10 Ways a College Degree Can Improve Your Life

When you read about the course offerings in those colorful college brochures and scroll through programs on a university website, your mind is likely on your future profession. The prospects are certainly exciting. However, in addition to preparing for your future career, getting a post-secondary degree can benefit you in many other ways. Let’s explore 10 other amazing things higher learning can do for you.

1. Higher earning potential

It should come as no surprise that, hands down, university grads have greater earning power than high school graduates. In fact, when comparing the two groups over the course of their working lives, individuals who earn bachelor’s degrees can look forward to a staggering 73 percent higher income over the course of their lives. That’s one good reason to attend.

2. Less frequent unemployment

Many people of working age will experience unemployment. Recent graduates may take a few months to land a job in their chosen field. Businesses might lay off staff, economic conditions can make the job market tighter, and lifestyle choices and unforeseen circumstances can all interrupt one’s career path. With a college degree, you stand a much better chance of weathering these events and finding a new position quickly. In short, completing university demonstrates commitment.

3. Better align with job postings

Typically, job postings from employers will state if a degree is needed or whether it is simply a desired qualification. Sometimes, a certain number of years of experience will be accepted in place of a degree. Even so, when you’ve graduated from university, you’ll find it easier to compete against candidates without degrees. While experience will eventually render your degree somewhat less important, it can give you a crucial advantage during your early career that you can build on with subsequent career moves.

4. Easier career transitions

You can expect to have numerous jobs during adulthood. Taking your transferable skills to a new occupation is easier when you are a university graduate. The knowledge you gained in college, combined with experience working in a particular industry, will build your expertise and enable you to bring this to new roles and industries.

5. Increased financial stability and security

In essence, more education means increased job security and the likelihood of a very stable upward career path. This results in higher levels of compensation that affords college graduates an improved lifestyle for them and their dependents. College graduates save more money for emergencies, contribute more to retirement, and have more wiggle room in their monthly budgets for extras.

6. Better reputation

There’s no question that achieving success at a post-secondary institution demands planning and determination. University graduates are role models for their family members and others in their communities. For example, when people attend college, their children are more likely to as well. College graduates are viewed as stable, responsible, and mature as well as agile thinkers.

7. Enhanced self-assurance

Earning a university degree is a very big accomplishment, and it can have ripple effects on other areas of your life when it comes to your confidence. When a goal seems out of reach or a work problem feels insurmountable, you have only to think back to the challenges, academic and otherwise, that you overcame while finishing college. You’ll present a poised and self-reliant image in your professional interactions.

8. Greater self-awareness

College is a time for personal reflection. It asks you to dig deep into your character and really examine your strengths and weaknesses. As you are exposed to new knowledge, different life experiences, and diverse perspectives, you’ll start to examine your own ways of thinking. Armed with a fulsome understanding of where you believe you are falling short of who you want to be, you can take steps for self-improvement.

9. More self-discipline

Procrastination is something most people have experienced at one time or another. That said, there is little room for poor self-discipline when you register for a post-secondary program. Expectations are high, course loads heavy and deadlines tight. In this environment, you will either develop better self-discipline or you won’t succeed. This character-building opportunity will serve you well in many areas of your life.

10. Growth in independence

Chances are, heading off to university will be the first time that you’ve ever lived independently. Managing an apartment alone or with friends necessitates developing a lot of new skills, from budgeting, cooking, and cleaning to getting along with others and negotiating privacy. You must be responsible enough to make it to class on time and meet a host of other obligations. College teaches you that.

In summary

Acquiring a college education can improve your life in a variety of ways. If you want a better income, more career stability, to grow as an individual, and have an all-around better quality of life, there’s nothing like getting your degree.