You may have now finished school and are considering what path to take. Usually, students tend to continue the educational path, as this feels like the correct next step. However this is not necessarily the case – a college degree is definitely not for everyone and you do not necessarily need one in order to succeed, although it does increase your chances.
You may choose to go to college as you have not yet decided what you want to do with the rest of your life, or depending on what career you are intending to follow, a college degree may be mandatory. If you are currently considering getting a college degree, in this article, we will discuss whether a college degree is really worth it, and it will hopefully support you in your decision making.
Positives of Having a College Degree
Increased Access to Job Opportunities
One of the most common reasons people decide to get a college degree is to increase their chances of getting better jobs. Although not every job will require a college degree, in most sectors higher education is very beneficial and a candidate with additional qualifications will most likely get a job when against someone with no qualifications. This is not just because of the degree itself, but also the additional skills that this gives you – such as writing skills, excellent time management, and communication skills. Additionally, when you get to college, you will get to meet many different people in the particular area where you want to succeed and this itself may open many doors for you.
Preparation for a Specialized Career
Higher education has become increasingly more accessible to the majority of individuals, which was not the case a few decades ago, where only the wealthiest were able to continue their education. For these reasons, the diversity of degrees available to study has significantly expanded, with many colleges providing various different subjects for you to study. This allows people to choose either a broad subject, which can lead to many different paths or a particular degree to do a particular job. If you already know exactly what job you want to do, you may choose to go for a specialized degree in a specific subject, which will provide you with the necessary skills to do this job. This will be the very first step in your career and will very much benefit you.
Increased Earning Potential
Having a degree will not automatically mean that you will get a high paying job, although it will definitely increase your chances. When you have additional qualifications, you are more likely to get promoted at work, particularly when you combine practical experience with your degree. This means that you will be able to rise through the ranks in your career, thus increasing your income, more than an employee with no college qualifications. The great thing about modern colleges is that they offer a wide variety of online opportunities that allow everyone to get access to a degree, even if you are already working and wish to increase your employability skills. The experts at MyDegreeGuide.com provide you with many different subjects you can choose from if you wish to get your degree online. Some jobs will even support you with this by allowing you to be flexible at work so that you can obtain your qualification.
Additional Skills
Getting a college degree is much more than the certificate. As we discussed above, a degree will provide you with additional skills that you may not necessarily be able to get in day to day life, depending on your lifestyle. These include abilities like managing your time and stressful situations and prioritizing your tasks, reading and writing skills, and the use of the internet and any other digital platforms essential in your career. You may be thinking that you will gain these once you get into work, which may be true – however, if you go to a job interview and are unable to demonstrate these skills, you will most likely not get the job. A degree will provide you with a good foundation in order to get into the real world of employment.
Personal Growth and Improved Self-Esteem
Studying a degree will bring you a high sense of satisfaction. There is nothing better than knowing the struggle you have been through for years is over once you receive your diploma. Individuals who decide to go on to higher education are more likely to have increased self-esteem, as they know what they are capable of and they will also have a higher sense of purpose. Although some people claim that it makes no sense for young people in high school to make such big decisions about what they want to do for the rest of their lives, it can also give people a sense of purpose as they know exactly what they will have to do in order to achieve their goals. Of course, this is not appealing to everyone, but for those who decide to cease education once they have completed high school, they can feel lost and find it difficult to decide what to do with their lives.
Negatives of Getting a College Degree
Degrees Can be Expensive
One of the main reasons people decide not to get a degree is because it is extremely expensive, depending on where you live. You are expected to pay for this when you have never had a job and your family may not have the financial means to fund this. This means that you will start your adult life and be an employed person after higher education with a large debt already. However, not every debt is bad, and this is definitely one of the cases. There is a lot of different support available to students, meaning that you do not have to worry about the fees until after you have received your degree and secured a good job. You should look at this as a positive investment in yourself and your future, as it may pay off if it increases your chances of getting a high-paying job.
It is a Hard Work
Getting a degree is indeed hard work if it were simply more people would do it and it would not be seen as a big deal in the eyes of employers. Studying a degree full-time, even when doing it online, will require a lot of time from you and it can be extremely demanding having to meet many deadlines consecutively. You may also be doing this whilst having a job in order to support yourself or your family. However, as we mentioned before, this is one of the reasons why having a degree gives you particular skills that are highly desired by employers.
Having a college degree is certainly not for everyone, and there are a few negatives as well associated with this. However, the benefits definitely outshine the cons. If you are still indecisive about whether college is worth it, we hope this article can give you an idea of the pros and cons of getting a college degree and guide you in the right direction for you.
