Am I Good Enough for a Masters? (How to Overcome Imposter Syndrome!)

I'm interested in doing a master's and I'm sure I like my subject and I am ready for the jump up in my studies. But what if I don't score top of my class? What if I don't get into a top-ranked university? What if I need to take a break? Will I ever be able to get into education later? What if I don't do well at my master's? Do these concerns sound familiar? Don't worry, we are here to tell you that one, you're not alone. It is very common for prospective students to have these worries. And second, as valid as these concerns are, they should not be holding you back if a master's is really what you want. The goal of this video is to put some of these concerns to rest, give a little perspective to some daunting aspects of postgrad study, and to leave you with the confidence that you in fact are good enough to do a master's. A master's is a postgrad degree and universities are meant to make sure that the students enrolled have what it takes to complete what is expected of them. In the case of a master's, you can expect in-depth study of your subject, self-motivated study and independent research. So there are entry requirements. These are important and depending on a few factors, some might need to be met. But don't let them scare you into thinking that a master's isn't in your future. Most master's degrees ask for a 2-1 undergraduate result, English language test results if you are an international student, work experience and entrance test results depending on the course. If you are an international student, meeting some of these requirements like the language test result might be non-negotiable since they're meant to meet both admission and immigration requirements. However, it is good. They're simply tests and you can prepare for them. We have a ton of information on our website on how you can ace these tests and we even have a YouTube video that we can link down below. But what if you don't make the cut for a 2-1? Can you still do a master's? Plainly put, yes. In full transparency, it might limit your options a little bit but there are universities who accept a lower undergraduate result. But does that mean you have to give up on your dream to study at a top-ranked university completely? Absolutely not. A lot of universities accept students with work experience who may have a lower score. Keep in mind that some courses like the MBA definitely need students who have a few years of experience on the workforce. Or you could consider shorter postgraduate courses like the PG certificate or diploma. They are shorter than a full master's but you still leave with master's level training and sometimes you can even upgrade by simply completing a dissertation. However, there is one thing to consider and that is that you may not be able to access all government master's loans if you decide to go on and do a full master's. We highlight this because we realize that costs are a big consideration and if you want to know how you can fund a full master's after a PG cert or dip, check out our YouTube video in the description box below. We'll also leave links to our funding guides in the description as well. It is one thing deciding that you want to do a master's and a completely other thing deciding where to do a master's and with so many different university rankings and university groups it can be overwhelming knowing what's best for you. Yes, higher ranking universities are prestigious and are known for their quality of education but are they the be-all and end-all? What if you don't get into a number one university or Oxbridge or Russell Group? Will that mean that your master's degree won't have been worth it? Absolutely not. Just looking at a ranking number or a name is not the entire picture and there is so much more to consider when thinking about where to do your master's. We do encourage you to have a look at the rankings and get the lay of the land but there are so many more things to consider when looking at the numbers. The same with Oxbridge and Russell Group. Yes, they are synonymous with prestige and quality but there are so many factors to consider when deciding whether they're right for you. General rankings often only give you an overview and they are not postgraduate specific so they can only give you part of the picture. Similarly, with Russell Group and Oxbridge Universities, though reputed all over the world, they don't cater to everybody especially if you're looking at specific or vocational training. Along with all of that, you're going to have to consider location in case you don't want to move away from home, fees and university support. Unlike the move from school to an undergraduate degree which is often immediate, the move up to a master's can come more at your pace. You could still be deciding if higher education is for you or you could take a break to work or travel and then come back to study. There can be a lot of worries that come with taking a break from studying but not moving from an undergrad to a master's immediately is not necessarily a bad thing. You can really take the time to think about the reasons you're thinking of doing a master's and what your end goal is or you could just take a break and relax for a little bit before you jump into the next big part of your life or you could be working and gaining some experience. Like we've mentioned before, there are some master's degrees that require students to have spent a certain amount of time at the workplace but even if work experience is not a requirement for your course, having that knowledge can only better your master's experience. There's no one parameter for being good enough for a master's degree and remember a master's should work for you as much as you're working for it. You're also meant to learn and grow while you're a student. It is a study course after all and if you're ready to take the jump, hopefully we've been able to put some of these concerns to rest and are leaving you a little more confident in your master's search.