Education Leadership: Five Things to Consider Before Heading Back to School
Anyone who has finished a degree has, at some point, wondered if they ought to go back to school to add a few more letters behind their title. Higher education has many benefits, whether a master’s or a doctorate.
Between gaining a leg up on the competition, breaking through the glass ceiling, gaining a promotion, or even entering another field of study, obtaining a doctorate can be an excellent step towards meeting your goals. This article about leadership explains the keys to succeeding in your career as an education administrator with having principal entry plans.
Even though you want to further your education, the different parts of your life need to align to ensure that you don’t waste time or money and that you can complete your education without losing your mind in the process. Here are a few things you may want to consider before committing to more years of school.
Finances
First, one major consideration is money. Are you able to support yourself while you pursue your education, as well as pay for the education itself? Do you have savings, vacation time you can use at work, access to student loans, or some other method of paying for your schooling?
Living is expensive, and you don’t want to stretch your finances too thin while you are trying to concentrate on your studies. Be sure you have a budget to help you plan for this period of your life.
Time
The second, related to the first, is time. Pursuing a doctorate takes a lot of time. Do you have the time to balance your work, education, and personal life? Filling every spare moment with work and education is a recipe for disaster, so be sure you have the margin for some fun work into your plan.
Season of life
Third, consider the time of your life. Is this a good time to pursue higher education? If you’ve recently had an enormous life change, such as a move across the country, marriage, or the birth of a child, it may be wise to let the dust settle a bit before biting off more work. On the other hand, if your life has been the status quo for a period of time, it may be a great time to gain more education under your belt.
Support from others
Fourth, do you have a support network? Do you have a network of family and friends who can keep you encouraged, help you with chores around the house, or even drag you away from your books for some time so you can relax? A support network is priceless at any time, but especially during this season of life.
Confidence in your career path with education leadership
Finally, are you confident in your area of study? Have you taken the time to look at the options available, not only in the school you may want to study at but also in the subject matter? Heading back to school is a great time to narrow focus on a particular area you’d like to study, and your previous school work doesn’t necessarily drag you in.
Heading back to school is a big decision and one that shouldn’t be made lightly. Once you have considered your answers to these questions, you are well on meeting your goals through higher education.
