What to Consider Before Choosing Master Degree
Tags: Empowerment, Postgraduate, Student Life, College, Experience

I’ll tell you based on my experiences..

Nowadays, some juniors are ask me about postgraduate studies. The questions are various, from how i feel to be postgraduate student, how the entrance examination, what things must be prepared, and what is the difference between universities A and B. But you have to know that there has the most important things to consider before choosing postgraduate studies besides university and also what to prepare.

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What is your purpose?

What do you want to be?

That question should spin in your head before decide to continue postgraduate studies. What will you be? What kind of person do you want to be? does not mean to be a professional or an entrepreneur is not necessary to continue education. Also does not mean that continuing education is only appropriate for those who wish to become academician or researcher. Want to be whatever it is, it’s very important and very good if supported by a high level of education. As other said, higher education will bring you to the higher place.

If your goals is to become a professional, you should work. Get a job that suit you and your interest. If you want to be entrepreneur, just focus on building your own business first. You have to pursue more practical experiences than theoritical. Why? because in real world, between practice and theory has a huge gap. Also, if you go straight to college then you will not have any professional experience. As i am.

Honestly, I don’t have any clear goals yet. But i tend to choose to be academician without ruling out the possibility of becoming practitioners / professionals. Initially, my goal to go to college was the desire to prove to others that I can be more than they judge me. However, as time goes by.. it way more than that. From proving to others, turned to be proving to myself, especially for the future. Moreover, I realize that the time for a woman is not as broad as a man. After becoming a wife and mother later, surely we will focus on family rather than ourselves. That’s why continuing study for me also means taking advantage of my youth.

For those who still haven’t find the purpose, keep searching! whatever you want to be and whatever motive makes you decide to pursue higher education.. finish what you start with full of responsibilities.

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Are you ready? Really?

“I ask you about master degree things, it means that i’m ready for it!”

Stop! I mean, being ready is not only mentally prepared. But full package, one set, complete. Starting from mental self-readiness, tuition fees per semester, living expenses during college, also costs during education (mobile data, books) and physical readiness. Okay, if it’s a matter of physical and mental readiness, at least knowing about university and what to study it means you’re 10% ready. But you also have to pay attention to other things that I mentioned before. This is if the case you don’t pass the scholarship, like me. Especially if you are aiming for a good university and far from your hometown.

Confusion about the cost after college life will be double than in the past. Because you have entered the age of being "independent". If asked whether it can be while working or not, each university is different. It’s just that my campus, I can go to class after work because the hours are late afternoon until evening (regular schedule). Meanwhile, the schedule in other campuses mostly start from morning to evening. Therefore, apart from the majors and courses, you must also know the class schedule. Can i do my job? can i focus on my business? can i do anything other than go to college?

But the case is different if it turns out that your family does ask you to focus on studying and give you full parent scholarship, free anywhere or at any cost. Just go to college peacefully.

So, talk about all your want with your parents and how far your parents prepare to support you in continuing your studies.

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Prepare Document

Readiness after you know the answer of two questions before.

If you already know what your goals are in the future, you already know where the major and the campus is, and your parents are also ready, the next step is to prepare the requirements for registration. Every year the requirements and exams are different, also the costs is always different per year hehe

The requirements for each campus are different. Not all of them require TOEFL / IELTS. Not all of them require TPA Score. Not all require an interview with the the head of faculty. When I was take entrance exams, it only SIMAK UI. But in 2020, interviews with the head of study programs to be one of SIMAK exam for postgraduate level. Likewise with SBM ITB, when I took the MSM in finance test two years ago, there was no interview test. But now, it’s different..

The key, we have to be detailed and diligent in finding out about the entry requirements. Every university has website that provides all information about new student admissions starting from the cost per semester, requirements, courses, till the lists of lecturer and staff. Prepare well so that the score is sufficient, and the required documents are complete.

And, don’t be confident if you will definitely pass the exam. My experience, because when I registered for SBM ITB I was full of confidence. ITB was my dream campus from high school days, and I am sure I can pass the Ganesha campus because I know that one of my friends has below standard TOEFL and TPA scores but still qualifies as a conditional student. In fact, different faculties have different policies.