As graduation draws near, the question of going to graduate school lingers in the background and even though it may be intimidating, it may not be complicated.

Going to graduate school can be exciting in a way that creates options to expand potential aspirations. Many students, at some point, have the desire to, “level up” in their career and graduate school can grant that. Whether it is teaching or advancing in an established career, graduate school has its benefits.

Earning a bachelor’s degree is still very popular, but recently students are going back for their master’s. Within the 2015-2016 academic year, 785,000 new master’s degrees were allocated to students, according to the Urban Institute.

Obtaining a master’s degree may also decrease the possibility of unemployment and in some cases, increase salary. Workers with graduate degrees had the lowest unemployment rates and highest earnings, according to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Going to graduate school is also a great way and opportunity to diversify options in the long run. While some hold a bachelor’s degree in one field, they can still master something different. This allows for current indecisiveness to be eliminated, by opening doors to other options.

Considering today’s highly competitive workforce, it is also a good idea to acquire a master’s degree being that it is fundamentally ‘the new bachelors’ in this current climate. A recent study was conducted by the Harvard Business Review showing the growth of employers’ requirement of a master’s.

“27% of employers now require master’s degrees for roles in which historically undergraduate degrees sufficed,” according to the Harvard Business Review.

Not only does going to graduate school provide benefits but, it is also becoming the norm.

The demands of updating knowledge, skills and experiences are increasing as time goes by and if others are competing for the same positions, doing the most to stand out is beneficial to success.