If you pay any attention to headlines in the media, you’ll be forgiven for thinking that education is obsolete - and that you can easily get ahead by becoming an influencer or YouTube star. But the simple fact is that, in a tech-driven world, an undergraduate degree is more important than ever - and those without it often find themselves at a real disadvantage.
How can that be? I hear you ask - the answer is simple; with so many candidates vying for the best jobs, recruiters have the luxury - and necessity - of cherry picking. This means that those who have completed a college education and earned a qualification will naturally rise to the top of the pile. While we’re not disputing that alternative paths such as apprenticeships, bootcamps and online certifications have their value, they simply don’t pack the same punch as a proper qualification does. In this article, we’re going to be looking at the key benefits of getting your degree in an increasingly competitive world.
1. A High Level Of Commitment
We’ll start with one of the more obvious benefits to earning an undergraduate degree which concerns commitment. For an employer, the fact that a candidate has embarked on - and completed - a three or four year course shows that he or she is able and willing to stick with it even when the going gets tough.
This is important" The path of a working professional has more than its fair share of bumps in the road, so employers want staff who won’t flake at the first sign of trouble. Because of this, it actually doesn’t matter if your qualification is 100% relevant to the industry that you’re looking to enter, because commitment trumps connection.
2. Building A Solid Foundation Of Soft And Hard Skills
It goes without saying that a college education makes you well-informed on certain subjects but there’s a lot more to it than that. This type of formal education also teaches you some really important soft skills such as:
- Critical thinking
- Effective communication
- Problem solving
- Research and writing
- Public speaking
While some of these skills may not appear on job ads, you can bet that they’ll play a big part once you reach the interview stage - during which qualified candidates are whittled down.
Although it is, of course, possible to learn these skills online or at a bootcamp, this is no substitute for immersing yourself in full time learning as an investment toward a high demand, lucrative career. Some colleges will also give you a helping hand through lab placements, internships and work experience programs which will impress potential employers.
3. Expanding Your Mind - And Your Network
When you finish college, you leave with
so much more than a piece of paper. During your day to day college life, you’ll interact with people from all walks of life - from city slickers to those from more rural or overseas backgrounds. What’s that got to do with your education? Quite a lot, actually - becoming comfortable with conversations with professors, fellow students, alumni, mentors and guest speakers means that you’re constantly expanding your network - and your horizons. There’s a good chance that, during your high school years, the people around you had the same background as yourself and so conversations will have been about repeating shared experiences rather than learning about new ones.
College, however, is a big melting pot of different nationalities and life experiences. As well as making valuable connections that may help in your career, it’s worth noting that a significant number of companies actually recruit directly from universities as well as through job boards and fairs.
4. From A Degree To A High Dollar Value
While it may be an uncomfortable fact, it’s a fact nonetheless that those with an undergraduate degree will, statistically, earn more than those with just a high school diploma. We’re not, of course, saying you’ll be stuck on minimum wage without a qualification - hard work and dedication are still valuable commodities - however, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor shows that Bachelor’s degree holders
earn about 68% more than those without.
Additionally, college graduates will often have access to more advanced jobs than the standard entry-level roles; meaning that they’ll not only earn more but they’ll do so more quickly.
You may have noticed that a lot of employers are now, once again, adding degree preferences into their hiring “must haves” - which may mean that, without a college education, you won’t even get a foot in the door.
5. An Access All Areas Pass For The Working World
Startups don’t care about degrees, right? Sadly, this is a common myth which harks back to the days when startups were run by sneaker wearing teenagers lurking over laptops in their bedrooms. These days, startups, digital tech companies and creative businesses are just as disciplined and structured as any other - sometimes more so as niche jobs require niche skills.
If you’ve got your eye on a life of entrepreneurship, an
undergraduate degree will open a number of doors for you both in your chosen field and beyond. A good qualification arms you with a pass to pivot should your first career choice not work out. For example; if you have a degree in psychology, you’ll be perfectly placed to move into the field of UX research or, you could translate a history major into a content strategy role.
As we mentioned earlier in this article, an undergraduate degree is more than just a badge of honor; it shows an ability to learn new skills; something which is extremely valuable, particularly within emerging industries.
Choosing Between College And The University Of Life
If you’re thinking that success is possible without formal qualifications, you’re absolutely right - just look at Richard Branson! The world is full of super-talented, uber-successful artists, business owners, coders and other folk who have smashed it without setting foot in a college - and we applaud them all. The go-it-alone route isn’t for everyone though as many will only thrive through a more traditional, structured process of learning such as a degree.
It's important to note that this isn’t a one or the other deal - if college isn’t possible due to finances or existing commitments, internships and apprenticeships will allow you to learn on the job - and get paid. You can also earn your degree in your own time through online learning which can be more flexible and less expensive than a full time education.
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Final Bell
The world is far from black and white and you may decide not to go to college simply because it doesn’t fit in with your plans - which is great. If, however, your decision to forego a degree comes down to “it’s not worth it”, we beg to differ.
Although you can build a career without formal qualifications, you may lack some of the skills and experience that education can offer. Many college graduates say that the experience instilled in them the confidence, curiosity and discipline that they need to succeed in their jobs and in a world that’s constantly evolving.
As well as giving you a qualification for your future career, college is often the bridge between school and adult life where you’ll learn a great deal about yourself and the world around you - so the idea that college is “just more school” couldn’t be further from the truth; it’s an investment in yourself and your future.
