Admissions · September 2026 · By the Aleph University Team · 6 min read
It is easy to say “I’d like to get a master’s degree.” It is much less common to stop and check whether your life right now can support that commitment.
The decision few people take the time to evaluate
Getting a master’s degree depends on the time you really have, what is driving you, your family and work situation, and where you are in your career. Most people find out the answers after enrolling, once they have already invested time, money and expectations, and when backing out costs more than never starting.
The problem is not a lack of information. Anyone can compare curricula, durations and formats in a few minutes. The problem is that almost no one compares those programs against their own life: their real schedule, their real energy, their real family situation. These 7 questions are meant to close that gap before the decision gets made by inertia or outside pressure.
Take ten minutes without distractions and answer them as honestly as you can. There are no right answers here, only true ones. They can save you months of frustration, or confirm that this is exactly your moment.
The 7 questions to answer before you apply
1. Do I have time for 5 to 7 hours of live classes a week, plus independent study?
At Aleph University, each week includes 5 to 7 hours of synchronous classes, where you meet live with faculty and classmates. On top of that, there is asynchronous work: readings, videos, activities and assignments in our learning platform, which you complete on your own schedule.
Think about the hours that really exist in your week once you subtract work, family, sleep and the things that always come up. If you cannot point to the blocks where the live classes and your study time would fit, it is worth redesigning your routine before you apply, not after your first late assignment.
2. Is my motivation professional growth, or just “having one more degree”?
A degree that does not answer to a concrete goal rarely keeps you going through months of coursework. The difference between finishing a program and dropping out usually comes down to this: people who know why they want the degree, and which door it should open, keep going when the semester gets hard.
3. Does my current experience connect to the program I’m considering?
A master’s degree gives more value when it connects with what you already know and do, because you can apply the concepts at work while you study. If the program is far from your current experience, that is not necessarily a mistake, but it is a sign that you should plan a more deliberate transition.
4. Can I keep a fixed class schedule and also organize my own study time?
An online master’s at Aleph asks for two kinds of discipline. The synchronous classes have set days and times, so you need to protect those hours every week. The asynchronous work has deadlines but no set hour, so how you organize it is up to you. Be honest about how you have handled long-term commitments in the past, both the ones with a fixed calendar and the ones where no one else was watching.
5. Am I looking for a change in role, in industry, or both?
Going deeper in your current path is not the same as moving into a completely different field. Both are valid goals, but they call for different programs, timelines and expectations. Getting clear on this before you apply avoids finding out halfway through that you chose a program built for depth when you actually wanted a change of direction.
6. Can my work and family situation accommodate this commitment?
A master’s degree takes evenings, weekends and energy you used to have for other people. Talking it through beforehand with the people you live and work with (a partner, family, even your manager if relevant) usually makes the difference between a sustainable process and constant friction at home or at work.
7. What concretely happens to my career if I do NOT make this decision this year?
This may be the most revealing question of the seven. If the honest answer is “not much changes,” this might not be the moment, or this might not be the right program. But if picturing the next twelve months without taking this step leaves you with a clear sense of being stuck, that feeling is usually more honest than any other signal.
Common mistakes with this decision
- Applying out of social pressure or comparison with colleagues, with no personal goal behind it.
- Choosing the best-known program instead of the one that fits your professional profile.
- Underestimating the weekly workload and only discovering it in the first module.
- Not discussing the time commitment with family or a partner before enrolling.
- Postponing the decision indefinitely out of fear, instead of looking at the facts of your own life.
What to do with your answers
If most of your answers point forward (you have the time, your motivation is clear, the program connects to your experience and your environment can support it), the next logical step is to look at the dates of upcoming cohorts.
If several answers left you unsure, that is useful information too. Maybe the right moment is not now, or maybe the program you had in mind is not the best fit for your situation. Neither conclusion is a failure. It is the kind of clarity this exercise is meant to give you before you invest months of time and money.
Frequently asked questions
How much time per week does a master’s at Aleph University require?
Each week includes 5 to 7 hours of live synchronous classes. In addition, you complete asynchronous content and activities in our learning platform. The time needed for that part varies with each course and with the project load at different points in the program.
Is it better to study something related to my current experience or a completely new field?
Neither option is better in itself. It depends on whether you want to go deeper in your current path or start a new one, and how much time and support you are willing to put into that change.
What if I answer no to most of these questions?
It does not mean it will never be the right time. It probably means this is not the year. It is worth identifying which conditions would need to change (time, clarity of purpose, environment) before you apply.
The next step
If your answers gave you clarity, the natural next step is to talk it through with someone who knows the programs in detail. An Aleph University Admissions advisor can go over your profile, your available time and your career goals with you, and help you decide which program makes sense and when to start.
These 7 questions are not meant to discourage you. They are the most honest way to arrive prepared on the first day of class. At Aleph University we want to work with professionals who have already done this reflection and understand what it means to study while working, caring for a family and building a career at the same time.
Explore our programs and request information to schedule a conversation with an Admissions advisor.