In today’s business environment, you have to be more competitive than ever. It’s no longer sufficient to have just a single degree and skate by with that. You need several degrees, lots of skills and the ability to quickly pivot from one set of skills to another. Most people in the workforce say that having multiple degrees and skill sets helps them in a world with constantly changing technologies, trends and movements.
Who knows when the next global shift will come? One thing’s for sure – it’s not your parent’s era where having one profession, or one place of employment for a lifetime, will cut it anymore.
So, what do you do if you only have one degree (or worse yet no degree)? How can you get back in school and pile on those degrees so that you’re more competitive in the workplace and a more viable job candidate for a number of different positions? The problem that most 20-somethings and 30-somethings face is that they don’t have the money to cover the cost of college (especially if they haven’t been saving from a good job based on an education that they didn’t get in the first place).
It’s a major dilemma for struggling singles (people who aren’t married or living at home). How do you get the money (and come up with the time) to go back to school for a better job? How can you get several degrees (not just one)?
Covering High Dollar Expenses
Colleges giving away laptops can help reduce the cost of going back to school. A good laptop can run anywhere from $800 to $3,000, which is far too expensive for a lot of people to afford. Especially if you’re a struggling prospective college student who is trying to go back to college so you can get a good job later on.
Financial Aid (FAFSA)
Going back to college is a lot easier if you fill out FAFSA forms to get financial aid from the federal government or state in which you live. If you’re trying to get a bachelor’s degree (your first one), there are usually a lot of free grants available.
Getting student loans is sometimes one of the only options for graduate school students, but if you’re trying to get double majors and different bachelor’s degrees, there is a lot of free grant money available. The first step is filling out a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and going though your college financial aid office with it. Once that is returned, you will see what kind of grant money you can get.
Scholarships can be tricky, complex, and hard to understand, but you might want to spend a week or so applying for many of them. It could pay off by reducing the cost of tuition even further, even if it won’t always eliminate it.
You can also consider taking classes at a community college for your first two years, because it can be a lot cheaper than spending money on a four-year college, even if you do get in-state tuition.
If you’re considering a move into entrepreneurship and working for yourself, this guide to the best online colleges for entrepreneurs may be helpful.