When it comes to today’s society, there are very few jobs that do not require a college degree. After taking care of multiple family members, I found that one touched me and pushed me to decide to return to school at 54 years old. The biggest influence was watching my father-in-law struggle through his battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Even though I have struggled with the idea of finishing my bachelor’s degree, I know that my father-in-law, family, and supervisors all are there to help me successfully complete my education.
Many of the people that fail in going back to school do not have the necessary support network in place. In the past having a college degree was not required to establish a successful career, in the present economy, in order to be competitive, it is an essential requirement. I have been screened out of numerous job opportunities over the past years due to lack of a degree. They will try to struggle through everything on their own. This made me contemplate if I wanted to return to school to finish my degree. Many of my supervisors from 1976 until now have all supported this decision. They would see that I am determined, committed, and self-motivated.
One thing that makes a lot of people wonder about whether or not it is a good idea to go back to school is the fact that only 56 percent of the people that go to college do not complete college within six years. Personally, I wanted to make sure that when I returned to school, there would be nothing to stop me from reaching my goals, both in my education and career path. Another scary figure that I found during my search for college statistical information was that more than 75 percent of for-profit college students are failing to retain their degree within the period of six years.
When it comes to college, there are many people that find they struggle to be able to succeed at completion, but there are certain circumstances that make it even worse. One such reason for someone quitting college is dependent children, which is one reason that now is a prime time for me to return to school. My children are already grown, so I will not be one of the 23 percent of people that have to try to struggle with both school and raising a family. This will be my chance to be able to devote time to my life and my studies without having any unforeseen problems with children.
I feel that I am a right fit for this college, because I am determined to receive a degree. I am willing to put forth the work required to successfully complete the degree, and I know that I can do it. I want to attend this college for the purpose of being able to make my own career goals come to life. I have decided that the benefits of the degree far outweigh any of the consequences of deciding to return to school. When it comes to making a career goal come to life, there is only one way to make that happen for an older individual that is through having the best possible training, while is the reason I want to receive my bachelor degree.
References
Johnson, J., Rochkind, J., Ott, A. N., & DuPont, S. (2011). With Their Whole Lives Ahead of them. 14, August. New York: Public Agenda. Retrieved October 27, 2013, from http://www.publicagenda.org/files/theirwholelivesaheadofthem.pdf
Waldron, T. (2012, March 28). Study: Nearly Half Of America’s College Students Drop Out Before Receiving A Degree. Retrieved October 28, 2013, from Think Progress: http://thinkprogress.org/education/2012/03/28/453632/half-college-students-drop-out/
