College Education AdvantagesYou’re thinking about getting a college degree and want more information about college education advantages. - Maybe you were turned overlooked for a promotion because you don’t have a degree. - Maybe you’re having difficulty getting interviews or were turned down for job because you don’t have a degree. (Many adults return to school because they were turned down for a promotion that was given to someone that DID have a degree.) - Maybe you have a new baby and you want to be a good or even better provider. - Maybe you hate your job and want to find a satisfying career instead or just want to make more money. - Or, maybe you just want to have the self-confidence and self-respect that comes along with the knowledge that you can do it. Whatever your reason for looking into college education advantages, here is some important information that will help you make a smart decision whether you go to a traditional college or seek an online college education, degree. What are the college education advantages? More Opportunity More employers require job applicants to have a degree or they won’t be considered. Many employers will not promote candidates who don’t have a degree. Experience, no matter how good it might be, often isn’t enough, especially when other candidates competing for the same position have a degree. It’s a simple fact that college graduates have many more jobs choices than candidates who don’t have a degree. Because of this, having a degree gives you more control over your future and more job options that simply are not available to a candidate without one. More Knowledge Of course, you will own the knowledge you get from the courses you study but you benefit from other knowledge as well. You have the opportunity to learn from other students who have different work experience. You will learn study methods that you will use for the rest of your life, regardless of your career option. You will develop your ability to write, speak and clearly express your ideas. Your ability to grasp abstract concepts will increase and you will have a better understanding of other people and a better understanding of the world around you. More Security Many experienced adults who lose a job have problems finding another because they don’t have a degree. Even if a candidate has many years of experience, they might find that their application won’t even be looked at because they don’t have a degree. Having a degree is a ticket of entry into a much bigger job market. More Money
Statistically speaking, it’s a simple fact that having a degree means that you can make more money. According to the United States Census Bureau, the average income for workers over the age of 18 is as follows: To put it another way, the U.S. Census Bureau discovered that over the span of an adult’s working life those with a high school degree will earn an average of $1.2 million; those with an associate’s degree will earn about $1.6 million; those with an bachelor’s degree will earn about $2.1 million. (Day and Newberger, 2002) These numbers mean that a degree is an investment that pays dividends for your entire work life. Self-Esteem Many adults say that they go for degree “just for me.” They simply want the satisfaction of completing something that they’ve wanted to do for a long time. Others say they are tired of feeling embarrassed about not having a degree in business meetings when others mention their own degrees. Earning a degree gives a strong sense of self-confidence, self-esteem, and self-efficacy that helps you feel you have the ability to manage challenging situations and achieve your goals. Personal Benefits and Benefits for Children A report published in 1998 by the Institute for Higher Education Policy states that college graduates tend to enjoy higher levels of personal and professional mobility, more hobbies and leisure activities. It also shows that graduates provide an improved quality of life for their children (Institute for Higher Education Policy, 1998). It’s also proven that "parental schooling levels are positively correlated with the health status of their children" and "increased schooling (and higher relative income) are correlated with lower mortality rates for given age brackets" (Cohn and Geske, 1992). Networking The best estimate is that 60% of jobs are found through personal contacts, friends and or family members. This group of contacts is referred to as a personal network. Attending college means having contact with many others who will then become contacts in your expanded network that can then help find a job. This expanded network is yet another one of the college education advantages What are some reasons people give for not getting a degree? I can’t afford it. There are many payment options to explore that help make payments convenient. You may even qualify for a grant that will pay for your program. You will never know what options you have until you do some research but the real questions should be can you afford not to? I’m too old. You’re never too old to learn. Many adults begin degree programs when they are in their 40’s, 50’s and beyond. It’s never too late to earn the benefit from having a degree. It’s too hard. Nothing worth doing is “instant” and earning a degree does take time and effort but this investment pays off in ways that nothing else compares to. Many students also discover that they have many more talents and abilities than they realized and they would never have discovered this if they didn’t go for their degree to have the college education advantages. The options There are many non-traditional, online, or otherwise accredited schools that offer a variety of options for working adults who might not have time to addend a traditional program. This flexibility means that anyone can find the time to enjoy college education advantages by earning a degree.
Learn more NOW about many local and online colleges and programs that may work for you by clicking here. References Cohn, E., & Geske, T.G. (1992). Private Nonmonetary Returns to Investment in Higher Education. In Becker, W. & Lewis, D. The Economics of American Higher Education. Boston, MA: Kluwer Academic Publishers. Day, J.C., & Newburger, E.C. (2002) The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-Life Earnings. (Current Population Reports, Special Studies, P23-210). Washington, DC: Commerce Dept., Economics and Statistics Administration, Census Bureau.Available: http://www.census.gov/prod/2002pubs/p23-210.pdf
Institute for Higher Education Policy (1998) Reaping the Benefits: Defining the Public and Private Value of Going to College. The New Millennium Project on Higher Education Costs, Pricing, and Productivity. Washington, DC
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