Mona Bushnell* says there are many things to be considered before improving your career with more full-time study — including whether it is necessary at all.
If your long-term goals aren’t aligning with your current career, you might be considering going back to university.
There’s a lot to consider before you start filling out applications.
Many people who are unhappy in their jobs believe that going back to university, whether for a graduate or undergraduate degree, will solve their work woes forever.
That’s not always the case.
It’s important to make your decisions about higher education in an unemotional, logical way.
Know your motivations: Going back to school requires a large investment of time and money.
It should only be undertaken if you’re moving toward a clear goal, not just away from an unsatisfying job.
Lots of people toy with the idea of getting an additional undergraduate degree or a master’s degree so they can transition into a ‘better’ field.
Some may define ‘better’ as making more money.
For others it may have more to do with quality of life, impact on the world or interest level.
Understanding the particulars behind your desire to change careers is essential.
If you find your main goal is to have a better work-life balance, be in a different type of work environment, or have more autonomy over what you do, you might consider other ways to attain these goals.
These could include switching roles within your field, applying for a related job at a different organisation, or working as a consultant.
If all your reasons involve being in a certain field or industry to which there is no other path, investing in more education may be the smartest move.
Don’t forget for a moment that higher education is a business.
People are led to believe that the only way to get ahead is to take on more debt and earn more degrees.
However, it is entirely possible to change careers without going back to university.
Just because you have an undergraduate degree in psychology doesn’t mean you also need a computer science degree to work in technology.
Most people don’t end up working in the exact field their undergraduate degree lists, and the average worker changes careers multiple times over the course of their working life.
Lots of skills are highly transferable and can be rounded out very cheaply using online resources and drawing from past job experience.
If you are willing to put in the work, possibly take a temporary pay cut and generally put yourself out there, you may find you can move into your dream field without going back to university.
Seek out free online resources and find out if there are clear ways to demonstrate ability other than a degree, such as a portfolio, internship, apprenticeship or certification.
Look at entry-level jobs in your dream industry and see if you can swing a few years of a lower income to get closer to your goal.
The most important factors in how much you can afford to pay for a degree program are how much you will earn once you graduate and how much you can work during your education.
Make sure your long-term goals are realistic and informed by research, not anecdotes or grabby headlines.
Not all STEM jobs pay a huge amount of money, and the region you live in has a massive impact on the job market.
Once you’ve decided to go back to university and you know how much you’re willing to spend on an education, you need to carefully research different programs.
Online degree programs are popular with non-traditional students because they offer remote learning options and flexible course schedules.
Make sure the program you choose is accredited (whether it’s an online or brick-and-mortar university).
It’s also smart to look up the deans and professors in the university you’ll be attending and do a little digging on their backgrounds.
Find out if they’re all lifelong academics or if they have work experience in the fields they teach.
Above all, do not be shy about asking anything you want to know.
Your education should suit you, and you deserve to know everything upfront before you pay a cent of tuition.
*Mona Bushnell is a staff writer for Business.com and Business News Daily. She tweets @mebushnell
This article first appeared at businessnewsdaily.com
