In the United States, the college dropout rate is around 40% as of 2021. For millions of Americans, this figure results in real-life consequences involving student loan debt and feelings of frustration or defeat. In many cases, people think the time spent at college was a waste of time and money. However, this perception doesn’t line up with reality.
Depending on the reasons for dropping out, students may want to examine the possibility of completing their degree over a more extended period. Unless you left because you were no longer interested in the subject or wanted to pursue a different career, you should strongly consider finishing your college education.
Why You Should Complete a Degree
The credits you’ve already earned, whether over a single semester or several years, remain on your record. Universities must maintain records of former students — even those who didn’t graduate. Therefore, as long as you can obtain a transcript of your previous classes, you’ll never have to start over from scratch. Generally speaking, there are two reasons for returning to school.
- Completing Your Original Degree – For many people, leaving university resulted from academic, financial, or familial pressures. If this happened to you, you might want to complete your degree to expand your opportunities in the workforce or as a prerequisite for a more advanced degree.
- Earning a Degree in Another Major – Some people left school because they realized they no longer wanted to work in the field they were studying. If you initially wanted to be a teacher, then decided against that career, you can consider the time you’ve spent away from college as a long sabbatical. The general education credits you earned (and even some of your major’s credits) can count towards a different degree, ensuring that you’re not starting over at square one.
If you left on good terms, you could return to your original university to complete your schooling. This approach is good, as the university is more likely to accept the credits they previously issued. Other universities are likely to accept them, but it’s possible that some general education credits may not line up, resulting in slightly less benefit and having to redo a bit of work.
Ultimately, completing your degree can open up prospects in the workforce that require degrees. Many employers require some form of bachelor’s degree as a minimum to ensure that the potential employee can commit to something and see it through to completion. In many cases, having a degree has more weight than what specific course of studies you took or which university you attended.
The Ease of Education at Home
One of the good things to come out of the COVID pandemic is that it’s far more accessible than ever to get a world-class education from home. Many universities now offer remote programs that are as robust as their in-person curricula. As a result, these programs can earn you the same credits toward a degree, meaning you can finish your college education at home.
A significant advantage of such an approach is that you can often find programs that suit your schedule much better and don’t involve commuting. As a result, you can still work and take care of other obligations while completing your degree. Online programs include a mix of classes that usually fall into one of three categories.
- Asynchronous – These are classes with recorded videos and coursework that must be completed by deadlines but can otherwise be done when you have the time, including in the middle of the night or on the weekend.
- Remote Synchronous – These are classes with a completely online classroom but involve regularly scheduled meetings. These meetings are often held over Zoom, Skype, Google Hangouts, Microsoft Teams, or other online platforms. They are remote but still demand specific, regular obligations throughout the week.
- Hybrid – Generally, these classes are the toughest on the students and the professors alike. Hybrid classes involve a portion of the class being present in the classroom and another piece online. Professors often struggle to cover the same amount of material or sufficiently engage students online. Nevertheless, motivated students can still attend these classes and benefit from them, earning credits toward their degrees.
Depending on your particular learning style, you may find that you can thrive with any of these approaches. Given that you have many obligations, you may determine that you have to find a program that can be done entirely on your own schedule. It’s important to consider what you can do without disrupting other aspects of your life. However, if you find the right program that suits your availability, you can take the credits you earned years ago and turn them into a finished degree that opens the doors to a new career and improved opportunities in your life.