A Few Advice for Professionals Who Want To Pursue Formal Education again

A friend of mine called me up and asked me whether he should return to college after three years of professional work. I understand his point of view. It is easy to say that you will leave behind a life you worked so hard for and go back to books. We all get used to the idea of financial independence so much that only a few of us manage to take a break from the workforce and pursue further education. Also, in all honesty, you do not have to necessarily pursue it. There are, however, certain things you should consider when such a thought does come to your mind.

Throughout the hour-long phone call, my friend and I engaged in an extensive discussion on what should and should not be considered in the matter at hand. Drawing from that particular conversation, I have formulated 5 pieces of advice that every professional intending to pursue further education again should keep in mind. Of course, these are not one-of-a-kind advice but will certainly be an eye-opener for many.

So, here are 5 things to keep in mind.

1. Will it benefit your career?
   Just because a thousand others are leaving the workforce for the time being to pursue university education again does not mean you have to do that as well. You want to get a degree but whether that degree will benefit you in any way is something you should ponder over. Let us say, during employment, you developed a strong interest in a very specific field, say, in International Law. In order to establish your roots in that particular field, you might need a specialization. When such is the case, a relevant degree course will be most fruitful.

2. Do you have the right kind of financial strength or sources?
   I tell you the truth, going back to college after having earned money for a significant period of time is a challenge. Until you finish your degree program, you will most likely not have a continuous source of income. So, you are in all likelihood expected to manage your personal and academic life on your savings. Tuition fees are skyrocketing so are personal expenses regardless of where you are and unless you have good financial resources at your end you must delay the decision. It is advised that you apply for scholarship schemes in order to keep yourself financially floated but understand that not everyone becomes a beneficiary. So, ensure that before you consider applying for a university you have sufficient monetary support at your disposal.

3. Whether you want to pursue education while working?
   An alternative scenario is, you decide to continue working and pick up a degree program at a university. Generally, the same shouldn’t be considered. Why? Well, the reason is very legitimate. Not everyone is well-equipped to balance work, academic, and personal life appropriately. You will have to ask a few really important questions such as whether you will have time for the assignments, whether your workplace offers you the required leaves of absence (whenever needed) for college-related work, and whether you will be able to carry out your personal responsibilities. All of these questions will tell you what you should know: whether you have the time to actually invest in education right now?

4. Whether there is an alternative option to pursue?
   These days, online degree programs are on the rise. Many professionals, instead of joining a full-fledged classroom-based degree program, join online degree programs. The rationale is easy to guess; they will be able to devote time to their work and study with flexibility at hand. While all of this is good, there are certain issues associated with these kinds of programs. A major issue is whether these online degree programs are recognized in your country of residence and/or work because a lot of countries are still skeptical of online degree courses. Unless your degree program is authentic and approved of in your country of residence, there is no point in the flexibility you so desire. That being said, many reputed institutions such as Columbia University and University College London offer online programs but these programs are not universally recognized, though they may offer your resume significant brownie points.