Should You Go Back To School To Help Your Career?
Returning to education could allow you to obtain the qualifications you need to pursue a better job. However, education is a serious investment. To help you decide whether you should go back to school to help your career, here are a few things to consider.
Are extra qualifications necessary?
Many employers will look highly upon a candidate with a degree, but in some fields it’s not a necessity. You should consider whether you really need qualifications or whether you simply need knowledge and experience. You may be able to teach yourself everything you need to know via books, blogs, YouTube videos and workshops.
Of course, in some areas such as healthcare, a degree can often be mandatory. The likes of this Grand Canyon university nursing program could be worth looking into – without a nursing degree there’s practically no way of getting into nursing. Law, teaching and engineering are a few other careers that require a degree.
What about the cost?
The cost of studying is another important factor to consider. If your retirement is around the corner, you may not want to be getting yourself in a large amount of student debt. There are borrowing methods out there for older students, but you may prefer to pay off some of your studies as you’re doing them.
Going back to education could also mean having to quit a current job or take on reduced hours. This could result in a loss of income – so bear this in mind. Some people are able to maintain a full time job and studies, but it is a challenge.
Do you have the time to study?
Finding the time to study could also be a struggle with other commitments to look after. Many people consider online courses – these can allow you to flexibly study around other commitments such as work or family. You don’t have to study on a campus and can study from home.
That said, you still need to be certain that you can fit the hours in per week so that you’re not falling behind on your studies. Having a study schedule could help to keep you on target. Sites like Develop Good Habit discuss how to come up with a good study schedule.
Do you enjoy learning?
To do well in studies, you need to be passionate about your subject and need to have a desire to learn. Many older students find that they have more of passion to learn than they ever did when they were young – with clear goals, it can be easier to find this passion and knuckle down.
However, some people may find that they simply don’t have the patience to learn later in life. Consider trying a few workshops or seminars or do some of your own self-teaching and see if you have passion for your chosen subject – if you find yourself getting easily bored or frustrated, you probably don’t want to pursue a degree.