The thought of ditching teaching to pursue a graduate degree can prompt a bit of, uh, nausea. You've gone to school your whole life, and you're finally in charge. And now you have to go back to being a student?

Sounds about as appealing as deep-fried underwear.

But as we're sure you well know, almost anything deep-fried is pretty tasty. We're not saying reach for your undergarments just yet: just take a second first to ponder the whole graduate degree thing. Earning your Master's in Education just might be worth it. And if you decide it's not; hey, they're your bloomers.

Let's dive into the cold waters of consideration. There are many benefits to having a Master's in Education in your pocket, but there are always those pesky "not sure"s floating about.

Having a Master's in Education will

• give you a broader knowledge base. Think about it. You're paying good money to take education-specific courses. Most of which fancy nuggets of new, advanced learning are designed precisely to be applied in the classroom.

• allow you to concentrate in something you are interested in. Many graduate programs include specializations such as technology or counseling. If you have a specific area you're dying to get more in-depth with, chances are you can find a program that'll do just that.

• tell your school that you are knowledgeable and highly qualified. A Master's degree is like wearing a sign around your neck that says, "Look at me! I spent extra time and money to learn more about my profession." You'd think wearing a sign like that would look pompous, but instead it can be a real career booster.

• allow you to move to positions outside the classroom. For those who love education but are looking for a one-way ticket out of teaching, a Master's degree is for you. Most principals, administrators, and resource teachers have graduate degrees. They work with children, but not with children.

• boost your paycheck. Although it varies among school districts, most teachers can expect to add $2,000 to $10,000 to their salary with a Master's degree. Some districts will even reimburse you for continuing your education. Can we get a "heck yes" for no student loan debt?

• open doors for you to teach college. If that's your thing.

Before you run to your computer and sign up for an online graduate program at Joe's College for the Super Smart, make sure you consider three important questions about money, time, and motivation. Get ready for an open-ended thought activity.

• Money. Make sure you consider the money put out to money coming back. Is there a significant salary increase for having your Master's? If you take out student loans, will you still be paying them off when you are 107?

• Time. Will you have time to devote yourself to taking graduate courses at least half-time, if not full-time? Will having to study teaching concepts in the evening after spending your day working make you want to rip off your eyebrows?

• Motivation. Do you feel like you need to get your Master's because everyone else is? Take your mom's advice on this one and don't jump off the cliff just because your friends are doing it. In the long run, you need to be committed to embarking upon a graduate degree in order to avoid a potentially expensive waste. Get your Master's because you want to, and darn it, because you can.

Plenty to mull over in making that decision, but hey—at least you're at the mulling stage. Weigh those options to make sure a degree is right for you—not just a super expensive ticket out of the classroom.