If you are just graduating high school, you may be wondering if it is better to pursue a degree or try to join the work force immediately. There is no cut and dried answer that fits everyone, but there are a lot of ways to tell which path is better for you. To figure out if it is better for you to continue your education right out of high school or look for a job you will need to consider what field of study or work you are interested in and how sure you are about your plans.
Does The Job You Want Require College?
There are some jobs that absolutely require further education to be able to do them. Examples include teaching, most of the medical field and engineering jobs. If your goal is to work in a position that requires a degree, your best bet is to begin college as soon as possible. However, there are many jobs where degrees are a plus but not required. Many companies are also looking at experience with more favor than a degree. For example, many computer and IT companies will hire someone who has experience but no degree over someone with no experience but a four year degree.
The best way to tell if experience counts for more than education is to go online and look at job postings for the field you want to go into. If the majority of the postings you are looking at say that two or four years of experience equates to a degree, you may want to consider looking for an entry level position and put off or even skip college. On the other hand, if most of the job openings you are looking at require a degree, your best bet is to look into a two or four year degree.
How Sure Are You About Your Plans For The Future?
Another major consideration when you are thinking of going to college is how sure are you of your plans? Many people who enter college end up changing their majors or finding that they do not enjoy their chosen field of study. If you are not completely sure of what you intend to do for the rest of your life, going to college immediately can lead to a lot of lost time and money. The better option if you are unsure of what you want to do with your life is to delay starting college.
Consider Your Options
Instead, consider taking an entry level position in your field of choice (even if it means being smarter with your budgeting. This can help you get experience, which will help you land a job when you graduate and also help you get a feel for where your career choice will take you. If you find that your chosen field or industry is not what you expected, you have lost nothing and you have the ability to look into other options.
It is important to also keep in mind that many people are delaying going to school or only going to school part-time until they have a better idea of what they want to do with their lives. Since the majority of degrees require General Ed classes to graduate, many high school graduates begin working while only taking one or two classes a semester. Graduating from college with a degree and experience can make finding a job much easier.
About The Author:
Article written by Jet Russell. Jet is an avid believer in only going to college if it is surely the right thing to do for you - and not to go just to get a piece of paper but to learn something. One of his motto's is: "You will never regret a day of learning."