With the economy down in the dumps, you may now need a higher education degree. Perhaps you have lost your job after years of service, or you need to go back to work. With a degree, you can earn the competitive edge that so many other people have these days. Here are great reasons to go back to school, no matter how old you are.
Greater earning potential.
You can earn more money with more education. Higher education can improve your self-esteem, and it can help to get into the career you have always dreamed of. With the way things are set up now, you may be able to get help from the government. If you do not make enough money to pay for going back to school, there is a good chance that you qualify for financial aid. This way, books, and classes can be paid for so that you give back to society by adding to the workforce.
Build Up Your Resume.
A higher education degree can make you into a doctor or master of your subject. Even a Bachelor’s degree looks so much better than nothing, and it proves that you have been trained somewhat in your field. A degree builds up your resume like nothing else. Many companies will not hire someone without a degree. Other companies will not allow you to progress without a Master’s degree. So if you want a corner office with a window instead of a cubicle in the middle, consider reaching for higher heights in the form of a higher-level degree.
Continue In Lifelong Learning.
Researchers have found that those who educate themselves throughout their lives reap many health benefits. Those who are educated tend to make more money, be healthier, and be happier. Those who keep learning well into old age keep up their health and strength better.
But before you quit your day job and go back to school, here are things to consider when making your personal choice.
What Are My Responsibilities?
If you are a mother of very young children that need you, now might not be the best time to go. Daycare, nannies, and babysitting are all options unless you don’t want them to be. Many women decided to stay home while the children are young. Or if you are a stay at home dad, the same holds. Think about your plan for kids and marriage. If you are under constant stress already and if you see no way to alleviate it to make way for a school program, then you need to wait it out. There is no shame in waiting until you have had kids in your childbearing years or raised them the way you see fit.
If you need to continue to work full time, this might also be a reason to put off school. For some, these points may have no bearing on their enrollment. Take a step back and figure out your five-year plan and goals to see if this is the best time for grad school. It might never be the best time, and so you need to figure that into the equation too.
Do I Know Exactly What I Want To Do?
Going back to school is no walk in the park. This is certainly no time to waste time deciding what you want to do over the next two years. While you may have entered college this way, you cannot maintain the fake façade of knowing without really knowing. Only go to grad school now if you are passionate about what you want to study there. There is no reason to apply if you don’t know what career path is for you.
How Much Time Can I Dedicate To It?
You also need to figure out how much time you can spend on coursework each week. If you cannot go full time, there are the options of part-time or online. Today, many great programs allow you to attain a degree from the comfort of your home. Do your research and see what you can get to. Do the most you can for the most enriching experience possible.
Once you have decided what time you can apply, get your act together to do so. Work on a topic for your essay, keep your grades pleasing, and study for that GMAT or GRA until you are blue in the face to get accepted at the right time at the right place.