64. Should You Do A Master's Degree?

If you've ever finished undergrad and thought what now?!— this episode is for you. A master's degree can feel like the obvious next step. It sounds impressive, it keeps you in education a little longer, and it gives you something to say when people ask about your plans. But is it actually worth it? And are you doing it for the right reasons? In this episode, I'm joined by two friends and classmates, Nasreen and Ed, to reflect on our year doing an MA in Podcasting- yes, that's a real thing- and have an honest conversation about graduate school: what it costs, what it gives you, and whether it's actually necessary. We talk about what led each of us here, how a master's compares to undergrad life (it's more fragmented, more self-directed, and a lot less social than you might expect), and what we genuinely took away from the experience— academically, professionally, and personally. We also get into the harder questions. What were the paths we didn't take? How different would things look if we hadn't done it? Are there fields where a master's is genuinely valuable— and others where it's just a very expensive way of buying time? My honest take: I don't think a master's is for everyone. A lot of people do one to delay a decision rather than make one, and that can cost you serious time and money without much to show for it. But I also think there's a version of doing a master's that isn't really about the degree at all; it's about opening a door into a new chapter of your life that you couldn't have planned in advance. That's what it was for me. You don't have to do it right after undergrad. You don't have to do it at all. But if you have a real reason- a specific goal, a genuine curiosity, a sense that it might take you somewhere you actually want to go- it might be one of the better investments you make. Not just in your career, but in yourself.