So I am currently in my first semester of graduate school and I'm thinking that I don't want to do this anymore. I never did and honestly I only went because I was under the impression that going would be good for me, it would give me more opportunities or a better salary or something. That's what everyone around me told me and that's what the articles say.

I checked some job listings and it seems like jobs I want don't require a masters but still pay pretty well. I want to program and I want to learn a programming language. I've known for a long time that school isn't my thing and that I'm more of a self learner. And in fact that's exactly what got me my current job. I suffered through college since I know a bachelor's is required nowadays. Going to grad school would basically set me back since I won't have time to play around with things on my own. I'd graduate with no skills. And I just don't really have the time or patience to balance it.

I'm planning to stay and finish this semester but afterwards I don't know if I want to continue. I guess I'm just looking for a really compelling reason to stay in school and stick with it, not someone guilting me into staying or giving me a biased reason about school being good for me and I'm missing out on some "opportunity." Is there any real reason I should deal with being miserable and spend more money on it?

Depending on what type of degree generally speaking people with graduate degrees do make more money and are in a better place in the market when it is time to get hired.

It doesn't have to be a horrid experience. Aren't there other things in your life you can change that will improve your outlook?

Do your due diligence, research what staying in grad school would do for you. Don't go by articles online, talk to people that have graduated, find out what they think graduate school did for them, if anything.

Also research the companies you want to work for. Find out if they require a graduate degree. You may feel you don't need one, and you may feel you know enough to work for them, but in today's job market one job can have hundreds, sometimes thousands, of applicants. Will not having a graduate degree hinder you when you go to get the job of your dreams? Will someone else get it because that degree looks good on a resume? You have to remember, future employers don't know you, they can only go by your resume, what you've accomplished. If they have hundreds to choose from, they're going to pick the person with the most impressive education and background.

If you find that you can get ahead without continuing in school, then go for it. I do have to say, putting "some college" on your resume, shows the employer that you're a quitter, that you couldn't follow through. It doesn't look good. There's a lesson that many young people learn too late, and that's that you sometimes have to do something you don't like, to get you where you want to go.

Good luck.

Thanks for the responses.

School for me was always a horrid experience and I don't think anything will ever change that. I just hate it so much. It's not my thing, like I said I'm more of a self learner. I do have a bachelor's degree and from the job listings I've seen, that's the minimum requirement. Unless having a masters degree really offers so much of an advantage, I'm just not sure I want to suffer through the next 2 years for one. But having people say it's good and it's useful makes me hesitant about doing what I want. I could be very wrong.

Thanks for the responses.

School for me was always a horrid experience and I don't think anything will ever change that. I just hate it so much. It's not my thing, like I said I'm more of a self learner. I do have a bachelor's degree and from the job listings I've seen, that's the minimum requirement. Unless having a masters degree really offers so much of an advantage, I'm just not sure I want to suffer through the next 2 years for one. But having people say it's good and it's useful makes me hesitant about doing what I want. I could be very wrong.

It is always your choice so do what you want to. You can always go back at anytime, take night classes, or even classes online. If you are dead set that you are going to be miserable, then it may not be worth it.