On average, college graduates make more money during their lifetimes than people who didn’t go to college. But that’s only one of the many benefits of getting a higher education. Getting a degree can be life-altering for many reasons.
Paying for School
More students are taking out private student loans for undergrad school, which allows them to pay for an otherwise unaffordable education. If you find the right lender, you might be able to get a lower interest rate than you could otherwise. For federal loans, Congress sets the interest rates, but private loans aren’t so much the case. Each lender assigns them based on your income and credit history so if you are a good candidate, you might get a more competitive rate that lets you pay it off sooner.
Become a Well-Rounded Individual
When you pick a degree path, you’ll become an expert on that topic. You will generally have around 10 to 15 in-depth classes in that particular area. No matter what your GPA or major is, completing a degree lets you bring something to the table. Not only does that make you a better candidate for a job, but it also makes you a more interesting conversationalist. Not only do you learn the content in your major, but you also pick up specific skills in that area. For instance, if you’re studying psychology, you’ll learn psychological ideas. But you will also learn how to do research in behavioral sciences or analyze statistics. These transferable skills can be used throughout your life. But it’s not all about becoming an expert in your field. You’ll also take many classes that cover a wide variety of topics, like art, history, philosophy, and English. Once you graduate, you’ll have general knowledge about scholarly ideas in many areas.
Working with People
No matter what you study, at some point, you will more than likely have a group project. That might be done in class or during volunteer or club work. While it might not be your favorite thing, in the real world, there is a lot of group work. Working with people is in your future for any career, and college is a great time to learn valuable communication skills.
Managing Your Time
When you’re 18 and just starting college, you might not be an expert at managing your time, and that’s okay. College is the perfect time to learn these skills. For example, you may have a project due on Tuesday and two big exams on Wednesday, along with a quiz on Thursday. It’s up to you to prepare for these assignments. Unless you’re living at home, you probably don’t have parents telling you when to get ready for each. Instead of spending the weekend with your friends, you’ll have to prioritize the most important things. It’s also a great time to learn about rules and consequences. Each class has a syllabus containing specific rules, like how late work is handled. You’ll learn to follow the rules because there will be consequences otherwise. For example, if you turn in that paper late, your grade might suffer.