Establishing and sticking to a degree path soon after high school is a tall order for even the best planners. Many people find themselves facing situations that require them to stop pursuing their education. Perhaps family obligations or employment circumstances led them to change course. Or maybe it’s something else entirely.
You’re clearly not alone if you had to put your education on hold for whatever reason. But now that you’ve gained some perspective, you’re beginning to question whether it’s finally time to make a return to the classroom. You wonder, “Should I go back to school?”
There are plenty of adult students and graduates who were once in your shoes. Each of them chose to pursue their degree for some specific reasons, and many of them were facing the exact same challenges. If you can relate to any of the sentiments below, it may be time to pick up where you left off.
Should I go back to school? It might be time to advance your education if...
1. You’re craving better career options
Maybe you’ve reached the most senior position your current education will allow. Or it could be that you’re eager to pursue an entirely different career path. You’re in good company — a 2018 survey that polled more than 86,000 people reveals that 58% of respondents cited the ability to secure a good job or career as the main reason for pursuing their highest level of education.
It turns out that obtaining a degree is one of the best ways to expand your career options. Using Labor Insight, a real-time job market data tool from Burning Glass Technologies, reveals just how much a degree can impact the positions you’re able to pursue.* The Labor Insight analysis shows that while high school graduates were eligible for 8.5 million jobs, bachelor’s degree holders and master’s degree holders were eligible for 18 million jobs and 18.8 million jobs respectively. And those with a doctoral degree were qualified for all 19.2 million positions.
2. You already have existing college credits
While it might seem like taking a break from higher education means you need to redo some of what you’ve already completed, this doesn’t have to be the case. The odds are good that you can transfer at least some of your prior credits. Just know that transfer policies vary widely, and some institutions are more accepting than others are of coursework completed elsewhere. With this in mind, you might be interested to know that Bellevue University has a generous transfer policy that allows students to potentially apply an entire associate degree toward a bachelor’s degree.
While graduate students aren’t able to transfer many credits, they still have the option to carry over some previous coursework. This is true even if you didn’t officially begin a master’s or doctoral program. If you took any 500-level postsecondary courses during your undergraduate education, you may be able to contribute some of those credits toward a graduate program.
3. You have relevant work or military experience
Let’s say you haven’t completed any transferrable postsecondary courses. Does that mean you need to start from scratch? Not necessarily. Some schools award credit for learning that occurs outside a traditional classroom, including military experience or training. Service members and veterans should obtain a Joint Services Transcript (JST), which includes credit recommendations from the American Council on Education (ACE). Schools that follow these recommendations will happily award students the maximum number of credits they’re eligible to receive.
Students also can speed up their time to completion by testing out of classes. Most people are already familiar with the Advanced Placement (AP) exams that high school students take to get a head start on college. But you can also forgo classes by taking exams through the College-Level Examination Program (CLEP) or the DSST, previously known as the DANTES Subject Standardized Tests, provided you secure strong enough scores.
4. You’re cost-conscious
You’re not alone if the thought of paying for a degree makes you uneasy. While the average cost of a postsecondary program might seem prohibitive, bear in mind that not every institution makes it unaffordable. Bellevue University is one of the most affordable private institutions in the country. Tuition and fees fall well below the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported averages for both undergraduate and graduate programs.
When asking the question, “Should I go back to school?” it can also be useful to think about your education in terms of the return you stand to gain. Obtaining a degree can really help increase your earning potential regardless of your specific field. Data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) shows that higher educational attainment is positively correlated with higher earnings.
5. You need options that fit your schedule
For busy adults with packed schedules, dropping everything to attend on-campus classes multiple times per week just isn’t feasible. But some particularly forward-thinking institutions recognize that learners like you need more flexibility to make completing a degree possible. Such schools have responded by developing high-quality online offerings that allow you to learn in whatever format works best for your life.
6. You think time is a precious commodity
Many adults feel they don’t have enough free time to commit to earning a degree. A recent survey of students who dropped out of college reveals that the most common reason for leaving was difficulty balancing work and school. This is understandable, especially when you consider that many of these learners also have families to care for.
Time is clearly in short supply for working adults, but consider how being thoughtful about how you complete a program now could lead to a less-hectic tomorrow. If you transfer as many credits as possible and pursue an accelerated program, you could complete a degree much sooner than you first thought possible.
If you’re thoughtful about how you select your final schools, you could even save time during the application phase. It’s common for graduate programs to ask that applicants complete a long list of admissions requirements, but there are speedier options. Bellevue University streamlines the process by doing away with requirements to take the Graduate Record Examinations (GRE) General Test and the Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT).
7. You believe there are multiple programs in which you could succeed
Don’t worry if you aren’t yet certain of the specific degree you want to pursue. For busy adults who want to accelerate program completion, being open to a few options is actually beneficial. This mindset enables you to work with your advisors to choose a pathway that not only aligns with your career goals, but also ensures you choose an option that allows you to go from first day to successful graduate as soon as possible.
8. You know when to ask for help
Recognizing that you don’t always have all the answers is something that only comes with maturity. This added level of self-awareness is a huge advantage for adult students, because they’re able to recognize when they need additional assistance early on. Instead of waiting until you’ve fallen behind or performed poorly on an assessment, you can make use of the available support services at your school to ensure you stay on track.
As for what kinds of resources you can access, it depends on which institution you attend. Most every school will provide tutoring, assistance with course selection and financial aid guidance. But some institutions go well beyond the basics to give students access to career services that range from interview practice to writing cover letters, technical support, full-service academic advising, dedicated resources for service members and even more.
Get ready to go back to school
Should I go back to school? Will a degree help me reach my goals? Is now the right time?
Committing to a program is an undeniably big decision that takes careful consideration. But now that you’ve had a chance to get into the minds of some other adult students, you probably have a better sense of whether it’s the right time for you to finish what you started.
If you’re feeling energized by the idea of earning your degree, it might be a good idea to start thinking about which colleges and universities are best for working adults like you. Because there are so many schools to choose from, you’ll want to make sure you identify ones like Bellevue University that have a history of helping adult students like you succeed. To learn more about pursuing a degree that can help you achieve your goals, explore our Degrees & Programs.
*Burning-Glass.com (analysis of 19,150,246 job postings that specified the minimum required level of education, November 01, 2019 – October 31, 2020)
