Remembering a New Tomorrow: 5 Signs it’s Time to Go Back to School

For college graduates, thoughts of past college experiences often bring back fond memories, along with the realization that a college education has made all the difference in finding a rewarding career path.

However, for many who were unable to finish college, looking back brings regrets and thoughts of what might have been.

Remembering a New Tomorrow

While people leave college for a number of reasons, even those who leave for really good jobs might at some point in their lives wonder if things wouldn’t be better be if they went back to school and finished what they started. And while that prospect may seem daunting, today’s online universities make it possible to go back to school without ever having to set foot in a classroom.

If you find yourself wondering whether to continue your educational pursuits, take a look at these five signs that it’s time to go back to school.

5 Signs it’s Time to Go Back to School

1) You simply aren’t earning enough

Your current salary may have seemed more than enough when you were just starting out. But if that paycheck is no longer allowing you to meet your obligations or to enjoy the lifestyle that you and your current or future family would like to enjoy, that’s a pretty good sign that it’s time to up your education.

While there are no guarantees that more schooling will lead to more money, U.S. Department of Labor statistics suggest that higher learning does lead to higher earnings.

For example, in the second quarter of 2014, full-time employees who only finished high school had median weekly earnings of $666. In contrast, employees that held bachelor’s degrees made $1,187 per week, nearly twice as much. And if that’s not incentive enough studies also show that those with bachelor’s degrees are more likely to have employer-provided health insurance.

2) Your current job is boring and unrewarding

Regardless of how much money you are making, if you feel stuck in a boring and unfulfilling job that’s a clear sign that it’s time to “hit the books” again. Enrolling in an online university course can help you find the stimulation you’ve been lacking. It can also help you to get on the path that leads to a more challenging and rewarding career.

3) You’re collecting unemployment

In 2013, the unemployment rate for those with only high school diplomas was 7.5 percent, while the unemployment rate for those with bachelor’s degrees was only 3.7 percent. If you currently find yourself a part of either of those statistics then it’s time to seriously consider getting back to school.

And while money is tight you’ll find a number of online programs to be very affordable, especially when you consider the benefit of solid long term future employment that extra learning can provide.

4) Your career choices are limited

If you feel that your lack of education is limiting your potential career opportunities now, just wait until 2020. According to a report released by the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, by the year 2020, of the predicted 55 million job openings, 64 percent of jobs will require at least a “postsecondary education.”

There’s never been a better time to enroll in an online university to expand your career choices through an associate’s or bachelor’s degree.

5) You have a less than positive outlook on life

For good or for bad. the career you choose has a major effect on your life. And few things contribute to feeling negative about life in general more than feeling that you are stuck in a dead-end, unfulfilling job that offers little room for growth or advancement. According to a Pew Research Center survey, 86 percent of college graduates between the ages of 25-32 felt that their education has been “very useful” in preparing them for work and a career.

In addition, 72 percent of respondents with at least a bachelor’s degree felt that their college educations had already paid big dividends.

Considering Smart Steps

As the job market becomes more competitive, completing professionally accredited courses through an online university is a smart step towards securing an exciting, challenging, and rewarding career that will not only benefit you now but for many years to come.

And the best part is, many online study programs can be completed in a matter of months, allowing you to reap the benefits that come from extra learning even sooner than you might have imagined.

So, can you image a better tomorrow today because you took some steps to get more education and increase your opportunities for success? What would you need to do to fully examine where you are and what steps it would take to get to that better place? I would love to hear your thoughts!

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Robert Cordray is a freelance writer with over 20 years of business experience
He does the occasional business consult to help increase employee morale
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