People come up with plenty of reasons to avoid going to college. Maybe you've been thinking about it for a while. You know that a college degree could help you get your career where you want it to be, but you're worried about the commitment. Maybe you're concerned about the time it will take or what it will cost.

With the growth of online access to a college education, your better prospects could be just a few clicks away. So how do you know that you're ready for online college classes?

1. You've figured out what it takes to be a success.

When you graduated high school, you might not have been ready for college. Lots of high school graduates take a gap year to work or travel right after they graduate. For whatever reason, they need some perspective. Sometimes the gap year turns into two or three, and it's difficult to find your way back. 

According to U.S. News and World Report, as many as one-third of first year students don't make it to sophomore year. Now that you've had a job and understand the demands of the work place, you probably have a better perspective on the kind of work ethic it takes. It could be that you now have the dedication you didn't have right after you graduated high school.

2. The investment in education makes sense.

Getting a college degree is going to mean spending money now, but if you consider college as an investment rather than an expense, it's almost impossible to find anything that offers the sort of returns a college degree can.

In 2014, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York issued an analysis of the value of a college degree. In "Do the Benefits of College Still Outweigh the Costs?", the researchers found that workers with a college degree had an average salary of $64,500 per year, while those with an associate's degree averaged annual salaries of $50,000. Those with only a high school diploma averaged $41,000.

A college degree could equate to as much as5 a 50% raise. If you add that up over a working lifetime, a college degree amounts to over $1 million. On average, college graduates see a 15% return on their college investment.

3. You're hitting roadblocks in your career.

If you've gotten to a point in your career where you're looking for a promotion, you might find out that other positions require college degrees in order for you to be eligible. A 2012 report from Georgetown University predicted that the U.S. will have 55 million job openings by 2020. 65% of those jobs will require a bachelor's or associate's degree or at least some college. 

The roadblocks you're hitting now are only going to get bigger over the next few years. Getting your degree online could be the perfect way to overcome those obstacles.

4. You know you could do more with your life.

If you find yourself frustrated with your current job and responsibilities, you are squarely in the majority of Americans. In a 2014 article, Forbes reported that 52.3% of Americans are unhappy at work. They also note that number is up distinctly from almost 30 years ago when 61.1% of those surveyed reported that they were happy at work.

What may be most interesting is what makes people happy. Almost 60% reported that they were happy when the work was interesting. It could be that your dissatisfaction with your current job is that you don't find it challenging anymore. You've learned how to deal with the problems that this role offers you, and you are looking for new challenges.

That's an excellent sign that you're ready to take on the challenge of online classes. It could also demonstrate to your supervisors that you're willing and able to take on new responsibilities, positioning you for a larger role in your organization or making you attractive to other employers.

5. You've found the time to invest in an online degree program.

One of the biggest reasons for the growth in online education is the convenience. Rather than driving to a brick and mortar location, you can work on the material at your kitchen table. Whether it's once the kids have gone to bed or during your days off, you can work on your college degree at the time and place that works best for you.

 

Today's online colleges offer quality, engaging content that promotes growth and learning. Through a variety of platforms, you have the opportunity to interact with classmates and professors and become an expert in a new field. Getting your college degree online could be the first step to your next promotion or a new career, and you could earn a bachelor's in as little as 2.5 years or an associate's in as few as 1.5 years. Contact ECPI today to find out more about earning a college degree online. It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make.

DISCLAIMER - ECPI University makes no claim, warranty or guarantee as to actual employability or earning potential to current, past or future students or graduates of any educational program we offer. The ECPI University website is published for informational purposes only. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of information contained on the ECPI.edu domain; however, no warranty of accuracy is made. No contractual rights, either expressed or implied, are created by its content.

For more information about ECPI University or any of our programs click here: http://www.ecpi.edu/ or http://ow.ly/Ca1ya.