How did you choose what career to pursue?

Why did you choose to pursue graduate school or a career in industry after receiving a bachelor's degree?

• I am currently an undergraduate in mechanical engineering and am considering pursuing a master's degree afterwards.  I would like to know about your experiences with choosing a career path.  If you chose to pursue a master's degree (or PhD), what were your reasons for doing so?  What impact do you think further education has had on your personal development and your career?  Was it worth the extra time and money? If you chose to go into industry after graduation, what led you to your decision?  Do you feel that a master's degree would have helped your career?  Would you have done anything differently if you could?

• Answer:

  English major here. I chose to pursue a master's degree because I wanted squeeze a little more juice out the educational system, which I did. During those 2 years I also learned that I did not want a career as a professor. Two things: Earning any kind of a degree WHILE working full-time is a terrible experience. I've seen others suffer it. It's the worst of both worlds, for years on end. In many communications-oriented fields, having a master's degree is a big AND long-term advantage in the job market. Academically speaking, I would not have done anything differently.