IxDA - Comments for "HCI Grad School Right Out of Undergrad?" http://ixda.org/node/29677 Comments for "HCI Grad School Right Out of Undergrad?" en (No subject) http://ixda.org/node/29677#comment-81562 <p>You can have a great career going directly from college to grad school and then into work. But I encourage everyone to take a year between college and grad school. All you've known your entire life, if you're like most college seniors, is going to school. Take a year outside of academic life. Maybe you get a job in the field; maybe you don't. Maybe you're really excited about going back to school at the end of that year - maybe you get a job in a field you end up liking better!</p><p>All I can say is that whether you took time off in between college and grad school hasn't been a consideration pro or con in any hiring I've done so far in my career, unless the candidate did something particularly awesome between the two.</p> Fri, 25 Mar 2011 21:41:17 +0000 Michele Tepper comment 81562 at http://ixda.org (No subject) http://ixda.org/node/29677#comment-81558 <p>I'd like to share some thoughts to hopefully help you weigh the pros and cons. I had work experience before college, and between college and grad school. That experience helped me manage my time (grad coursework can be pretty intense) and finances fairly well. I never really felt overwhelmed and was used to working long hours. Most of my classmates had worked a couple of years prior to grad school and adjusted to school pretty well.</p><p>It's completely doable to go right after college, however. I know several people who have done this and been successful. Those who were less successful had different personalities from the successful ones. What mattered more than work experience was having a lot of passion, drive, motivation, self sufficiency, self reliance, and no problem working their asses off. You have to get your work done, you have to find your own path, and you have to work hard at getting a job after graduation. Think perfectionism. Edit your portfolio and resume, practice interviewing, etc. That is what gets a job after grad school.</p><p>Right now, grad students are having trouble getting work. Lots of competition makes things tough but if you're open to a post-grad internship, there are always ways to get paid for UX work. You were accepted to great schools. If you are on the fence, defer for a year and work before going. Good luck!</p> Fri, 25 Mar 2011 00:29:05 +0000 Samantha LeVan comment 81558 at http://ixda.org