Is it best to go to graduate school in a city with a high demand for my particular career?
I am asking because I may have various options in the coming years when I begin to decide about graduate school. #graduate-school #graduate-programs #school-psychology #psychology-graduate
4 answers
Judy Kramer
Judy’s Answer
Yes, you may be able to make more connections with people in your intended profession attending a school where there is a high demand for your career. If there is a high demand for your career in a city with a good school for that career, most likely the companies in that city will be familiar with the school you attend, verses one that may be in another part of the country. Good luck in your future endeavors!
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Sean’s Answer
Brooke’s Answer
It doesn't hurt to choose a graduate school located in an area that has a high demand for your particular career you are pursuing a degree in. If anything, it is great for networking while you are pursuing your degree and building relationships you can leverage once you graduate.
That being said, it is by no means required. The biggest thing employers look for when evaluating candidates is your ability to apply the skills you learned in graduate school to the job they are looking to fill. If you can prove this transfer of skills location generally is a non-factor. The second thing employers look for is coachability. They know if you are new to your career you are not going to know everything but they are looking for someone who can take the on-job training and apply this to their day to day.
My recommendation moving forward is to find a school that you align with in terms of culture and values. Use this criteria to help you evaluate the school you choose and don't fixate too much on location.
Good luck with school and I hope this helps!