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You may have heard that it’s never too late to go back to college and earn your degree. This is 100% true.
But more important than the fact that you CAN continue your education are the many good reasons
why you SHOULD do it. You might think that just because you found a job you don’t really need to go
back to school. And in some cases, motivated, bright, or lucky individuals are able to advance without a
degree (while some just aren’t suited to classrooms). But for most people there are myriad reasons why
completing a higher education and walking away with a diploma can improve their prospects in life. Here
are just a few to consider if you’re toying with the idea of going back to college to earn that degree.
1. Advance in field. If you’ve hit the proverbial glass ceiling in your climb up the corporate ladder,
your lack of a college degree could be to blame. Or perhaps a bachelor’s degree simply isn’t
enough in this competitive economy and you really need a master’s to continue your upward
trajectory. Either way, going back to school can give you the edge you need by helping to
familiarize you with the latest advances in your field and potentially even equip you with the
specific skills and knowledge your company is looking for.
2. Switch jobs. Perhaps you’ve hit a dead end in your current job or you just came to realize that
it’s not what you want to do with the rest of your life. They say the happiest people change
professions several times throughout their lives; maybe that time has come for you. But you don’t
want to start on the bottom rung after years of paying dues in another field. A college degree can
help you to get hired at a higher level and rise more quickly through the ranks of your new career.
3. Network. No matter what field you’re in it cannot hurt to have more contacts on your professional
call list. Networking is not just about shaking hands at conferences; it’s about meeting the people
who can help you to get where you want to go and then cultivating relationships that will incline
them towards offering assistance when you ask. And college is a great place to meet new people
whose interests are aligned with yours.
4. Improve yourself. If none of the above reasons mesh for you, then think about returning to school
for the sole purpose of improving yourself. Increasing your knowledge, skill, and experience can
only help to make you a more rounded individual and enhance your appeal to employers. In
short; everybody wins.
5. Why not? Okay, so you can probably come up with a lot of reasons not to go back to school: it’s
too expensive, you don’t have time, your job won’t allow it, and so on. But in case you didn’t
know, there are solutions to just about every excuse you come up with. In terms of expense, you
may be eligible for an education reimbursement program through your work, as well as a flexible
schedule to accommodate for classes. And you can attend community colleges and state schools
to save money. You can even apply for financial aid (and file independently if you’re over 25). But
probably your best bet these days is to skip night classes and look into online schools. It doesn’t
take an online masters in education to realize that you can save both time and money by going
this route. So why not go for it?
Going back to school is on my list for the near future! I appreciate that so much can be done online! I’ve been out of my mind and out of the loop for such a long time, it’s good to visit your blog again!
I got my Bachelor’s degree through online schooling. I loved it and I wouldn’t have been able to do it otherwise (I was on maternity leave through half of it).
I love school. I hope to return to get my Masters… some day soon!
Great article! Thanks for sharing and inspiring!
I think being out and working enriches your learning when you return to school. Great article!
I want to go back to school and switch fields. No more education for me!
I went back to school when I relocated to another state because my new home state did not recognize my credentials from my old home state.
I was so opposed to going back and even more disappointed that I had to even consider it.
At the time I was just going for a BA, had you told me that I was going to try and do the whole thing I would have thought you were crazy. But here I am headed for Dr. Lucy.
No one is ever to old to go back, in fact I think you appreciate it even more.
I’m going back to school 18 years since I became a mom (the last class I took was 18 years ago, too). I’m excited, scared, and worried it might not benefit my family financially. But my family is super supportive, I may be eligible for a lot of financial aid as a “returning woman”, and I’ll be finishing what I started 25 years ago! And I know people on the football team – my son’s friends!
I’ve been saying for years I would go back. I’m a whole lot of talk and no action
I went back to college when my kids were in school. It really boosted my self esteem and confidence in myself. I was more ready to learn and had better study habits. Even if a person doesn’t want a degree I think taking college classes really help broaden your horizons of thought and knowledge.