There are hundreds of valid reasons to seek a degree.
From parental pressure, to career advancement, to job changes, to the simple pleasure of learning; we all have our reasons for seeking that piece of paper.
Here are my top reasons: Getting a good job offer It is a sad fact of life that most of the resumes sent out are reviewed by people who have no knowledge of the requirements of the position advertised.
The more accredited degrees, industry certifications, and advanced training you can put on your resume, the better your chances are for getting an interview.
Story time: I once applied for a position that required knowledge of Microsoft Office.
This was in addition to the normal job requirements in regards to engineering, security clearance, and experience.
I searched the web and found an interesting site called Brainbench.
This site provides certifications for hundreds of items.
I took the Microsoft Office exam, passed it, and was rewarded a certificate.
I added the certificate to my resume and applied for the job.
It turned out that having the certificate was one of the deciding factors that led to a job offer.
While a certification from Brainbench is not equivalent to a degree; it is a good way to show ability in a specific area.
Career Advancement First and foremost, having a degree greatly improves your chances for advancing in your career.
One of the interesting twists in the job recruitment field is that having a degree is more important than what the degree is in.
This is why I advocate first getting an Associates degree in any subject, then going towards your specialization.
Story time: When I was taking my daughter around to interview colleges, we found her first choice was fully booked for the next year.
The admissions department officer was nice enough to suggest that she apply for a local community college, take one year of courses, and then apply to their college starting on her second year.
We visited the local community college and spoke with their education counselor.
He stated, "The first two years of college are all the same.
Your daughter can take her classes here, complete an Associates degree, and then transfer to the four year college of her choice to complete her Bachelors.
" "Nobody cares where you spent the first two years of college; all they care about is the name on the diploma when you graduate.
" His advice saved me tens of thousands of dollars.
This was several years ago, now I recommend an online Associates degree, then specialize for the Bachelors degree.
Career Change Say you have taken a look at the latest headlines and decided that it is time to move away from that job as a General Motors mechanic.
Suddenly, a future spent in repairing cars no longer in production does not seem to coincide with your goals.
If you want to change to a different career field (head chef; for example), you will find that your years of experience pulling engines is not going to net any job offers.
In this case, you will need a degree in your future field.
Social Pressure We all like to think we're immune to social pressure.
I used to feel the same way.
I was happy for many years with an Associates degree.
Then a strange thing happened; my daughter went to college.
First she got her Associates.
OK, I can handle that.
Then she got a Bachelors degree and I could feel the pressure.
It was one of the factors that got me motivated to finish my Bachelors degree.
Today, she told me she has applied for a Masters program.
Oh, crap.
If she keeps this up, I'll have to get a Ph.
D.
Don't ignore the pressure.
Use it to push yourself towards your goal.
Self Development Studying for the sheer joy of learning new things can also be a powerful motivating force.
For those of us entering late adulthood, continued study is a way to keep the mind sharp and attention focused.
Conclusion In the end, it comes down to your personal choice.
If you are seeking a degree for any or all of the above reasons, I would like to help.
Once you have made the decision to get a degree, the next decision is how.
I believe the best way to get a degree is through one of the accredited online universities.
I used Excelsior (formerly Regent's University of the State of New York) to obtain my Associates and Bachelors degrees.
From parental pressure, to career advancement, to job changes, to the simple pleasure of learning; we all have our reasons for seeking that piece of paper.
Here are my top reasons: Getting a good job offer It is a sad fact of life that most of the resumes sent out are reviewed by people who have no knowledge of the requirements of the position advertised.
The more accredited degrees, industry certifications, and advanced training you can put on your resume, the better your chances are for getting an interview.
Story time: I once applied for a position that required knowledge of Microsoft Office.
This was in addition to the normal job requirements in regards to engineering, security clearance, and experience.
I searched the web and found an interesting site called Brainbench.
This site provides certifications for hundreds of items.
I took the Microsoft Office exam, passed it, and was rewarded a certificate.
I added the certificate to my resume and applied for the job.
It turned out that having the certificate was one of the deciding factors that led to a job offer.
While a certification from Brainbench is not equivalent to a degree; it is a good way to show ability in a specific area.
Career Advancement First and foremost, having a degree greatly improves your chances for advancing in your career.
One of the interesting twists in the job recruitment field is that having a degree is more important than what the degree is in.
This is why I advocate first getting an Associates degree in any subject, then going towards your specialization.
Story time: When I was taking my daughter around to interview colleges, we found her first choice was fully booked for the next year.
The admissions department officer was nice enough to suggest that she apply for a local community college, take one year of courses, and then apply to their college starting on her second year.
We visited the local community college and spoke with their education counselor.
He stated, "The first two years of college are all the same.
Your daughter can take her classes here, complete an Associates degree, and then transfer to the four year college of her choice to complete her Bachelors.
" "Nobody cares where you spent the first two years of college; all they care about is the name on the diploma when you graduate.
" His advice saved me tens of thousands of dollars.
This was several years ago, now I recommend an online Associates degree, then specialize for the Bachelors degree.
Career Change Say you have taken a look at the latest headlines and decided that it is time to move away from that job as a General Motors mechanic.
Suddenly, a future spent in repairing cars no longer in production does not seem to coincide with your goals.
If you want to change to a different career field (head chef; for example), you will find that your years of experience pulling engines is not going to net any job offers.
In this case, you will need a degree in your future field.
Social Pressure We all like to think we're immune to social pressure.
I used to feel the same way.
I was happy for many years with an Associates degree.
Then a strange thing happened; my daughter went to college.
First she got her Associates.
OK, I can handle that.
Then she got a Bachelors degree and I could feel the pressure.
It was one of the factors that got me motivated to finish my Bachelors degree.
Today, she told me she has applied for a Masters program.
Oh, crap.
If she keeps this up, I'll have to get a Ph.
D.
Don't ignore the pressure.
Use it to push yourself towards your goal.
Self Development Studying for the sheer joy of learning new things can also be a powerful motivating force.
For those of us entering late adulthood, continued study is a way to keep the mind sharp and attention focused.
Conclusion In the end, it comes down to your personal choice.
If you are seeking a degree for any or all of the above reasons, I would like to help.
Once you have made the decision to get a degree, the next decision is how.
I believe the best way to get a degree is through one of the accredited online universities.
I used Excelsior (formerly Regent's University of the State of New York) to obtain my Associates and Bachelors degrees.
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