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Getting Started | |
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Making the decision
The journey to higher education. Any journey starts with a spark of inspiration: It may be a hint that there is something valuable to be gained. Or a sudden insight that something is missing and must be found. Or a sense of something exciting just around the corner. But setting out on the journey requires commitment. And commitment involves asking and answering sometimes-difficult questions. Contents Should I go back to college? Listening to yourself. Are you ready? Can I do it? Starting over. Step-by-Step. Planning is key. Exploring Your Options. "Should I go back to college?" You've probably thought about it enough. But you've hesitated ... "Should I?" This is as far as many people get. It is indeed the hardest question to answer. And of course, no one can answer it for you. There are many aspects to consider in the decision to return to college, but the most important is your motivation. Does your boss want you to get training for a new position? Do you need a master's degree in order to get a promotion? Is your partner encouraging you to finish school? Any of these can be motivators. But the most powerful motivator is your own desire to learn. A deep conviction that you will benefit from continued education will bring you closer to realizing your dreams than any outside impetus. Listening to yourself. In the crush of daily activities and pressures, it can be hard to recognize our true motives. I know...I went back to school over and over again, and each time I thought I had a good reason. Yet each time I got sidetracked by "higher" priorities. Finally I stopped to ask myself why I bothered. Then I remembered that long ago, when I graduated from high school and went off to work, I had made a promise to myself to go to college someday. This promise was still nagging at me, just under the surface of my consciousness. It had been my primary motivator all along. I realized that I would never be satisfied until I fulfilled this promise. Are you ready? So your first step toward answering the question "Should I go back to school?" is to ask a different question: "Why do I want to go?" Your second step is to ask yet another question: "Am I ready?" Going back to school is a long-term commitment, and there will be many obstacles and distractions along the way. You will have to juggle personal, family, and job commitments at the same time. There will be some frustrations and some sacrifices. If you can accept these - if you're convinced that this is the most important thing you can do for yourself - you're ready to enter a degree program. If not, you should wait until you are ready, or consider some shorter-term alternatives to acquire the immediate skills you need. >>>>Gaining confidence |
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