Juggling marriage, parenthood, running a household and school is a feat some would say requires superhuman strength.
Is school is really the solution
School is not always the solution. Sometimes changing careers doesn’t require another degree. Business degrees, marketing, HR and teaching degrees are versatile and can be used in a variety of settings. Some companies also prefer to send you to some in-house training specifically designed for their particular business. These courses are usually paid for, done on company time and last for only a few days or weeks.
There are also times when the added pressures and time constraints of school will do more harm than good. If money is already tight and you have no access to financial aid, emptying your savings for school is not a wise decision. Remember…there are no guarantees. Paying for additional childcare or simply just missing out on time with the family may not be worth it.
How to choose a school
One of the best things to come from this world of technology is online schooling. More and more students are pursuing their education from the comfort of their own home via online degree programs. Not only is online school more flexible, but the cost is considerably less, the accountability is just as good (if not better) than traditional classroom settings and the access to degree programs in small towns and rural areas is now bigger and better than ever before.
Online schooling does require a certain degree (no pun intended) of self-discipline and is naturally a situation in which you will not have the interaction and discussion from classmates. Yes, there are discussion boards which are sometimes required for course completion and grading, but for the most part, it’s you and your virtual professor. So if you are more of a social learner or one who learns best by hearing or doing (hands-on), you may need to stick with traditional settings.
Traditional classes at the local university are usually offered during the day and night to accommodate the lives of their students. You will just need to check with the school you select to see what they have to offer.
What to study
Again…you don’t always need to pursue a different degree, but rather explore the possibilities of stretching yourself and putting your degree to use in different ways.
If you come to the conclusion that this isn’t feasible, however, you need to consider what the ‘hot’ degrees are and what they are expected to be over the next 10 to 20 years. Going back to school is no guarantee you’ll land yourself that dream job, but you may as well stack the odds in your favor as much as possible.