Going Back To College
Going Back To College, Is It Worth The Risks?
Is it necessary to get a college degree in today’s society? Millions of adults ask their self the same question day after day. Returning to college in today’s busy world creates many challenges for adult students, however the value of a brighter future makes it all worth the while. With today’s changing workforce many adults are researching the advantages and disadvantages of going back to college. The good news is that there are enough benefits of deciding to go back to college as an adult that they seem to outweigh the drawbacks for almost anyone. One reason that weighs heavily on adult minds is the financial aspect of how to afford to attend college and earn a degree. There are a few options you can research when deciding on how to pay to further your education. There are government grants, which do not have to be repaid, student loans, and also some employers offer tuition reimbursement programs. In 2007-2008, nearly 40 percent of students over the age 40 borrowed money to further their educations. (Nance-Nash, S. (2012). Some colleges even offer work-study programs that will help to pay a portion of your tuition as well. With all of the many financial options that are offered it seems to lessen the fear substantially. When considering whether to return to college or not, another important aspect to think about is investing in your future to further your career options. Now days with the growing demand of specialty careers, it’s almost impossible to climb the corporate ladder if you don’t have a degree. Another added benefit is with a degree you can almost bet that you will have an increasing salary, much higher than if you never received a degree at all. College graduates earn 84 percent more money over their lifetime on average than people with just high school diplomas, according to a study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and
Is it necessary to get a college degree in today’s society? Millions of adults ask their self the same question day after day. Returning to college in today’s busy world creates many challenges for adult students, however the value of a brighter future makes it all worth the while. With today’s changing workforce many adults are researching the advantages and disadvantages of going back to college. The good news is that there are enough benefits of deciding to go back to college as an adult that they seem to outweigh the drawbacks for almost anyone. One reason that weighs heavily on adult minds is the financial aspect of how to afford to attend college and earn a degree. There are a few options you can research when deciding on how to pay to further your education. There are government grants, which do not have to be repaid, student loans, and also some employers offer tuition reimbursement programs. In 2007-2008, nearly 40 percent of students over the age 40 borrowed money to further their educations. (Nance-Nash, S. (2012). Some colleges even offer work-study programs that will help to pay a portion of your tuition as well. With all of the many financial options that are offered it seems to lessen the fear substantially. When considering whether to return to college or not, another important aspect to think about is investing in your future to further your career options. Now days with the growing demand of specialty careers, it’s almost impossible to climb the corporate ladder if you don’t have a degree. Another added benefit is with a degree you can almost bet that you will have an increasing salary, much higher than if you never received a degree at all. College graduates earn 84 percent more money over their lifetime on average than people with just high school diplomas, according to a study by Georgetown University’s Center on Education and
References: Catholic Online. (2011, August). Retrieved September from http://www.catholic.org Maag, C. (2012, May 30). For Middle-Age Students, Is College Worth The Risk? Retrieved September 2013, from http://abcnews.com Mbilinyi, L. (2006, August). Adult 's Views On The Value and Feasibility Of Returning To School. Retrieved September 2013, from http://www.degreesofopportunity.org Nance-Nash, S. (2012, June). Dreams Vs. Debt: Older College Students Discuss The Value of Going Back To School. Retrieved September 2013, from http://www.forbes.com Your College Search Engine • College Connecting. (n.d.). Retrieved September 2013, from http://www.college-connecting.com