Why YOU Should Go Back to School
A growing number of adults are beginning to realize what a good idea it is to return to college to complete or begin their degree. The idea can seem scary at first for some people-for a lot of reasons. Life just seems to get in the way at every turn. BUT, studies show that it’s completely worth it in the long run.
Research from a 2017 study conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics showed that people with a degree of some kind were much more likely to have a job than others who didn’t complete or work towards a degree. The data proved that earning a degree, even later in life, made a large impact on a person’s career.
Many people are taught to think that earning your degree as soon as possible is the best course of action, but this isn’t necessarily the case. Many young adults aren’t sure what they want in life and spend far more time and money on courses they don’t need than someone who is older and experienced. An older adult is more sure of themselves, and being able to pick only necessary courses is a major advantage. Someone thirty years or older has twelve or more years of hands-on experience with different jobs, they’re more emotionally mature, and are overall better capable of handling difficulties that life, or classes, might send their way.
While courses might seem scary or a lot of work, there are a lot of resources available today that make it easier than ever to gather research and study. It’s becoming commonplace to earn your degree from home, and some even view it as a safer, more convenient option to attending a college in person. Even ten years ago, getting a degree almost always required some sort of physical presence and consistent attendance, and this isn’t possible for most working adults. With policies changing on travel and class attendance, taking online courses is one way to ensure you as a student are able to complete your degree as quickly and efficiently as possible. Not only do online courses allow a parent to balance home life and personal education, the lack of a commute saves time and money.
As the economy becomes more globalized, a more well-rounded skill set is a must to compete with others also searching for jobs. Going back to college to take courses with the goal of increasing your skill set is wise in a country, and world, of competition. Someone might need a single course, while others might need to pick and choose a hand-tailored semester or more of education to acquire the knowledge and skills they feel they need to best achieve their career goals. Either way, the person with the larger set of skills will be hired over another job candidate with fewer skills.
With age comes a willingness to set ego aside and do what’s necessary to succeed. When you’re older, you know your weaknesses and how to overcome them. It might seem like life has sailed you by, or the coursework might seem intimidating, but the truth of the matter is that older adults will not only succeed where younger students fail, they’ll complete their degree faster and for less cost.
