Grad school vs full time in this economy
I was prompted to look for advice by a post from another mit student on hacker news yesterday, if you want more context you should check that out. First off, I just want to clarify that I know I'm blessed to be in this position, and both options are good. I am also a course 6 senior, and the only job offer I have been able to obtain is from a fortune 50 company, standard SWE with standard SWE pay (not big tech, not finance, etc). The work culture is super lax and its a great place, but it's not what I was planning for post grad.
I also have the option to do research and stay for a masters. So essentially my question is, with the situation as it is now, is it worth losing a full time offer to get a masters and reapply next year?
Both of these have risks, the company is laying off workers over the next year, and there's a good chance my funding gets cut off before finishing the masters. Do you think it'd be easier to recruit for a new job from a SWE position or from a masters? What would you recommend in general for people in this position right now?
Posted Apr 8, 2025, 9:21 PM UTC