Each year, 18 million individuals begin studying at a four-year college or at a place of higher learning. However, it is estimated that there is a total of 37 million Americans who have some college education but have not finished their degree simply because, as Dr. Robert Mendenhall puts in his article, Don’t Let Excuses Stop Your From Finishing Your Degree in 2014, “life simply got a hold of them”. But, is this true? Can you not finish your degree because you can’t afford it or simply because you don’t have the time? In Dr. Robert Mendenhall’s article, he puts to rest all of the common thoughts and myths that individuals have that prevent them from finishing their degree.
The first myth he puts to rest is probably the biggest one when it comes to people dropping out of college; I can’t make it to class. Too many people, they might think this is the case. They might work and have a full time job or they could simply have a family they need to take care of. However, we live in a time where many things can be achieved over the Internet, and the same goes for your degree. Many colleges offer online classes that cater and work with people who are in a situation where they have limited time. With this, you can debunk the myth that you can’t finish your degree because of responsibilities.
Another myth he puts to rest is the idea that you can’t afford to go back to school. He starts out by stating, “If you do your homework and research your options, you’ll find that there are affordable options”. This couldn’t be any more closer to the truth; there are multiple scholarship funds that you can apply for. Not to mention that many students qualify for financial aid already. The most important thing Mendenhall recommends is to keep in mind that “higher costs don’t necessarily mean higher quality”. Make sure to factor in everything including tuition, books, and fees. Not being able to finish your degree because of money is now a non-existent thing.
A smaller myth that he puts to rest is the idea that a degree wouldn’t be worth the time and money. A study done by The Huffington Post found out that “The unemployment rate of college graduates is half that of those with a high school diploma”. Where this myth comes from is the basic fact that many people pursue degrees in subjects that don’t offer many jobs in the current state of our society. To avoid this, Mendenhall suggests “researching about alumni placements, employer surveys, and graduate rankings on national test scores”. Don’t let the ideas of a few individuals bring you down about finishing your degree.
With many of the myths regarding the reasons why individuals hold off on finishing their degrees being debunked, are you still holding back? Why? Here at iQ Technologies, we believe in every individual being able to live a happy and successful life by pursuing and completing their college degree.