree covered by tuition benefits from my job or get scholarships, it's still of interest to see how it can help my career.
• 9.
  If there's one thing that would keep you from starting the application process, what would it be?

  • A.
    Choosing the right programs and figuring out if I have what I need to apply
  • B.
    Taking a standardized test (ex. GMAT, GRE, LSAT, MCAT)
  • C.
    My mindset: imposter syndrome and fear of rejection
  • D.
    Getting strong letters of recommendation
  • E.
    Writing a personal statement
  • F.
    Um, all of these
• 10.
  What would help you most with the application process (whenever you're ready)?

  • A.
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    Templates or examples for each part of the application
  • B.
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    An accountability group (I don't want to figure this out alone)
  • C.
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    One-on-one guidance from a trusted advisor for my personal game plan
  • D.
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    All of these, I need all of these
  • E.
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    Something else

Quiz Outcomes

• 1.
  Yes, you're ready to apply and go back to graduate school!

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  You've given this plenty of thought.You know your career goals and see how going back to graduate school will help you reach them. Awesome!The application process may seem daunting, but you've done hard things before and with the right resources and support, you know you can do anything.(I know we haven't met yet, but I believe in you, too! 🎓)Here are the next steps you can take:1. Take a deep breath, the application process is a long game2. Consider your priorities before researching programs (ex. cost, time, location, program focus)3. Then, think about what program structures and formats will work best for your current life/work situation and learning style (ex. full-time vs. part-time; in-person, hybrid, online)You'll get a list of resources via email to help you through these questions, too 😉"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears." - Nelson MandelaStep into my office...Dr. JenaHi there, future graduate student! (feels awesome to see in writing, doesn't it?)I'm Dr. Jena Pugh, a Graduate School Strategist and former university application reviewer who now helps working professionals get into graduate school to reach their career goals.I know exactly what you're going through as you decide to take the leap and transform your career with a graduate degree.As someone who worked full-time through a doctorate program, I understand the big decisions and sacrifices it can take to go back to school after working for a few years.Plus, there's often a little voice saying "omg, am I really doing this? do I have what it takes to be a student again?"You 100% do! I'm here to help you take ACTION in order to:1. Identify best-fit graduate programs for your specific needs2. Create a scroll-stopping application that will have reviewers thrilled to send your acceptance letter3. Organize and track every step of the application process with ease (so. many. essays.)Sound like a game plan?Here's what's next...*Check your inbox* for your quiz results + links to resources so you can come back to them whenever you want.And get ready for insider tips and tricks on the graduate school application process, wherever you are in your journey. By the way, when you get your first email, feel free to hit "REPLY" and tell me how you feel about your results. Excited? Nervous? Ready to reach your goals?I'm here to help and cheer you on every step of the way!Major CONGRATS on having the courage to take this quiz and prepare for your next big adventure - your career will thank you for it! 🎓
• 2.
  Yes, it's a great plan... in the next few years.

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  It sounds like graduate school's a possibility once you spend more time exploring how it best fits with your career goals.(It's totally ok if you're still figuring these out!)25 years ago, going back to graduate school was a great way to explore new interests and career options.Today? Unless you're independently wealthy and going back to school for fun, you need total clarity on how a graduate degree will benefit your career.Here are the next steps you can take:1. Take a deep breath, you're making big life decisions and don't need to have everything figured out right-this-second2. Reflect on the real reasons you think you want to go back to graduate school (ex. to make a career pivot, to be eligible for a promotion or leadership role one day)3. Then, think about what actions you can take in the next 1-2 years to bring you more clarity on what you want to study *and* how those experiences will help you achieve clearly-defined career goals (even if they take a little time to figure out)You'll get a list of resources via email to help you through these thoughts, too 😉"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears." - Nelson MandelaStep into my office...Dr. JenaHi there, future grad student! (feels awesome to see in writing, doesn't it?)I'm Dr. Jena Pugh, a Graduate School Strategist and former university application reviewer who now helps working professionals get into graduate school to reach their career goals.I know exactly what you're going through as you decide when to take the leap and transform your career with a graduate degree.As someone who worked full-time through a doctorate program, I understand the big decisions and sacrifices it can take to go back to school after working for a few years.Plus, there's often a little voice saying "omg, am I really going to do this? will I have what it takes to be a student again?"You will (when the time is right)!I'm here to help you take ACTION in order to:1. Clarify your reasons for going back to graduate school and decide when is the best time to go back2. Understand the application process so you can maximize the next 1-2 years and gain experiences that will make you a top applicant when you're readySound like a game plan?Here's what's next...*Check your inbox* for your quiz results + links to resources so you can come back to them whenever you want.Get ready for insight on deciding when to go back, plus insider tips and tricks on the application process for when it's time to apply.By the way, when you get your first email, feel free to hit "REPLY" and tell me how you feel about your results. Excited? Nervous? Ready to reach your goals?I'm here to help and cheer you on every step of the way!Major CONGRATS on having the courage to take this quiz and preparing for your next big adventure when it's time - your career will thank you for it! 🎓
• 3.
  Maybe, in the future!

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  It sounds like you're interested in the idea of graduate school and have the opportunity to do more research to make sure it's the best plan for your career (and finances).The best time to go back to graduate school is when you know without a shadow of a doubt that you need the degree to step up in your career, and that you have the focus and endurance to finish a program once you start.(If you're simply looking for a big change from your current job, there are cheaper, less time-intensive options to explore career opportunities than going back to school)Here are the next steps you can take:1. Take a deep breath, you're making big life decisions and don't have to have everything figured out right-this-second2. Reflect on the real reasons you you want to go back to graduate school (ex. to make a career pivot, to be eligible for a promotion or leadership role one day)3. Then, think about what actions you can take in the next several years to bring you more clarity on what you want to study *and* how those experiences will help you achieve clearly-defined career goals (even if they take a little time to figure out)You'll get a list of resources to help you through these thoughts, too 😉"May your choices reflect your hopes, not your fears." - Nelson MandelaStep into my office...Dr. JenaHi there! I'm Dr. Jena Pugh, a Graduate School Strategist and former university application reviewer who helps working professionals get into graduate school to reach their career goals.I know exactly what you're going through as you decide when and whether to take the leap and transform your carer with a graduate degree.As someone who worked full-time through a doctorate program, I understand the big decisions and sacrifices it can take to go back to school after working for a few years.Plus, there's often a little voice saying "omg, am I really thinking about doing this? will I have what it takes to be a student again?"You will! (when the time is right)I'm here to help you take ACTION in order to:1. Clarify your reasons for going back to graduate school and decide when it's the best time to go2. Understand the application process so you can maximize the next few years and gain experiences that will make you a top applicant when you're readySound like a game plan?Here's what's next...*Check your inbox* for these quiz results + links to resources so you can come back to them whenever you want.And get ready for insider tips and tricks on the graduate school exploration and application process (for wherever you are in your journey). By the way, when you get your first email, feel free to hit "REPLY" and tell me how you feel about your results. Excited? Nervous? Ready to reach your goals?Major CONGRATS on having the courage to take this quiz and preparing for your next big adventure (when it's time)! 🎓