Tom Hanson, Contributing Writer
College counselors are often asked if there is a checklist of considerations that back-to schoolers can examine to determine if the idea is right for them. These counselors acknowledge that many people are hesitant about returning to school for a number of reasons.
It might be a fear of taking too much time away from family. It might also be a worry about the skill set needed to be successful in today’s technology-oriented school setting.
Other legitimate concerns include the financial constraints of returning to school. There is the cost associated with the coursework itself and the possibility it will infringe on work opportunities and impact a person’s earnings negatively.
If you have been thinking about returning to school but are hesitant for some of these same reasons, consider each of the following questions carefully. A no response to any of these questions can be very meaningful.
If you are thinking about returning to school there are five basic questions you must be able to answer. Each of these should yield a yes result – if it does not, then you need to spend more time thinking through the return to school option.
- Have you defined both your career and life goals? If so, is retuning to school a key aspect towards achieving your goals?
- Do you know what course of study you want to pursue? If you are clear on a course of study you should be able to provide multiple reasons (3-4) why you want to pursue this specific area of study?
- Have you planned your course of study? If you have, you will know which courses are necessary for you to pursue your long term goals and the length of time it will take to reach those goals.
- Have you carefully reviewed the financial implications of returning to school? If you have, you will know the full cost of attending school for the time frame needed to meet your goals and you will have a plan as to how to pay these costs.
- Do you truly have the time in your schedule to devote to school and is your family supportive of your return? Returning to school is no easy task – it will demand countless hours and support from family members to make it a reality.
If you are able to answer yes to all five critical questions, then you are in fact ready to pursue that all-important college degree. Answering no to any one question likely means you are nearly ready and need only a little refinement to take the step.
But if you answered no to two or more questions then it is likely you may not be ready to return to school to earn a degree. Still, that does not mean you are not ready to pursue further educational opportunities.
It just may mean that you are more of a candidate for retraining or for one of the many shorter, certificate program options available. There are, of course, a number of educational opportunities with demands far less than those that come with earning a bachelor’s or master’s degree.