Balancing Higher Education with a Full Time Job
Balancing a full time job with university studies can be daunting, to say the least. Without the proper incentives, most people wouldn’t consider this option. The benefits of having a degree, however, makes this effort worthwhile. Wage estimate statistics from the Institute of Education Sciences reveal that adults age 25-34 with a Bachelor’s degree earn almost twice the income of their non-degree counterparts. This makes a marked difference in a person’s economic standing. According to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, the American economy will generate about 55 million new jobs by the year 2020, and a good 65% of these jobs will require educational training above the high school level. Hence, having a university degree can enhance job security both now and in the future.
Balancing Work with Career Responsibilities
Finding time for studies is perhaps the greatest challenge full time workers face when it comes to completing a degree. Most jobs require an employee’s full commitment and attention. This leaves little time left for college studies. If you have family obligations, your time is even more limited. Through commitment, discipline and creative scheduling, you can successfully juggle work, family and university responsibilities, and get your degree.
Time management is key to balancing studies with a full time job. You’ll need to calculate the time required for your studies and incorporate this time into a workable schedule. Organizing a schedule will help ensure that work, family and academic responsibilities are being met to the best of your ability. Although work and family obligations limit the time you can dedicate to college studies, you’ll still be making progress towards your degree.
With full time employment, it will be necessary to limit your courses to what you can reasonably manage. Take time to review the syllabus of each class in advance to get a better idea of the course work involved. This enables you to plan in advance for accommodating this work into your schedule.
Incorporating college studies into a full schedule will require a sacrifice of less important activities. You’ll need to examine your current lifestyle, in order to see what changes are required to meet your greater needs. Hobbies, recreational activities and extra fellowship with family and friends may need to be cut back or put on hold temporarily to make time for your academic needs. When stress or frustration tempt you to forsake your college dreams, for example msn to nurse practitioner, your vision of better career opportunities and an enhanced life should keep you motivated to stay on par.
Online Degrees
Distance education can be instrumental in helping you balance your job and studies to work toward your degree. Studying online gives you greater flexibility by allowing you to work at your own pace and schedule through the use of a computer and Internet services. Online classes typically follow the same curricula as traditional classrooms, and provide all the resources students will need to learn.
Modern technology has made many employers take notice of the quality of education that virtual degree programs can provide, as Information Week notes. This signifies the progress and impact that distance learning is having on today’s work force. Most online institutions are verified by a nationally recognized accrediting agency, further proving their high educational standing. For a full listing of qualified online institutions along with their online degree programs, you can visit College Online LLC.