# Masters Degree **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 28, 2009, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933 "2009-05-28T15:11:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Animastryfe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8797f3/32.png) [@Animastryfe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Animastryfe)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/21 "2009-05-29T05:18:08Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > The traditional thinking was always and Masters Degree should not be from the same school as your undergraduate degree. There was a recent thread about this, and I think the consensus was that this only really matters if one is going into Academia or the natural sciences. Do you think that this applies to all fields? I’ll try to find the thread. ---
**Author:** ![GESancMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gesancman/32/2923_2.png) [@GESancMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GESancMan)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/22 "2009-05-29T08:10:47Z")
> [@Lord\_Ashtar](#): > > I’ve not looked much into getting a masters, but this I can answer. I just finished a BS in Finance from UoP a week and a half ago. When I wanted to get it, I asked my boss at the time if she would consider it a good thing or a bad thing on my resume. She said that resumes that show someone working full time while going to school are good, no matter where the degree is from (provided the school is accredited, which UoP is). My best friend’s father was vice-president of a corporation in Silicon Valley in the '80s and early '90s, and did a lot of the hiring for the company. I recall him telling me that when he saw UoP on a resume, it went straight into the trash. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/23 "2009-05-29T12:20:10Z")
> [@ultrafilter](#): > > In general, a degree from Phoenix is fine for jobs that just require a degree, but if the hiring manager is at all concerned with where people’s degrees are from, UoP grads will be the first ones to be cut. If you’re looking at online programs and concerned about flexibility, you’re better off going for something from a more established not-for-profit school. A second vote for the above. UofP is a good place to get a diploma. From the people I know who have gotten a diploma there, the education is reasonably good. It isn’t a diploma mill or mail-order diploma. But, it doesn’t have much of a reputation for education. Many jobs are just looking for a diploma and experience and for those UofP works. For those jobs where they will compare candidates based on their education, UofP is way down the list. Partly unfortunately to their own success. Most everyone knows about them. Lesser known online schools might slip in under the radar so to speak. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 4:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/24 "2009-05-29T16:50:02Z")
Which is better, the GMAT or GRE? Or are they like the ACT and SAT, with not much difference and colleges accepting both? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/25 "2009-05-29T16:57:46Z")
Most programs will only accept one test, and it varies by specialty. For MBA programs, you’re looking at taking the GMAT. ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/26 "2009-05-29T17:16:30Z")
GMAT seems to be mostly business oriented, for MBAs. A GRE can be used to apply to a wider variety of graduate programs (and vet school). Is UF too far from you? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/27 "2009-05-29T17:23:11Z")
It just now popped in my head that I equate a Masters degree like updating kitchens and bathrooms to sell a house. The smart reason to update kitchens and bathrooms before selling a house, isn’t to make money on the upgrades… it’s so you don’t lose the chance to sell the house BECAUSE of the lack of updated kitchen and bathrooms. For me personally, I got my Masters… not to make more money, rather I don’t want to give my next employer yet another reason to weed me out of a stack of potential candidates. What’s funny to me is that I can’t count the number of times I was then asked if my employer was going to pay me more. 😕 Does that really happen? It never has with me. Once your pay is established, that’s pretty much it except for EOY performance increases. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/28 "2009-05-29T17:49:30Z")
> [@Enright3](#): > > What’s funny to me is that I can’t count the number of times I was then asked if my employer was going to pay me more. 😕 Does that really happen? It never has with me. Once your pay is established, that’s pretty much it except for EOY performance increases. Many, many employers have salary differentials based on education. At my job, there are 2 of us that do the same exact job; I make more because of my MA. Granted, I’m a teacher; but it’s very common in business and industry as well. ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [May 29, 2009, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933/29 "2009-05-29T17:51:09Z")
> [@KarlGrenze](#): > > Is UF too far from you? 😉 If I were a single gal without a full-time job in her career field, no. Alas, I have stuff tying me to Orlando(ish.) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/masters-degree/497933.md?page=1)