Its just a matter of time management and perseverance. Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Education is a costly undertaking. When the economy is down, however, deciding if that cost is worth it could be difficult. Doing the math of graduate school costs. Graduate degrees vary widely in cost, depending on the school and area of study. One generally accepted method for determining whether the cost of a graduate or advanced degree will pay off in future earnings is the 10 percent rule.