With college becoming extraordinarily expensive, many college prospects and their parents wondering if a post-high school education is really worth it. Sadly, many folks enrolled in higher education studies in hopes of bettering their life and their financial outlook, but ultimately ended up in a much deeper hole than before thanks to staggering amounts of student debt. Furthermore, we simply cannot ignore the overwhelming unemployment rate. What good is a college degree if statistics tell you that you will likely be unemployed?
There is a very real chance that the recent increase in the interest rate of student loans may be overturned, but that doesn’t help the fact that student loan debt is already in dire straits. Many students have found ways to cut costs, for example, by attending online universities such as National University. Attending school online is generally cheaper, not to mention the fact that you lost the cost of room and board and commuting. Check out this article for more info on how online schools work.
Though you may think that you are missing out on teacher student interaction and collaborative learning, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to know that online education offers such interactions through group passed learning and teacher interactions over Email and Skype.
Mobile learning is catching on fast with the workforce going mobile in all countries around the world.
And if you had a doubt on how online learners are performing as compared to those in face-to-face interactions? This statement might ease any apprehensions:
“Students in online conditions performed modestly better, on average, than those learning the same material through traditional face-to-face instruction.”
~ US Department of Education report titled “Evaluation of Evidence-Based Practices in Online Learning”
While the cost of obtaining a college degree can be crippling, the simple fact remains that a person will generally fare better in the workforce is he or she has one. An employer will likely view any form of education beyond high school as valuable and thus place an applicant with a college degree ahead of an applicant boasting a mere high school diploma.
Statistics do not lie! While a college graduate faces an unemployment rate of nearly 9%, that is nothing compared to the almost 23% unemployment rate for workers with only a high school diploma. Naturally, certain realms of college education will leave a graduate better off in the working world than others. A philosophy degree, for instance, will do little in most industries. However, a degree in network security or some other computer science field, will likely land a graduate a decent job with plenty of room for growth.
Does the Outcome Defeat the Cost?
In other words, will obtaining a certain degree make the whole endeavor—including the cost—worth it? Besides racking up a few hefty student loan bills, a person must also consider their chance of actually finding and securing a job. For some, the “college experience” has left them bitter, landing them mountains of debt instead of a lucrative career.
From an individual’s perspective, the debt accrued in college can be overwhelming. However, the economy has also become a victim as well. Because there is so much student debt, the majority of graduates are not able to invest in normal life purchases such as houses and cars. Forbes recently mentioned in an article claiming that ‘it takes the average college student roughly 20 years to pay off their student debt.’
Higher Education is Always a Better Decision – No matter how you acquire
So, is College degree worth it? Determining the answer to that question depends on a number of variables. If we looked solely at the cost of a higher education as the determining factor, then we could probably draw the conclusion that college may not be a wise choice for the majority of people. One thing though is for certain, that little white piece of paper will never look bad on your resume.
Ever since the recession began, the number of workers with only a high school diploma diminished, while the number of workers with some form of higher education increased. In fact, the number of jobs held by workers with only a high school diploma decreased by almost 80%.
Good to Know Facts About Online Education
- Can you finish a college degree with online education?
Yes. Online college courses are available, and you can obtain a diploma with open universities or institutions offering accredited courses for higher education. Also, one can earn a graduate degree with online learning.
- Are free online education comes with zero fees?
College Consensus explains that the availability of free online courses is high. In fact, a hundred websites are offering free online classes for all types of learners. Hence, you don’t need to worry about paying anything. All you need is to sign up and register.
- What skills can you learn from online training?
With online education, you get to learn practical skills depending on the niche you want to take. For example, online graphic design courses are available to study basic to advanced web graphic design. For healthcare workers, short courses on managing coronavirus patients that follow the World Health Organization (WHO) protocols are also available.
- Who can take free online education?
Anybody can take free online classes. There are online courses for all ages, depending on the skills or knowledge you want to acquire.
The major advantage of taking online education is you’ll be able to learn at your own pace. Online learners get to involve answering practical tests online without paying a dime because giant businesses or respected organizations created most online classes.
- Why is online learning popular?
Online education is a revolutionary learning method that rapidly grew in popularity because of the flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and usefulness of online courses. It’s very convenient to learn online, wherein students can study within the comfort of their homes. Online learning is more affordable than traditional methods because it offsets overhead costs among educational institutions. Also, students get to save on fuel and expensive miscellaneous fees in traditional schools.
Here are some myths and facts about online learning in a cool infographic by myeducation.com
