You know earning a college degree is worthwhile, but do you need a bachelor’s degree right now?
Obviously, more education is valuable in a number of career paths—but there are also situations in which it makes good sense to earn an associate degree. Here are a few things to consider, and reasons you might choose an associate degree (at least for now):
You want to dip your toe into the waters of college.
Maybe you weren’t the best student in high school. Maybe it was a big struggle, even. The wonderful thing about community college is that it’s open to everyone—and the class sizes are small and the whole environment is more personal.
Plus, the entire staff—from the admissions team to the instructors—are there to support you and your success. Start with an associate degree and see what you think. You could decide to work for a while or transfer to a four-year school.
You’re paying your own way.
There’s no getting around the fact that college has never been more expensive. But if you’re committed to getting a college education, an associate degree at a place like Front Range Community College is significantly cheaper.
You can save thousands of dollars. And even if you do decide to transfer to a four-year college or university—right away or down the road—the effort now will give you a boost in earning power and marketability over having no post-secondary education at all.
You need flexibility.
Maybe you work full-time. Maybe you have a family and/or other dependents to support. If it simply isn’t feasible for you to attend classes on weekdays—and you’re seeking to fit school into your life, not the other way around—an associate degree is worth a look.
You want to get right to work.
One of the biggest benefits of many associate degree programs is that they are designed to get you working as fast as possible and give you practical experience along the way. These degrees prepare you for employment, and several of them incorporate hands-on work experience right into the program.
You have a very specific career path in mind that only requires an associate degree.
While a bachelor’s degree is an entry point to many careers, an associate degree is sufficient for many other types of in-demand jobs today. Take a look at electronic engineering tech, health information technology, or automation and engineering technology, for example. FRCC’s new Center for Integrated Manufacturing is a great source of information about the advanced manufacturing industry and possible careers.
Let’s face it: When you’re short on time and low on funds, an associate degree is an affordable solution that will still get you a quality education. You can always continue on for a bachelor’s degree later—but in the meantime, you can get in and out of school quickly and get your foot in the door of a variety of careers.
What are you waiting for? Start your educational journey—and make today your “someday.” Get started at FRCC and we can promise you this: You won’t regret it!
