Stop Making These 5 Excuses if You Want to Return to School As an Adult

Stop Making These 5 Excuses if You Want to Return to School As an AdultStop Making These 5 Excuses if You Want to Return to School As an AdultStop Making These 5 Excuses if You Want to Return to SchoolThis is the second article in our Continuing Education series, which looks at the challenges, skills, and opportunities for job seekers looking to finish or upgrade their degrees. You can check out partone here.If youve stumbled upon this page, well hazard a guess youre debating about returning to school as an adult. Believe us, youre not the only one to have questioned whether its really worth the time, effort, and sacrifices youll need to make to get there. And youre in good company if you have a number of reasons why you havent yet made the plunge.But if youre serious about continuing your education and developing yourself professionally, its time to see those so-called reasons for what they really are- excuses. The good news is that with the right approach, you can overcome each and every one of these excuses.When youre finally done with teetering on the edge of achieving your dreams, employthe following solutions to 6 of the most common excuses about returning to school as an adult.Excuse School will burn a hole in my walletSolution Think of it as an investment that pays back tenfoldMoney concerns area formidable barrier if youre thinking about returning to school. When your budget is already tight, it can be difficult to justify spending even mora on school fees. Even if your budget is flexible, its easierto spendyour hard-earned money on a relaxing getaway or buying that new shiny gadget, than on furthering your education.However, your education is one of the few investments you can make that will improve your future. When you think of it this way, the cost is much easier to reconcile. If thecost burden required feelsoverwhelming, start focusing on the long-term benefits of furthering your education.Youve probably heard the saying, you have to spend money t o make money, and education is the prime example. A report by the U.S. Census Bureau revealed that on average, over an adults working lifeHigh school graduates will earn $1.2 millionBachelors degree holders will earn $2.1 millionMasters degree holders will earn $2.5 millionDoctoral degrees holders will earn $3.4 millionThere is a clear correlation between obtaining further education and earning a higher income. Better qualifications open the door to more professional opportunities, and in turn, more earning capacity. The bottom line is that going back to school pays off.Wondering which colleges have the best return on investment? PayScales article provides an interesting analysis on which schools give you the best bang for your buck.Excuse I cant produce money I dont have out of thin airSolution Shop around for an affordable course and make use of financial aidAlright, I hear you now say. That all sounds peachy, but how do you suppose Ill even afford to fund my studies in the first place?There are in fact numerous ways you can make it work financially. Search around and youll find many colleges which offer relatively affordable degrees. All Education Schools takes the hassle out of the process with their school-finder resource. It will help you source a range of appropriate programs (both on-campus and online) based on your location, level of education, and of course, your area of interest.No matter where you decide to go, or what degree you do, you shouldnt be shy about applying for financial aid or scholarships to help you pay for your studies. Most college websites have a section detailing information about aid and scholarships, so shop around.You should also check out Federal Student Aid, which is a part of the U.S. Department of Education. Federal Student Aid is the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation, and it offers students the chance to apply for various grants, scholarships and loans, irrespective of their age.Be sure to platzset as ide adequate time so that you can make your application as strong as it can be. Scholarships and grants in particular garner heavy competition from other equally eager students, so make your effort count. Also, make sure to keep an eye on submission deadlines and read the guidelines carefully to maximize your chances of being granted financial aid.Pssst If youre not tied down and have enough money for a plane ticket, you could join the growing number of Americans who study overseas. Earning an education in Europe or Asia is often markedly more affordable than in America due to the availability of scholarships and smaller school fees.Excuse I already have no time as it isSolution Make a plan and get organizedIve got no time is a time-old excuse that is one of the toughest to crack. After all, theres no way to make more time if you dont have it, right?Wrong. If you want to go back to school, and youre time poor, there are ways to make it work. Heres where prioritizing comes into play. As reasonably as you can, make adjustments where you can, even if you dont want to. If youre lucky, it may be as simple as swapping Game of Thrones/pilates class/brunch for a date with the books. But it will probably require a bit more legwork than that.When you find yourself slipping back to questioning if its worth all the effort, keep your eye on your goal and remind yourself what going back will mean for you, your family, and your future. Rarely do the things we really want come to us easily. Be prepared to work hard and youll be duly rewarded. People rarely regret achieving further education, so if you want it, find a way to make it work.Have no idea where to start? Learn to organize yourself by mapping out your life, planning ahead, finding shortcuts, multitasking and reaching out to others. Michelle Knolls article gives a helpful overview of how to manage school, kids, and work.You could also consider applying for an online degree which offers both affordability and flexibil ity. Many online colleges allow you to set the pace youd like to complete the degree. If youd like to graduate as soon as possible, accelerated options are available. Conversely, if youre juggling other responsibilities, part-time or flexible hours are an option.Another major advantage to completing an online degree is that there are no face-to-face contact hours. No one will know if youre tapping away on your computer in your pajamas at home, or on your daily commute to work. Explore your options to find one that suits your particular financial and life situation.Excuse Im not sure if my employer will value my degreeSolution Prove them wrongYoure worried that despite all your efforts to earn a degree, your employer wont take it seriously because it comes from a non-Ivy League or lesser-known college. Its understandable that youd want your current or future employer to be impressed with your sparkling new degree, and for it to lead to new opportunities for aufsteigen and greater ear nings.Who says it wont? An increase in interest and enrollment numbers has led career colleges and online universities to continually improve the quality of their courses. Many degrees have improved to the extent that theyre now of a comparable quality to those of traditional colleges. As such, the stigma from attending a career college or online degree has dramatically decreased, and continues to do so.This positive change in the way online degrees are viewed is backed by recent research.A survey of members of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) indicated that 79% of those surveyed had hired a candidate with an online degree in the previous 12 months.The majority of employers will be impressed by your determination to learnand will appreciate the fresh contributions and perspectives you can make to the company.Moreover, obtaining a degree relevant to your field willallow you to meet the increasing demand by employers for employees to be proactively upskilling themselve s. Being competitive in the job market is vital not only in the search for a promotion or new job, but also to maintain your current role.Any reasonable employer will recognize a degree for what it is- a representation of the hours of study you underwent to boost your knowledge, learn new skills, and bolster yourself professionally.Its time to stop underestimating how valuable your degree will be seen in the eyes of employers.Want to learn more about why returning to school is so valuable? Our article Finishing Your Education is More Important Than Ever These 7 Chart Show You Why will answer all your questions.Excuse I dont want to be seen as the token olderstudentSolution Stop caring what others think and start seeing your age and experience as an assetYoure anxious that if you head back to school, your peers will stereotype youonce they see youre not fresh out of high school like them that youll stick out like a Billy Madison-style caricature just becauseyoure older than the avera ge student.Well, take a look at these stats. Enrollment numbers of older students aresizable and are projected to continue growing, so your fears are unfounded.As the following graph from the National Center of Educational Statistics shows, enrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of students who are 25 to 34 years old increased 51% between 1997 and 2011, with an additional20% increase is projected between 2011 and 2022.This graph shows a clear increase in the number of non-traditional students enrolling in college. SourceNational Center of Educational StatisticsEnrollment in postsecondary degree-granting institutions of students who are 35 years old and over increased 26% between 1997 and 2011, and its projected that this will increase by a further 23% between 2011 and 2022.Theres no shame in going back to school. Dont let immature people dissuade you fromfulfilling your dream of completing your education.If you do so, the only person whose happiness and growth will suffer is your own.Instead, take a more productive approach and harness your age and experience to further your studies. People who return to school later in life bring with them years of invaluable professional and personal experience and knowledge. Dont see your experiences as a negative, use them to improveyour coursework and interactions with your peers.Many colleges even account for your professional experience with credits that may allow for your workload to be reduced, or even for you to fast-track your degree. Inquire with your chosen institution how you can use your experience to your advantage.If you still cant bat away your fears about not fitting in, a simple fix is to apply for an online course. This faceless approach will provide you with the anonymity you crave, and will mean youll only need to engage with your peers as much as your coursework requires nothing more.So what are you waiting for?If youre reading this article, youre feeling motivated. Take action now,an d nip those excuses in the bud. Use this opportunity to search for a school that will work with your busy schedule, and give you the flexibility and affordability you need to earnthat degree.Good luck future grad, youve got thisWhat excuse is the hardest for you to overcome? Are you still wondering ifgoing back to college is worth it? Do you have a story about continuing your education that youd like to share? Let us know in the comments section below