College Advisor Mom
by Mary Davis
It’s been a month since we asked you whether you would ever go back to school for a bachelors, masters or doctoral degree. I couldn’t wait to view the results and get a picture of where our readers stand on the topic of pursuing a college degree.
Initially, the results were quite surprising to me. The majority of respondents, 53% percent, answered “no”, they would not go back to school. I expected a higher number to say they were thinking about it. However, when I took a second look at the numbers I realized the spread was actually much closer than I had originally thought.
While 53% said they would not go back to school, 15% indicated “maybe someday” they would consider it, and 25% of the readers who took part in our poll said, “Yes, I’m seriously thinking about it.” That’s 40% who are open to the idea of going to college.
Only 7% of respondents are currently enrolled in a degree program. Add that number to those who would consider post-secondary education, and you’ve got a total of 47%. Essentially, the numbers are split quite evenly between those who don’t want to go back and those who would consider it or who are already enrolled.
While I am an advocate for obtaining a college degree at any age, I understand the reasons why many moms would not want to go back to school. It can definitely be an intimidating prospect. Some of the most common reasons adults give for not pursuing higher education are:
-Not enough time
-Family and work obligations
-Cost
-No guarantee of finding a job
-Student loan debt
-Fear.
As I mentioned last month, moms possess the life skills, experience and determination to overcome most of these obstacles. We moms are good at multi-tasking. We know what’s important to us, and we make things happen. Therefore, time, family and work obligations, as well as fear, should be knocked off the list.
You can do it! As a former college academic adviser, I’ve worked with countless moms who have completed their degrees and come out feeling more confident because of the experience. For further proof, visit the profile of Capella student, Lori Holub, who says she learned “energy” management while taking on work, kids’ activities and her studies.
When it comes to cost, debt and finding a job, my biggest advice would be to do your research. I would never recommend to anyone that they go to college simply for the sake of going. Very few of us can afford that luxury. However, if you talk to academic and career professionals, research online and ask personal contacts about their job experience, you’re likely to make a better, more informed decision about whether or not higher learning is for you. There are no guarantees in life, especially in today’s economy, but college does still provide opportunity and advancement for many.
Mary, I just joined and read