College and University Blog
Thinking of Going Back to College? 6 Reasons Why You Should
It鈥檚 tempting to picture hypothetical college students as people in their late teens and early twenties who love to party more than study. But the truth is, more and more non-traditional students with spouses, children, and full-time jobs are also in school. If you鈥檙e considering going back to college yet unsure because of your age, consider this鈥�
1. Today is the first day of the rest of your life. If you鈥檙e reading this, then there鈥檚 a good chance you鈥檝e been thinking about going back to school for awhile now. To put things into perspective, why not compare enrolling in some classes to starting a new diet or exercise plan? The longer you wait to begin, the longer it will be before you accomplish something and start to see results. If you had started watching your eating habits and hitting the gym when the idea first crossed your mind a few weeks (or months, or years) ago, you鈥檇 most likely be in a better spot than you are right now. The same can be said about going back to college.
2. You鈥檙e (most definitely) not alone. You might feel a little uneasy because you had more candles on your last birthday cake than your future classmates did, but don鈥檛 fret. The has determined that the number of college students over the age of 25 increased by 34 percent between 2000 and 2010. That said, you won鈥檛 be the only one on campus who isn鈥檛 eagerly anticipating their 21st birthday. If you鈥檙e slightly embarrassed or feeling odd about the thought of being 鈥渢he old one鈥� in class, stop right now You will have different priorities and a different schedule due to obligations that younger students most likely aren鈥檛 facing, but you鈥檒l have one huge thing in common鈥攜our classes!
3. You鈥檒l most likely earn more money. Despite recent media attention as to whether or not a degree is worth it, the has found that education pays. Not only do full-time and salaried employees with degrees make more money than high school graduates and those with less than a high school diploma, unemployment rates are lower among college graduates, too. A college degree may help you move up the ladder at work or enter a higher-paying field.
4. Your kids (or family or friends) will look up to you. Children learn by example鈥攜es, even teenagers. a study by the National Center for Education Statistics, states that although it鈥檚 not the only determining factor, their parents鈥� education levels play an important role in whether or not high school students go to college after completing high school. How will you encourage your children to go to a state university or community college if you haven鈥檛 finished your degree? If you don鈥檛 have kids yet, you will still set a good example for other relatives and your circle of friends or colleagues.
5. Education impacts health. In addition to improving your chances for better-paying jobs, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention鈥檚 National Center for Health Statistics has found that people with bachelor鈥檚 degrees have healthier habits and live longer lives. According to nearly one-third of adults with high school diplomas or less were smokers, compared to just nine percent of bachelor鈥檚 degree recipients. In short, educated people tend to make healthier lifestyle choices. As expected, they generally have better access to health care due to increased earnings.
6. Financial aid is out there. We鈥檙e led to believe that college is an unaffordable nightmare. On top of paying tuition, fees, and buying those oh-so-ridiculously-expensive textbooks, your work schedule might even be altered because you鈥檒l be in class, which can potentially affect your current income. It鈥檚 certainly not as cheap as it was in decades past, but many adults who are going back to college qualify for some type of financial aid. Be sure to file your FAFSA at (beware of sites with similar addresses and always remember that submitting the FAFSA is always free.) Many corporations also offer tuition assistance or reimbursement for employees.
In closing, while it鈥檚 true that going back to school after being out of the classroom for years鈥攐r even going to college for the first time鈥攚on鈥檛 be a total piece of cake, the same can be said for nearly anything worthwhile in life. For more information about college and finding the right school for you, take advantage of the resources right here on 911爆料.
Melissa Rhone earned her Bachelor of Music in Education from the University of Tampa. She resides in the Tampa Bay area and enjoys writing about college, pop culture, and epilepsy awareness.