When you’re thinking about or deciding on a new career path, one of the big considerations is whether to go to college. After all, school is a huge commitment, and it’s not one to be taken lightly. This includes the process just to get into a college, nevermind going through the degree itself. So, when you’re deciding whether or not to get your college degree, there are a few big questions to keep in mind.
Do you need to go to college?
There are some career paths that are always going to require a college degree. If you want to become a nurse, you’re going to need to go to school for that. That’s just the reality. However, some career paths don’t require a college degree. It’s nice to have, but it’s more important that you have the skills. Writing jobs and tech jobs are indicative of this. So be sure to do research into your chosen career path and really examine if you need to go to college or if you can forgo it.
Attached to this question is, do you want to go? If you truly don’t want to go to college, then I would recommend avoiding career paths that would require it. It’s not worth being miserable and spending all of that money if you really don’t want to go. Find an alternative path or choose a different career. That being said, if you really want to go to college, that’s a good sign that this is probably the right path for you.
Can you achieve the same goals without the full degree?
Sometimes, we don’t need an entire degree. Sometimes, a certificate or a few college credits will do. For example, if you want to work in a daycare, typically, you only need credits. The full degree is nice, and you will need it to get a promotion with more money. However, all you need to work in a daycare as an assistant is typically 6-12 credits. Make sure you do your research so you have an exact understanding of what’s necessary when it comes to your education and your new career path.
Can you afford college?
This is the big one because if you can’t afford it, this is a moot question. Obviously, the biggest cost is tuition. You have to consider whether or not you can pay for college outright or whether or not you’ll need to take out loans. And if you take out loans, can you afford the payments once you’re out of school? But there are costs to college beyond this, especially if you attend an on-campus college. This includes materials, textbooks, and equipment. If you’re going to school on campus, it also includes transportation costs and, potentially, meal costs.
Something people often don’t consider is the time costs on top of the direct financial ones. Can you afford to take time for college courses? Can you afford not to? For example, if getting your college degree is going to put you up for a promotion, then you might have to go to school, even if it’s going to cost you that money upfront.
Do you have the time?
Another major factor when it comes to deciding if college is the right choice for you is time. No matter what way you slice it, in person or online, going to college takes a serious time investment. No matter what, you’re talking about coursework, and depending on where you go, you’ll need specific time for classes too. And there’s no point in going to college if you don’t have the time to do it well. The last thing you need is to spend all that money just to fail out because you didn’t have the time to dedicate to it
On the flip side of this is dealing with the time crunch to know that it’ll get better later. By this, I mean that maybe you don’t really have the time, but you’re willing to really make it because you know life will be better once you have your degree.
Are there practical options available to you?
This is another one in that you’ll need to consider the reality of if you should get your college degree. By this, I mean that it’s important to look at which schools offer your chosen major and if they would work for you. For example, if you need to go to school online in order to actually achieve your degree, but no online school has your necessary major, then it’s not going to work. Typically, medical or teaching degrees require some sort of practicum. This means that they are often in person, which might be unrealistic for you right now.
If you need a very specific major, like game design or film studies, then you’re limited to what schools have them, regardless of what you would like to do. There are only so many schools with certain majors. If you want an English degree, you can pretty much go anywhere. If you need a more science or tech job, then your options are more limited.
The important thing is to consider all the angles when it comes to whether or not you should get your college degree. Going to college is an easy decision if you really want to go and it’s the right move for your career. But sometimes, it can be more complicated than this. You may not know what makes the most sense for you. When that’s the case, it’s important to do your research and weigh all the options. Reach out to colleges for information and talk to people in your desired field. Be sure you understand what the requirements are for the career you want so you can make an informed decision about going back to school.
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