Column: To further your education or not?

Graduation is only a few short weeks away. Do college undergraduates know if they want to take a break or go to graduate school after May 11?

This is a tough question for some. Often, graduates want to take a break because they feel they have been in school forever. For others, getting a masters or a doctorate would be a huge accomplishment for them.

Do you want to go right into the work field after graduation or do you find it important to explore the world and find yourself? Some students would love to travel to Italy for the summer after school is over, while others just can't wait to grow up. Personally, I want to get right into the work field and maybe one day pursue my master's degree, especially if my work place will pay for it. Joe Fruscione, the branch manager at One M&T Bank in downtown Buffalo, said his bank actually sends its employees to school and pays for it!

"Going to school for free would be the way to go," Fruscione said.

Now that's the type of opportunity I would want, considering it would be debt-free.

Breanne Loge, who will graduate from Niagara County Community College as a radiologist technician, does not know whether or not she wants to continue her education either. For now, she does know that she is locked into a great job at Seaton Imaging, so she will sit still for a while. Still, going back to school does cross her mind.

"Although there is nothing wrong with more education, I just see that gaining more experience by working right now is that way to go," Loge said.

Nichole Grenga, a Hilbert College senior, said she wants to earn a master's (she knows her parents want her to get her master's, too).

"I have always wanted my MBA and I wouldn't feel complete without it," Grenga said. "I also think there are more job opportunities for people who have a master's."

This is also something to consider: Will an employer pick a candidate with a master's over someone without it?

When it comes down to deciding whether to go to graduate school or not, some of the best advice one can receive can be from professors on campus. I am sure Professor Maloni at Niagara University would love to help any students who had any questions. It is also a great idea to ask people who have a master's degree already or maybe your very own family!

Niagara University's graduate program offers these programs:

Graduate Education and Counseling

Master of Business Administration

Criminal Justice Administration

Master of Arts: Interdisciplinary Studies

Master of Science in Sport Management

Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy

To learn more about these options, go to http://www.niagara.edu/graduate.

No matter what you decide, just being in school in the first place for your bachelor's is a great thing on its own. You have the rest of your life to continue your education, so don't rush into a decision.