While conducting research for an article about colleges in Broward County, I was overwhelmed by how many choices there are for schools in my community. Times have certainly changed since I graduated from Florida State University in 1983. Back then there was a small community college in Broward County and a few nondescript vocational programs promoted with tacky TV ads. College trends have changed drastically in many ways to meet the ever-changing needs of the business world and job market. Here’s what I noticed about local college trends:
- More people are seeking to get a degree while working full time.
- Many students in local colleges are older, having worked for quite a few years after high school.
- Colleges have adapted better to schedules, providing online courses, night classes and flexible class hours to accommodate working people.
- Colleges are offering more focused majors that apply directly to the work force, like Network Systems and are shying away from general degrees like Philosophy.
- There’s a great demand for workers with technical degrees.
- More workers are seeking graduate degrees than ever before as more jobs are requiring them.
- Colleges are putting more effort into their job placement programs to attract more students.
- Community colleges are adding four-year bachelor’s degrees to their academic programs.
- Adults currently working prefer to attend colleges with smaller classroom size (number of students).
- The cost of obtaining a higher education has gone way, way up.
As parents who currently pay tuition for our daughter, who attends one of the nation’s top-rated universities, we are all too familiar with the ultra high cost of a quality college education. But after researching schools for my article, I’ve learned that it’s not just the top schools in the nation that are costly. Most colleges – big or small, prestigious or not – are now ultra costly. So it’s important to weigh the pros and cons when choosing a local college education. Ask yourself:
- Is the tuition affordable?
- How am I going to pay for it?
- Do I want a long term loan I will not be able to pay off for many years to come?
- Is the college/university’s reputation worth the tuition?
- If I were to move to another city or state, would the college be respected (or even known) by potential employers there?
- Is it best to attend an in-state school to keep costs down?
- Am I choosing a major that has a good long-term outlook as far as job placement?
- Will going back to school now really boost my pay at work or future promotion potential?
- Do I really have time to work, take care of family, attend classes and study?
- What are my long-term career goals?
There’s a lot to think about when deciding whether or not to go back to school. But the good news is that there are more choices than ever before, and you don’t have to love or give up your job to get a decent education in many places in the US.