Ask Yourself These Questions Before You Go Back to School

As it turns out, not everyone is ready to make decisions about their future career at the age of 17 or 18. This is especially true when you consider the years — or, in many cases, decades — that it often takes to pay off a college degree. loans.

So, let’s say you’re thinking about going back to school as an adult, but you’re not sure if that makes sense for you right now. Here are four questions to ask yourself to determine whether it is worth investing the time and effort into further education.

Questions to ask yourself when deciding whether to go back to school

Going back to school as an adult is an important and potentially difficult decision. If you don’t know where to start, try asking yourself these four questions that Brandon Johnson , Certified Professional Career Coach at Embrace Change, recently shared with NPR’s Life Kit :

1. Do I know why I need to go back to school?

Is there a specific degree or program you are looking for, or is it more about a certain level of education to qualify for a job? Start by identifying the goals you hope to achieve when you return to school, then determine if additional education is really needed, and if so, what program, certificate or degree would best help you achieve them.

2. Do I have the necessary resources for this?

Johnson says that even if you’re lucky that your employer pays for your tuition, don’t forget to factor in the time, effort, and energy it will take you to get back to school. Once you have identified the possible consequences of your decision for both yourself and your family (if applicable), he encourages you to consider whether the consequences are acceptable to you.

3. Is my education really holding me back, not something else?

Are you thinking about going back to school to achieve certain career goals, or are you just using it as a way to avoid a toxic manager or work environment? “If that’s your company’s culture or structure, you might be better off looking for a new organization that offers great growth opportunities and support for your development,” Johnson tells NPR.

4. Which options make the most sense?

If you decide that going back to school is the right decision for you right now, be sure to do some research and explore all the options available. Sure, there are associate, bachelor’s, master’s, doctoral, or professional degrees, but don’t forget professional certificates, conferences, or other training programs.

“Refer to your network to see if you can identify people who are already in the positions you’re aspiring to,” Johnson tells NPR. “Ask them what types of training programs they would recommend.”