Have you ever thought that attending college part-time might be the best way to get a degree? If so, you’re not alone. Every year, many people choose to earn bachelor’s degrees at their own pace. The opt for this route for a number of reasons. Sometimes they can’t afford anything but a semester of expenses each calendar year.
Others want to remain at their jobs, spend time taking care of children, or simply don’t want to deal with the academic pressure of full-time collegiate study. If you’re currently on the fence about the question of less-than-full-time degree programs, here’s a look at some of the key advantages of choosing the non-traditional approach to higher education.
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Lifestyle
If you enjoy your current lifestyle, social circle, family life, and job, opting for a non-traditional academic schedule can be a wise move. For starters, there’s no need to turn your life upside down, leave work, or move. It’s not just the financial factors that are the prime motivation for most people. It’s often more about maintaining one’s friends, employment seniority, and general lifestyle.
Getting Your Degree And Paying For It
Even if it takes you five or more years to earn a degree, your diploma will look exactly like everyone else’s. Completing your studies is actually easier when you don’t go to school full-time. But, one of the key advantages of taking it slow is financing. Schools are not shy about charging rather high fees for tuition and related fees. When you only need to pay for a few classes each year, costs are far lower than usual.
Plus, it’s convenient to take out a student loan through a private lender to pay for all your academic expenses. It’s no secret that private student loans make good sense for anyone who’s aiming for an undergraduate or graduate diploma.
Less Academic Pressure
You might not think of it at first, but after a semester or two of taking just a couple of classes at a time, you’ll be thankful for the low-key academic atmosphere. Even with quizzes, tests, term papers, and regular homework, part-timers just don’t feel the crush of pressure that often accompanies traditional school schedules.
Build Job Experience
Want to keep the job seniority you’ve carefully built up over several years? If so, you’re among a large group of part-time students who don’t want to let go of their jobs. It’s not always the income, but usually much more than that. This factor plays a key role for anyone who has toiled at a job, built networks, and focused on their long-term career.
No Need For Summers Off
Do the math. Attending half-time, or taking between six and nine credits per semester can get you to your goal in just more than five years. How? Consider that the average university attendee earns 15 credits per semester, but only completes two semesters per year. As a part-timer, you don’t need to take summers off. That means those nine dead months offer nearly enough time for you to catch up and graduate in just more than five years of all-year attendance.
If you are interested in even more lifestyle-related articles and information from us here at Bit Rebels, then we have a lot to choose from.
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