Congrats! You finally decided on a college and a major. But now you’re wondering how to determine what level of education you want to achieve. Will a bachelor’s degree be enough for your career and educational goals, or do you need to go on to gain a master’s or higher?

How do you know what level of education you need?

We’ve compiled 10 questions you should ask to ensure you’re making the best college decision for your schedule, budget, and future career.

1. What field do you want to go into?

Hard work will get you far no matter what degree you have, but there are some jobs you just cannot get without a certain credential.

Here’s a general guide to what jobs or fields are typical for each educational level:

Doctorate:

• Higher education

• Academic research

• STEM research

• Law

• Healthcare

Master’s:

• Education

• Social sciences

• STEM fields

• Healthcare

• Business/Finance

• Humanities

• Political science

• Criminal justice

Bachelor’s:

• Social sciences

• STEM fields

• Healthcare

• Business/Finance

• K-12 Education

• Humanities

• Political Science

2. What job do you want?

Once you know what field interests you, you should decide on a target position in that field. Many professions contain positions for varying credential levels. For example, if you decide to work in healthcare, you can be a medical assistant, technician, or nurse with an associate degree, but you must attain a doctorate if you want to be a surgeon. In cases like this, knowing what job you want will often make your degree decision for you.

Not sure what major you want? Our advisors can help you discuss your college options and get started on your general education credits.  Learn more about Accelerated Pathways.

3. Does the job you want favor credentials or experience?

Some fields place a premium on the right degree, others place little emphasis on degrees at all. Certain technology fields value expertise in coding skills so highly that they may overlook the lack of credentials. Similarly, many trades don’t require a degree. Trade school may the way to go if you’re considering becoming a plumber, electrician, welder, etc.  

The spectrum of academic careers leans the opposite direction: while skills matter, the credential matter more. The ladder must be climbed. Your field’s emphasis on prestige or skill will impact your choices. Should you immediately go to work to gain experience, or should you progress to the next degree level? The answer to this question depends on the demands of your line of work and how much practical knowledge you bring to the table.

4. What is the cost of your prospective degree?

Your level of education can increase your future earnings. But it’s possible that raise in pay may not be substantial enough to justify the time and money invested into the credential itself. Think about the degrees and institutions you’re considering and do a little number crunching on the total expense for each option. Compare these totals to the potential earnings from your future position. Check out our video on the Opportunity Cost of College for more information on this.

How many years will it take to break even? Make sure your expectations align with reality: even though a degree is typically worth the investment, it doesn’t always pay off right away.

5. What is the opportunity cost of your prospective degree?

Every choice in life automatically excludes something else. Your “opportunity cost” is what you lose by not choosing an option. When you think about your degree or what level of degree to choose, consider: How much money could you earn without the degree? Calculate your potential lifetime earnings if you stay at your current education level and never get the degree. Are you missing valuable work experience by spending time in school? If you didn’t choose to earn this degree, how much would those extra years of experience boost your career potential? What cost are you paying by not having that experience when you graduate?

6. Will you have to pay off student loans?

After researching your degree’s cost and benefits, dig a little deeper to find the potential amount of debt involved. How many years would it take to pay off the loan? What cost savings are available to your degree? Taking out debt for a degree is never advisable. Before you sign the dotted line, make sure you understand the full cost you’re paying by considering student loans. Want a customized college plan to help you graduate on your schedule and without student loans? Talk to an Accelerated Pathways advisor to learn how much we can help you can save on your degree.

7. What is your reason for considering the degree?

Whether you are thinking about a bachelor’s degree or a doctorate, what is your goal for that degree? Your motivation will influence not only the level of education you want, but how much time and money you’re willing to spend earning it. Are you hoping to earn a stable income? Fund another passion? Satisfy a thirst for learning? Climb the ladder in your career? Teach? Lead innovation and discovery? Consider the deep motivations and goals behind your educational choice, then ask yourself: is pursuing this degree the best way to achieve them?

8. What impact will your desired degree have on your life?

Your current season of life might make the degree decision for you—at least for a while. Do you have bills to pay, a savings account to fill, or a family to provide for? If so, you might consider waiting to pursue that next degree level or finding a program flexible enough for you to study and work simultaneously.

Take some time to figure out not only what’s most important for your future, but what’s most important for your life right now. What other life goals or responsibilities will impact when or how you earn a degree? What kind of freedom do you currently have to commit to your education? Many college freshmen are in a stage of life with fewer responsibilities than they will have 5-10 years down the road. For them, this is an excellent time to prioritize goals like education that will be more difficult to juggle later in life.

9. How much time do you want to invest in your education?

Investing in a higher level of education will take time. A lot of it. Count the cost before you sign up for classes. The average time commitment for each degree level is:

Bachelor’s = 4 years + Master’s = 2 years + Doctorate = 4-8 years

If you’re just looking to get a degree as quickly as possible to enter the workplace, an associate or bachelor’s will be the way to go. However, if you’re interested in pursuing a specific career path, you may want to some specific research on what level of degree or training is needed for that path. Our Academic Counselors can help with that!

10. What impact will your desired degree have on your life?

If it’s higher pay you’re interested in, find online estimates of the average earnings in your chosen field before enrolling in that degree program. Will a new credential actually raise your earnings sufficiently? Accelerated Pathways helps you earn a bachelor’s degree on your schedule. We give you the freedom to pursue your important life priorities while you’re still in college! Talk to us about getting started with your fully customized college plan.

Want to learn more about different levels of education? Read our blog post that breaks down the degree levels and offers suggestions.

Congratulations! You’re well on your way to figuring out what level of education is best for you! Once you’ve crunched the numbers and understand your desires for life, take a deep breath and make the plunge. And remember: numbers and pro-con lists aside, you will come out of the process with either irreplaceable work experience or an amazing credential that displays your intelligence and persistence.

Learning—in whatever form it takes—is always worth the costs, and you are a pretty cool person for taking the time to understand and carefully choose the best learning option for you. Learn more about how to earn your bachelor’s degree on your schedule and without debt at Pearson Accelerated.

Sarah knows exactly how you feel. After getting accepted to her dream college in Winter 2019, she felt elated knowing her career goals were within reach. Sarah’s first day moving into the historic campus dorm across from the big clock tower was everything she dreamed college life would be: exciting, social, fun, frustrating, and busy, busy, busy.

Every day was a new adventure on campus—running back and forth between classes, figuring out how to keep notes organized, and joining lots of study groups – including the Intro to Biology study group where she met Oliver. He showed up with a big bag of Cheetos to share, and they instantly hit it off. A few invites to board game nights later, and they became inseparable.

Sarah felt like she was nailing this whole first-year college student thing – getting good grades, navigating the campus, making awesome friends, and even finding love. But just as abruptly as it all began—you guessed it—the pandemic hit.

Covid Crushes Student Dreams!

Suddenly forced to pack up her favorite belongings and head back home, Sarah had a terrible sense of uncertainty about her future. Stuck in her childhood bedroom, she felt like her life was taking a huge step backwards. Even worse, the remote courses that her old campus professors scrambled to piece together were wonky and confusing. She could feel her learning suffering – not to mention her mental health.

Everything Sarah loved about college life—the action, the camaraderie, even the smell of dusty chalkboards—suddenly disappeared and felt uninspiring. All her new college friends were scattered in different cities, and Oliver was 400 miles away at his dad’s house.

While there was still a glimmer of hope that things would return to normal, real-world circumstances kept letting Sarah down. New Covid variant strains, greater concerns of health and safety protocols, plus her parents being extra protective because of her autoimmune condition. Sarah started to go from feeling burnt out to looking visibly depressed.

She just wanted to disengage from the whole process and take a gap year—or worse—give up on school altogether.

Pulling Out of the Covid Rut

Luckily, her college friends set up regular group chats to keep in touch and help each other through their feelings. One day, her former dorm-mate Jessyln announced her decision to switch to online learning through Pearson Accelerated Pathways. The chat was instantly full of questions.

“Wait… what? Why did you switch over to Pearson?” “What’s Pearson Accelerated Pathways?” “Does this mean you’re not coming back to our campus if it re-opens?”

Jesslyn calmly explained, “I have a new online degree plan now through Pearson Accelerated Pathways. They're helping me knock out my general education credits, and the courses are designed for online learning so they’re way easier to learn from. No more Mr. Zamora trying to figure out a zoom call with his confusing PowerPoint slides! Best part is the courses are guaranteed to transfer, so I can finish out my degree faster and cheaper. It’s really helpful!”

The conversation put some fuel in Sarah’s tank. She reached out to Pearson Accelerated Pathways, and sure enough, she’s now back on track to earn her degree! With a big sigh of relief, Sarah is moving toward her goals again, and even finding the flexibility with online learning to plan fun trips with Oliver. In fact, she brought along her laptop and completed a course during their unforgettable week-long camping trip to Colorado. Sarah’s parents are thrilled too. They don’t have to worry about their daughter going back to a crowded dorm or classroom where she could be more susceptible to illness.

Don’t Get Behind on Your College Degree

Has Covid disrupted your learning path? Not ready to head back to in-person classes? We have the perfect solution! Pearson Accelerated Pathways offers transferrable college credits from wherever you are. Studies show that getting behind on your degree can result in big cost and time losses. We’ll get you back on track with the flexibility and affordability you need right now. See how it works. We love helping students reclaim their destiny.

Going to college when you deal with a chronic medical issue or other disability is stressful for many students. For students with underlying health issues, college during the COVID-19 pandemic is even more fraught.

College Students with Disabilities are Common

As many as 17% of young people may suffer from chronic conditions or other disabilities. When mixed with a viral outbreak (like COVID-19) those chronic health conditions become more serious. Those suffering from chronic conditions may be unable to be vaccinated or have suppressed immune systems that cause the vaccine to be less effective. The current CDC advice for immunocompromised patients is to remain vigilant (even when vaccinated) and take the same precautions as unvaccinated Americans against COVID-19. When trying to balance a health issue with higher education, it’s important to be kind to yourself. College is hard for healthy people and so it’s completely understandable to struggle if you’re balancing college with health issues.

Look for Accommodations in Advance

If this sounds like you, there are ways you can excel in college. If you choose an on-campus experience, be sure to investigate your healthcare options in advance. Find a healthcare provider you trust and get set up with them as a patient. Also, don’t be afraid to work with your school of choice to get the accommodations you need. If you have a documented illness that falls under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and you are attending a public or private school that receives federal funding, your school must “make their programs accessible to students with disabilities.” When you work with your school, ask if they may be able to offer you special housing, added time for tests or exams, priority registration, or other accommodations that fit your circumstances. To find out what accommodations your school can offer, contact their office for services for students with disabilities – most schools will have one.

Online Programs Are a Good Option

If you are struggling attending school on campus, then you could consider an online program to supplement or fulfill your degree requirements. Not only is online a good choice for many medical needs, but it also gives you more flexibility to complete your degree. And because many classes are self-paced, you won’t miss anything if you’re out sick or need to see a doctor.

Accelerated Pathways offers online programs, and we work with students that may struggle to attend classes in person for a variety of reasons. Our programs offer cost savings for college courses that are guaranteed to transfer to thousands of degree programs nationwide. Our academic coaches work with you to discover how you can complete your classwork in a remote setting that fits your lifestyle.

Peter Marshall, Academic Success Coach Manager for Accelerated Pathways, works with multiple students that have started online programs to get their college degree because of disabilities. He reports that many of them are happy with their remote learning options. “I recently coached a student with impaired vision that had trouble seeing the board in a traditional classroom setting,” says Marshall. “This student went from struggling to see the board to excelling in school through our online programs.”

The Key is Self-Care

Most importantly, take care of yourself. Don’t let all your self-care routines fall by the wayside when you get caught up in college life. Make time for wellness visits and doctors' appointments. Listen to your body and let your healthcare provider know early if you feel like you might be struggling physically or mentally in your new environment. According to Dr. Amy S. Paller in Teen Vogue, “Make sure you put your health care needs on the calendar. You’ll be incredibly busy, but don’t neglect your daily responsibilities related to health, and say ‘no’ if needed to make sure you get enough sleep.” Going to college either in person or online can be a rite of passage for many students. Whatever your pathway towards a degree, by managing your chronic condition, you can set yourself up for success.

As many schools moved to fully-remote learning last year, students saw their dreams of the college experience disintegrate. According to CNBC’s College Voices series, “Many students could no longer afford to enroll. Others didn’t want a diminished college experience as coronavirus forced most universities online and internships, jobs, and study abroad opportunities were canceled. Others were simply burned out from the stress of the pandemic.”

Thus, it’s no surprise that many students chose to step away from school last fall and take a gap year instead. Other students were forced to scrap the idea of college altogether. In fact, college and postsecondary enrollments dropped in 2020 and community colleges were hit especially hard as the most vulnerable college students were forced to make difficult family and life decisions. 

Now, as we drive towards fall 2021, students are still struggling with decisions around college and to reconcile their “lost year” and its effects on their future.

For some people, their gap year is ending, and they have decided to enroll or reenroll in school. They may be having a tough time deciding about college while there are still uncertainties. Still others have been hit so hard by the pandemic that maybe college doesn’t seem like a realistic choice for them anymore.

If you’re struggling to make decisions about college, you have choices. Don’t just dismiss your college education outright. Read on to find out more about some of the options available based on your circumstances. Whether you are considering taking time off, pursuing a gap year or a leave of absence, or you are thinking about returning to school after some time away, you should keep the following in mind.

Taking a Break for Mental Health Reasons

Your mental health must be your priority. If you're contemplating some time away from school or you've already taken time away, don't feel discouraged. You certainly aren't alone. Psychologist Adam Grant recently described the doldrums that many have been feeling during the pandemic...it’s called “languishing.” And that’s not to minimize the mental health crisis that COVID has only exacerbated for others during the pandemic.

According to Mental Health America, “...colleges understand that other things may come up for students, there are procedures that allow them time away when needed. In terms of Leaves related to mental health, schools have different policies and procedures depending on circumstances.” The important thing to note is that many students that take time off to deal with mental health related care report that the time was useful and helpful when looking at the long term.

If possible, work with your school or university. It’s in their best interest for you to succeed and graduate so they have a personal stake in you. In addition to that, you have rights! Documented mental health issues can qualify you for “reasonable accommodations” related to your illness. These accommodations are protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act. Talk to your college or university to learn more and to find out what accommodations your school provides. 

Taking a Gap Year, a Leave of Absence, or Deferring Your Enrollment

If you want to take some time to explore before (or even during) college, you aren’t alone. As many as 40% of students last year opted to take a gap year, a much higher number than normal due to COVID-19. If you aren't sure what you want to study or need a little time to explore your interests prior to jumping into higher education, taking a gap year might be a solution.  

A gap year can yield positive results, if done right. On average, students that took a gap year had shorter times to graduate and higher grades than national averages. So, a gap year can help you set yourself up for success by allowing you to make important decisions about your future and helping you gain focus and perspective it’s hard to get just launching straight from high school into college.

The caveat to all these benefits for gap year students is to be sure you set guidelines on your leave, so your gap year doesn’t turn into a gap decade! And keep in mind that taking time out of school can reduce your earning years, so make sure it’s the right decision for you.

So, how to maximize your gap year benefits and minimize the downfalls? Keep these guidelines in mind as you plan your gap year: 

Guideline 1: Have a Re-entry Plan

Have you already been admitted to a college? Be sure to understand your college or university's policy around deferring or taking a leave of absence. While some schools have openly encouraged (see Harvard) students to defer their education, others have responded to the pandemic by tightening up their rules around deferments...so just be sure you know where YOUR school falls on that spectrum and have a plan to deal with it upon your return.

Edgar Lopez, a PhD candidate in Urban Education quoted in CNBC.com explains, “Research has shown for Latinx students in particular, the longer they take gap years, the less likely they are going to return back to campus.” So, having a plan to come back and setting some boundaries on the front-side of a leave of absence is essential. 

Guideline 2: Set Some Boundaries

Don’t just spend your gap year huddled up watching reruns of Real Housewives in your parents’ basement. Get a plan in place to maximize your time away from school and have a goal of when you want to return. This doesn’t mean every second of your year/semester/whatever has to be planned out, but it helps to have a few things lined up. Line up a volunteer gig or an internship to focus your time and energy while you are away. Or maybe you’ve always wanted to see the Pacific Ocean. Now’s your chance to plan that epic road trip. Now is a chance to mark off a bucket list item or do some soul searching. 

Guideline 3: Uncover Your Passions

This is what a gap year is all about. It’s a chance to explore what you are passionate about and maybe gain some real-world experience at the same time. While your high school (and much of your college) education is theoretical knowledge, a gap year is a chance to gain some real-world experience. And the best way to maximize your investment (because a gap year IS an investment of time and a deferment of your income-earning years) is to discover whether what you think you might be a good fit for is going to be a good fit in the real world. For example, have you ever heard of a student that spends time and money on pre-law and then law school only to discover they hate being a lawyer? If they’d taken some time to intern at a law firm prior or interviewed lawyers in their field of interest prior to earning that expensive degree, maybe they'd have realized it wasn't a good fit after all.

So, when used wisely, a gap year can actually save you time and money discovering what might or might not be a good career for your future self. It’s like a little glimpse into your proposed future. 

If you’re considering taking some time off from your education, you can use tools like Pearson Accelerated Pathways to continue your progress. Our advisors are available and can walk students through a plan to get online college credit during their gap year (even if it’s just one course at a time). When you speak with our experts, they can build you a plan that includes college credit that can be earned from anywhere and is guaranteed to transfer into your current degree program. Find out if you are a good fit so you can continue to make progress towards your degree while you’re away from school. 

Leaving School

Has the pandemic (or other financial or life stressors) forced you to drop out? Maybe your gap year has (either intentionally or unintentionally) morphed into an extended leave of absence or an exodus from higher education. If you ended up taking an extended amount of time off from school, you can get back into the swing of things.

Programs like Accelerated Pathways allow students with full-time jobs or those who are taking time off to travel a way to pursue higher education at their own pace. Our advisors speak to students like you to develop individual plans that allow you to pick a path towards education that fits your life and your goals. And our advisors can map degree plans to thousands of colleges and areas of study in the United States.

So, if you are struggling to get back into school after taking a COVID-related (or any!) leave of absence, it might be worth a look at programs like Pearson Accelerated Pathways where you can gradually ease your way back into school and you don’t have to give up your job, your family, your travels, or your life. 

Kaylan is a married, working mom of a 3-year-old holding down two jobs. I think it’s fair to say she’s pretty busy. However, despite her hectic schedule, Kaylan has managed to squeeze one more priority into her life: college. Kaylan is pursuing her college degree through Pearson Accelerated Pathways. 

Kaylan qualified for tuition assistance from her employer, a Fortune 500 transportation company, so she started taking classes through Accelerated Pathways several years ago.

“When I first started taking classes, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do, so I began getting most of my prerequisites out of the way,” says Kaylan.

It wasn’t easy. “It was hard at first because when peak season would roll around at my work, I would have to take off because I never really had the energy or time to work on school. Later, when I had my daughter, that set me back as well. Once I was healed and I got the hang of mom life I went back to my studies at full force.”

Kaylan offers some advice to students struggling with other responsibilities, “Never give up! There will be times when life throws obstacles in your way for you to get around, go through those obstacles headstrong and aim for your goals. In the end it’s worth it!”

Her husband helps support her by watching her daughter when she works on school, and he’s a huge motivator. She’s also uses her daughter as her motivation to continue school. “I think about my daughter a lot when I am struggling. I know finishing my degree will impact her life in a positive way.”

Never giving up is kind of a recurring theme with Kaylan. She was recently promoted to work in her chosen field, HR, has been driving towards her goals in that area of her life as well.

“I started in HR around March of 2020, about a week before COVID became a huge deal. During that time, I never let anything stop me from my goals. I kept my head up and a positive attitude during it all,” says Kaylan. Positivity helped Kaylan weather many changes due to COVID in her roles in HR.

“I love it! I love the people I work with and all the new things I’ve been able to learn about. I will say working in the HR field has definitely helped me through my schooling as well.”

Kaylan’s positive attitude has been instrumental in her success. She reiterates, “Don’t let anything get in the way of achieving your goals. Think positive and positive things will come your way.”

Kaylan has been able to make progress towards her degree through Accelerated Pathways, and you can too! Learn more about our degree programs and get started.

Accelerated Pathways gives students the freedom to pursue their passions while pursuing their degree. Rebekah is proof of that. A ballerina, she decided to use our online courses to pursue college while dancing with the Atlanta Center for Ballet Education. This is her story: 

“I was introduced to ballet when I was little. My mom took me to The Nutcracker when I was almost 3 years old and I just sat there, enraptured. I loved every minute of it. At the end I told my mom, ‘I want to be her,’ and I pointed to the girl on stage.”

“I always thought I would quit and move on to other things but as I grew, my love for ballet grew.” 

Rebekah passionately pursued a career in dance, but she also wanted to get her undergraduate degree. Pearson Accelerated Pathways (at the time branded as College Plus) offered her a pathway to pursue her dreams while also getting a degree that was also important for her future. 

“I was originally going to go to a 4-year university.” says Rebekah, “When I decided to pursue dance, I needed something that would be more flexible and something that would actually allow me to get life experience and job experience at the same time as getting my degree.” 

“There is always that tension in the arts world, should I go to school, or should I go for it in my career,” explains Rebekah. “Because our careers are so short that oftentimes spending 4 years at an institution, you lose that precious time that you could be gaining job experience.” 

Rebekah needed a solution for her college degree that was flexible and worked with her schedule. “One of my favorite things is the flexibility and how you can make it work around your schedule and make it work for you.”  “While I was training, I would study in the mornings, and we would have class from 2-4. Then I would take a break and find some time to study, and we’d have classes and rehearsals in the evening from 5:30 to as late as 9 o’clock."

“I squeezed in school and ballet, and I didn’t get to do that much else but, it worked! I got my bachelor’s in communications in 18 months and while I was doing that I was also dancing and training at the Atlanta Ballet Center for Dance Education. I would never have been able to do that any other way.”  "Ballet and dance can be used to communicate truth and to encourage people and build them up.  It can invite the audience into a story that is bigger than their own.” 

According to Inside Higher Ed, “’State of the art’ is changing month by month in many fields. Not only are technologies changing, but applications are proliferating, industries are emerging, new consumer markets are sprouting and the road map for the future is clear only for the near term.” 

That’s why upskilling, continuing education, and other forms of lifelong learning are so important. With the way technology is advancing, you can’t graduate high school or college and expect to stay current on everything you need to know for your future career.

Pierre Vandergheynst and Isabelle Voneche in an article for Aeon (and republished by Fast Company) posit the idea that universities and other institutions should invest in the new realities of lifelong learning by subsidizing or at least aiding the workforce with reskilling, upskilling or continuing education. “Universities must realize that learning in your 20s won’t be enough. If technological diffusion and implementation develop faster, workers will have to constantly refresh their skills,” Vandergheynst and Voneche argue.

In my role in marketing, I am constantly pursuing new avenues to do my job better. From watching informational videos on social media strategy to earning a certification from Google, I am often exploring new things for my job. So, how do you learn to embrace a way of life where learning happens continuously through school, your career, and beyond. There are several strategies to embrace a continuous learning mindset. Here are my top 5:

1. Don’t be afraid of a challenge. This is probably THE most important tip I can give. Nothing encourages you to learn a new skill like tackling a new challenge or taking on a project with skills you don’t already have in your toolbelt. So many of us shy away from projects involving new skills but if you keep an open mind and you have a supportive team, then you can accomplish new things! If you work in an industry that’s stagnant and you want a reason to adopt new skills, consider volunteering or taking a freelance gig that will introduce you to learning opportunities. Or use your continuing education mindset to learn a new skill or hobby.  Part of the reason this works so well is that it forces you to commit to a new skill to accomplish your goals. Just be sure to choose skills that align with your current knowledge level. For example, it may not be wise to don’t to learning a programming language if you haven’t yet mastered replying to email. Otherwise, you might be setting yourself up for failure. 

2. Stay focused. According to John Boitnott for Inc.com, “The human brain possesses amazing computing abilities, but, like all processors, it can only do so much. To maximize learning time, prioritize what goals you have in learning and knock those out first before moving on to others. I have found this to be true in my own life. When learning a new skill, it helps to maintain an extended focus on that skill as much as possible. It gives your brain the time and energy to adopt that skill more fully so your better able to incorporate it into future projects. In other words, you’ll have a long-term skill you retain rather than just a skill you perform for the project at hand and then forget it for the future.

3. Make a SMART Plan. You have probably heard various theories around goal setting and achievement. There’s so much information floating around because it’s universally important no matter where you are or where you want to go in life. Achieving goals around your education are no different. To make it a priority, it’s best to establish it as a goal and make a concreate plan to Get. It. Done. When dealing with larger, more unwieldy or ambiguous goals like “continue my education” it can be helpful to use SMART goal setting techniques to quantify and map out your goals. Here’s how it works:

   1. SMART is an acronym for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time Bound. It’s a well-established system for goal setting in a clear and actionable way. First, you need to make your educational goal Specific. According to Kat Boogaard for software company, Atlassian’s blog. “A specific goal answers questions like: What objective needs to be accomplished?” When thinking through your specific goal, it’s best to work through the details so you can be specific enough to really get a handle on your goal.

   2. Next, make sure your goal is Measurable. That means it must be something that can be quantified. If you’re going for a certification, that’s easy. Earning the certification is a way to measure whether you’ve achieved your goal. If your goal is something around learning management skills it could be a little more difficult to quantify. But, maybe there is a management course you could take or a certain number of management books you could read. Think of a way you can make your goal measurable so you can easily chart your progress towards completion.

   3. Achievable. “This is the point in the process when you give yourself a serious reality check,” says Boogaard. “Is the goal you’ve outlined attainable?” Don’t give yourself an impossible task or set yourself up for failure.

   4. Relevant. Be sure the goal you choose has real world implications. It’s best if you pick something that you can use or that helps you in your work or in your personal life. Those are the goals you’re most likely to stick with and achieve in the long run.

   5. Time bound. Give yourself a deadline. This works best if it’s an external deadline (which, of course, you’re more likely to stick to). But, if there really is no external deadline you can create, then create a self-imposed limit. It helps you to map out your time and give yourself some parameters to work within.  

4. Regard it as an investment. An investment in continuing your education is an investment in yourself. Whether it’s a certificate, learning a new skill or getting a degree online, taking time to further your education is a wonderful way to gain confidence, learn new skills, further your career and just maybe make more money. So, regard education as the investment it is!  Are you looking to invest in college courses? Then Accelerated Pathways can help! Learn more about how we supply personal degree pathways and student advising for online college.

5. Reward Yourself. Taking the time to learn something new, while rewarding in its own right, still requires a level of dedication that isn’t always present in our day-to-day life. So, celebrate little milestones and small wins along the way. Go for pizza, take an afternoon at the pool, or do something else to reward yourself for a job well done. Try to program time to reward yourself for that 5-hour study session. Or take a day off family or work obligations after a certification course. You deserve to celebrate the big wins and the little wins too! 

A mindset of continuous learning is growing essential to staying ahead in many industries. By adopting these practices, you can learn new skills, keep your brain sharp, and set yourself up for future success.

We recently reported on the waitlist dilemma this year with waitlists growing for some colleges and universities while other schools struggle to get enrollments. You can read more about the waitlist dilemma colleges are facing in part 1 of this blog series.

Now, in part 2, we’re going to pivot to address students that have found themselves in the middle of their own waitlist dilemma.

Have you been waitlisted?  

Maybe you were on a waitlist, but you decided to forego college in the fall and try again later or you decided ultimately to attend another school. If that describes your situation, some of these tips may help you while you wait or at least reframe your situation.

It’s understandable to be confused or even depressed when you’ve been waitlisted for a school you really hoped to attend. College is supposed to be the best time of your life and you may have had a certain vision for how you thought you’d start your college career. It can be crushing to have it start off with such an uncertain outcome for admissions. Don’t despair! Waitlisted doesn’t mean denied. And, you have a lot of options if you are waitlisted. Don’t let it derail you from achieving great things. You may just have to reframe your outlook slightly.

In the meantime, review these tips below for ideas on how to get ahead in school, finances, and elsewhere while you’re waiting. 

5 Tips for Waitlisted Students 

1. Take a realistic look at your budget – If you haven’t already, think about how you’re going to pay for school. If you are accepted into your school of choice, is attending a real possibility for you and your budget? Unfortunately, for many schools, waitlisted students fall at the bottom of the pecking order for financial aid packages so you may find yourself scrambling to make ends meet. If budget is a concern, read more about affording college on a budget.

2. Save, save, save – It can be frustrating to be in limbo, and you may just feel like letting off steam, but don’t forget to use this time to sock away money for college too. If you’ve decided to take time off to travel, consider taking a job that will travel with you, like an au pair, or language teacher. Saving money on college isn’t just about putting money into a savings account, though. It can be about planning out your major and courses to save time and money on your degree path in the long run. Think about the total economics of a college degree and avoid wasting money on unnecessary credits by making sure you know what major you want and what classes you need to get there. Did you know that Pearson Accelerated Pathways provides students with a personalized college plan for their school of choice? This plan maps out every course needed to transfer into the school of your dreams and potentially graduate faster and for less money. Want to hear more about how it works? Talk to our team today!

3. Let your school of choice know you’re serious – Many students apply to multiple schools and sit on multiple lists, waiting for their best offer. Let your school of choice know how serious you are by claiming your spot on the waitlist (if you haven’t already) and you can even email your admissions counselor to let them know how invested you are. “In the industry, this is known as “demonstrating interest,” explains Joanna Nesbit for Money.com. “Send an email to the admissions counselor in charge of your region expressing interest in attending if accepted and include any notable updates you didn’t already submit.” Ideally, you want to try to keep your school of choice updated with everything you have done and continue to do to stand out of the pack. You want them to remember you. According to Princeton Review, “Request an interview, even if you interviewed with the school already. Face time can make a difference. Use this opportunity to showcase your most recent accomplishments and to reiterate your commitment to attend the school if chosen.”

4. Get ahead with online courses – Consider taking some courses online while you’re waiting for your dream school. Not only will you be earning college credits (that are less expensive) you also have the potential to do well in your classes and be able to provide that news back to your admissions counselor (see above tip). Pearson Accelerated Pathways would be an ideal choice to earn credits towards your dream school because we can build a college plan that includes credits that are guaranteed to transfer into your college and major of choice. Plus, online courses provide the flexibility you need to work or play during your gap year or while you’re waitlisted.  

5. Stay positive – Remember, even being waitlisted for your dream school is an accomplishment. Odds are that many applicants didn’t make it this far. And, if you don’t end up going to your dream school now, you can always start somewhere else. Try to see the positives about attending a different school or taking those online courses mentioned above. Maybe you can save some money and try again as a transfer student. You could even get to your alternate school and fall in love with it. Life is so crazy and unexpected that way. So, if you’re waitlisted keep your chin up and think positively!  

Maybe it’s a blessing...not a curse 

Hopefully these tips will help you see your situation in a new light. In time, you just might come to find that being on a waitlist allowed you to see things in a new way, to be more dynamic and flexible. I speak from experience when I say, having a dynamic and flexible outlook on life is probably going to benefit you in the long run...so learning how to pivot and evolve earlier rather than later in your life is a blessing. 

If you do decide to pursue some college credit, take a look at Pearson Accelerated Pathways with easy-to-transfer credit options for your school of choice. Find out if we can work to get you the courses you need to get started on your degree today. 

This is the first in a two-part series on waitlisted students. Be sure to check out our part 2 post with actionable steps for students that have been waitlisted for college.

Earlier this year, Art & Science Group, a college admissions consulting firm, found that 20% of students surveyed were on a waiting list for college. If that number seems high, you’re not wrong. But why, amongst all these reports of the declining rates of college enrollments are we seeing an increase in waitlisted students? There are several reasons: 

Increased Applications for Some Schools 

Many top colleges and universities have recently announced they are going “test optional” for their admissions process (that is, not requiring ACT or SAT scores as a part of their applications). In fact, all Ivy League schools - Yale, Princeton, Harvard, Brown, Columbia, Barnard, Dartmouth, UPenn and Cornell - report they will be test optional for Fall 2022 admissions.

The reasons behind this movement towards test-optional admissions are varied and complex. Many academic institutions cite grades as the primary indicator of future academic success. According to analysis of NACAC’s survey of college admissions officers by IvyWise, “the most important factor in admission decision is grades – colleges know that how a student performs day-in and day-out in the classroom is much more important than how they do on one day on one three-hour test.”

This movement away from test scores has encouraged many candidates to submit applications to prestigious schools where they are more likely to end up waitlisted. According to the Art & Science Group report, “...it seems possible that substantial interest in enrolling at a waitlisting institution is at least in part a ‘reach’ effect. In other words, as more students apply to schools they would normally consider out of reach, more are likely to find themselves on waitlists at their dream schools and consequently more than usually inclined to be willing to make a change if they have the chance.”

So, while established and prestigious schools may have an excess of hopeful candidates sitting on their waitlists, community colleges and other schools already hard hit by the pandemic are dealing with ever dwindling enrollments.

A Huge Disparity 

“While the top universities appear to have significant demand going into the home stretch for fall 2021, institutions in tiers immediately below may face greater uncertainty in the face of a pandemic that remains unpredictable in its impact on college campuses...If schools higher in the pecking order admit substantial numbers of students from their waitlists, schools further down could be more adversely affected” (Art & Science Group). 

So top schools, with more enrollments than ever, are maintaining large waitlists and more students are willing to sit around on the waitlist in the hopes that they can make it into their coveted dream school. Many students see only the possibility of attending a dream school even if their test scores previously wouldn’t allow it. And, in these strange times, we’re all perhaps a little more likely to go out on a limb to achieve our dreams. We’ve already been through so much turmoil, sitting on a college waitlist probably seems a minor inconvenience for most college hopefuls these days. 

According to Joanna Nesbit for Money.com, “This year’s admission season was wilder than most. While less competitive private colleges and regional public universities are still struggling to attract enough students, many brand-name colleges saw soaring application numbers, driven in part by a near universal shift to test-optional policies and a surge from international students who sat out last year. Colgate University, for example, saw applications more than double, from 8,000 to 17,000, while the University of California Berkeley fielded 112,821 applications — a 28% increase — for 6,000 spots.”

Are you waitlisted? You might think about getting a job or living rent free at home while you’re waiting on a college decision. Maybe you decided to take a gap year and go for a dream school next year. Whatever you’ve decided, if you’re waitlisted or waiting a year, we’ve got some tips to help you navigate your time wisely.

If you want to read more about being waitlisted for college, check out our next post in this series with steps you can take to get ahead if you've been waitlisted.

Want to learn more about Accelerated Pathways? We can help students get a head start on college with easy online courses that transfer into the college and degree of your choice. Learn more about how we're changing the college experience today.