So grad school was a mistake...

[hatinglife]

You know how everywhere you look, they tell you not to go to grad school because you don't know what else to do? Well, that's me. I got my bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering this previous May (2009), and wasn't really sure if I wanted to keep studying in my degree field, or move on to a programming career (I've worked at a small startup for several years now, and have always loved programming), so I decided to go to grad school in my degree field (Mechanical Engineering). It was really easy for me to get in at my undergrad institution, because it isn't very competitive, and I had a few professors who knew and liked me. I got into my master's program easily in spite of a terrible GRE score and essentially no research experience.

I'm in my 1st semester of this program, and I know that I don't want to be in grad school right now, because I'm miserable and don't know where I'm going. It's hard to do the work required for classes and my research, because I'm so unmotivated.

My question is, should I drop out now (like, tomorrow), or should I wait out the semester? I could see myself eventually deciding that I do want to pursue more education a few years down the road (maybe in this field, maybe not), and I would hate for this mistake to prevent me from doing so, but I need to get some perspective and figure out where I want to go. I wish I had done this instead of entering graduate school, but I can't unring that bell.

If I quit now, I will have two classes with "W"s on my transcripts. If I quit after the end of the semester, I will have whatever grades I manage to earn. I have the ability to pass both of my classes (meaning B or higher) at least, if I can somehow muster the motivation to do the work.

[whitemud]

My humble opinion is that you should wait out the semester, and try to scrounge the motivation to do the best that you can. Unless you feel like staying in your current state for the next few months will do irrevocable damage to you or your well-being, there is no harm in sticking it out. Perhaps that will also give you some time to redirect your focus and get a clear plan of what you really do want to do. It will also give you the time to warn any professors you are working with or you are academically close to. That way, you won't burn those bridges, and they will (hopefully) respect your decision.

It would not be amiss to talk to your professors and any academic/research advisors about this decision before you make it, too. Though it may not seem so, they have also been where you are and should be able to offer you sound advice and direction.

Though, this advice is largely hinged on your amount of misery, which you need to assess for yourself.

Hope this helps a bit.

[s1u8n]

Talk to the people in your inner circle, talk to your professors, mentors before you make you decision.

Mechanical Engineering has a very very broad field, maybe you can look into research in a different topic.

[hatinglife]

Thanks for your thoughtful answers. Right now I'm strongly leaning toward taking next semester off (leave of absence), so that I can think more about what I want to do. It's still pretty difficult to force myself to do the work, though, so I've still got the idea of dropping courses in the back of my head.