You may have heard the term “professional student,” and people who enjoy school often pursue additional education without a clear goal in mind. However, if you’re planning to use your desire to learn as a jumping off point to a new career, you should first perform a cost/benefit analysis to determine how a degree program will help you break in.
Check out the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook to see what education is needed for your chosen path, and then map out a plan for how you’ll use the training and degree to facilitate it. When you return to school after a few years in the workforce, it might not be as easy as it was when you were 18, for now you might be balancing a spouse, children, work, community responsibilities, or even the care of elderly parents or grandparents. You should determine, upfront, if it’s realistic to fit school into your life at this time.
Depending on your anticipated career trajectory, different educational options may be open to you, including:
- Master’s Degree (MA or MS.): earned after the BA or BS; involves writing a thesis at the conclusion of approximately two years of coursework in a particular discipline.
- Doctorate of Philosophy (Ph.D.) or Education (Ed.D.): usually earned after the master’s degree with a number of years of advanced, graduate level seminar work and a doctoral thesis based on original research.
- Juris Doctor (JD.): earned after the completion of a three year law school program.
- Doctor of Medicine (MD.): earned after the completion of a four year medical school program and typically followed by a period of clinical training in the form of an internship and/or residency.
As a result of your research, you may learn that returning to school for a formal degree is unnecessary. Instead, you might consider short-term training workshops in your new field, a certificate or vocational program offered through a local community college or university extension program, or a retraining program through a career center or outplacement service that focuses on the acquisition of a specific group of skills.
If becoming a full-time student isn’t conducive to your lifestyle, many educational institutions accommodate part-time schedules in which classes are held in the evenings and on the weekends. The only drawback is that it will usually take you twice the amount of time to finish the program.
One of the best way to skip ahead that I have found is through higher education/credentials.
I agree that when we become adults there will be a lot more consideration & responsibilities. (Especially when it come to family) The decision to take off of a year or two with minimal income for a better future is a tricky one.
I am currently planning to go for a full-time MBA. One of my biggest benefit I considered in doing a full-timeis to (Re)Building a strong network with students & teachers while earning the degree.
Any full time I had taken build strong networks; meanwhile the many part-time courses I had taken, almost all of the network had fizzled.
Posted by: Ian Tang | September 27, 2010 at 10:52 PM
I'm in my first year of my MBA, and chosing to go back to school full-time had been a very difficult decision. I am a true believer that a great way to gain experience is through "doing," so going back to school seemed like I wouldn't be doing much over the next two years. Instead, I am founding a chapter of the National Association of Women MBAs, partnering with the American Marketing Association, helping to bring back a sorority chapter to campus, and working for the MBA program, in addition to writing. The timing was right, my professional life is not going to be on hold, and I'll be gaining more than just a degree.
As you've said, though, it isn't going to work out that way for everyone. There is a lot of risk, and you must do the homework (especially if you have family who will be impacted by such a huge change). I think your points are great, and I'm looking forward to seeing your next entries on the subject.
Posted by: Emily Jasper | September 28, 2010 at 02:14 PM
I am a true believer that a great way to gain experience is through "doing," so going back to school seemed like I wouldn't be doing much over the next two years. the training and degree to facilitate it. When you return to school after a few years in the workforce, it might not be as easy as it was when you were 18, for now you might be balancing a spouse, children, work.
Posted by: SA | September 30, 2010 at 07:31 PM
@Ian: Great news! What schools are you targeting?
@Emily: Wow, it sounds like college. I'm envious. I bet you're having a ton of fun and learning a lot too.
@SA: I agree on all counts. Thanks for the comment.
Posted by: Alexandra Levit | October 13, 2010 at 01:38 AM