Failing Fast | A Conversation about Higher Education

Knowledge is power. We've all heard the saying and most 90's babies can probably recall a poster with those words hanging in their classrooms growing up. But how much knowledge begets how much power? As time goes on it feels like a bachelor's degree is the new high school diploma. The knowledge bar has been raised.

But what even constitutes knowledge? Many would argue book and street smarts are what make someone truly successful in life. But let's face it. The world we live in holds degrees in high esteem. Sure. You can make a great living without a degree. Millions of people do it. But reality says that for most people, the knowledge obtained through higher education gives you a greater leg up.

Having a degree is even used as a predictor for future success. Doctors can get loans for hundreds of thousands of dollars because lenders feel it's worth the investment in the long run. Businesses pull neighborhood demographics that include....you guessed it, education level, to determine if customers of a certain pedigree will frequent their stores. So when higher education is used to determine what opportunities may come your way, you're damn skippy knowledge is power.

Today, I'm unpacking the pros and cons of adding to one's knowledge base via higher education. Particularly, grad school. I've been contemplating going to grad school myself but with my existing student loans and a lack of a clear path to where it will lead me, I'm not sure if it's worth it. From cost to concentration to what a degree means post-graduation, I reached out to my girlfriends from college, who all happen to be in or considering school, to get a few of their thoughts on the pros and cons of attending grad school. These are their stories......ching ching.

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A special shout out to my friend Marrissa who inspired this blog post (ok ok she straight up suggested it).