Seven Reasons to Continue Your Education After College
Today’s guest post is by Wes McIntyre, a contributing writer studying for his masters of health care administration. Wes spent several years in an entry-level position before realizing that his lack of education was holding him back. I can personally relate to this post as someone who totally switched career paths myself. If I hadn’t taken internet marketing classes online, I truly don’t think I’d be working as a Social Media Strategist today. For those of you who are thinking about going back to school, I’d love to know what your motivation is and what your fears are about it. I’m sure others are thinking the same things! -Nicole
Many people consider going back to school once they have already received a college degree. Gwynedd Mercy graduate programs as well as other grad programs can prepare you to enter the work force at a high level. Alternatively, they may have dropped out and wish to continue their studies. For many people, furthering their education is a good idea. There are dozens of benefits to continuing your education, including increasing your marketability and your earning potential as well as creating new connections.
Why More Education Is Worth The Effort
If you’re considering going back to school, here are 7 reasons I’d encourage you to go for it despite the time, effort and money it may cost you!
- Enhance Your Marketable Skills – Receiving an advanced or additional degree means you will be learning new skills. Master’s courses are specifically designed to impart a set of skills that will help you in the real world. Once your courses are completed, these skills help you to perform better in your current career, open up new opportunities and make you a more competitive candidate for promotions and other positions.
- Increased Earning Potential – According to the United States Census Bureau, a professional with a master’s degree will make an average of $200 more per week than coworkers who possess only a bachelor’s degree. Multiplied over 40 years, this is over $400,000 in additional wages. Additionally, an advanced degree opens up new positions that may not be available with only a bachelor’s degree, allowing for even more earning potential.
- Uncover Your Dream Career – As you pursue your higher education, you will be exposed to new fields of study, both through required courses and new people you’ll meet. You may discover that your chosen field, while interesting for the time being, is not your dream career. For example, you may be attending school for a human resources degree and discover that you are more interested in pursuing a degree that will prepare you for healthcare administration jobs.
- Showcase Your Work Ethic – The completion of an advanced degree tells employers a number of things about you. It conveys that you can work independently, you are ambitious and you can learn new skills and develop your talents. These attributes are desired by employers and hiring managers, increasing your ability to land a promotion or transition into a new career.
- Become an Expert – Continuing your education gives you advanced knowledge about your area of study. Between research assignments, advanced courses and learning from established experts, you will eventually earn a reputation as an expert in your field.
- Establish New Connections – Perhaps the most important reason of all, you’ll interact with new people once you return to school. You’ll communicate with your teachers and work with other students on projects and communicate with them through online message boards. This interaction may lead to new career connections. These connections may help you find a new career altogether or result in helpful contacts for your current one.
- A Sense of Personal Fulfillment – Remember the last time you accomplished something great? It may have been your last degree or completing a particularly difficult project at work. You probably experienced a feeling of tremendous personal fulfillment by overcoming the challenge. Instead of constantly talking about going back to school, actually doing so is the first step on your path to further fulfillment.
It’s Never Too Late to Go Back to School!
Regardless of your age, financial situation or time restraints — you can go back to school. Thanks to the prevalence of online schools, continuing your education is easier than ever. You can fit your studies in with your work and social life. You’ll be able to pursue your advanced degree without having to commit to traditional campus life. Instead, you can receive your degree from the comfort of your own home.
