As the number of education loans increases and the competition to enroll in colleges becomes intense, several students question if a college education is useful. To get higher education, many of them opt for cheaper education credentials that are more aligned to their life’s goals and plans. However, this line of thought or action isn’t a feasible alternative to a college education.

Decoding the Real Picture

A Georgetown study revealed that though some credentials can help the students get higher-paying jobs, they’re typically in the domains that were paying well earlier, like computer technology and aviation. Though students may get lured into choosing a cheaper education credential over a college degree, they won’t see the long-term results.

Another study related to student loans demonstrated that merely 4% of Bachelor’s degree holders defaulted on their loans, which was much lesser than 20% of defaulters who had education credentials. Since education credentials are significantly cheaper than a college education, it’s obvious to think that those with the former would make as much money as their college-educated counterparts and have enough money to pay for their loans. But the reality is starkly different.

Those against going to college have some valid points though. College is extremely pricey, and many students have to pay their education loans for a long duration after they have earned their degrees. Additionally, about 50% of college-educated people say their current jobs aren’t in the field of their education. However, even if their field of work is different from the domain their degree is in, their college education has made them adequately competent to display proficiency in various domains. Though college may not be suitable for everyone, it can still let an average person proceed much further than his counterparts with education credentials.

Why Credentials are Selected Over Degrees

Compared to expensive college degrees, education credentials are more reasonably priced. Additionally, they can stand testimony to an individual’s proficiency in a particular field rather than offering a general overview of his education. When looking for a new position, education credentials can highlight an individual’s skills, thus giving the person a competitive edge over others. But the downside is that education credentials aren’t widely known.

Several organizations and institutions offering these education credentials aren’t regulated. Even when a person gets certified by a company for knowledge in a particular field, employers may not know the company or accreditation agency offering such certification. As a result, they tend to simply look over it hastily when examining the candidate’s resume.

Final Words

Everyone knows what a college degree is, its associated requirements, and the time taken to get it. Even when an individual applies for a job that’s not in the same field his degree is in, his degree still showcases his excellence and time commitment that the whole world knows about and recognizes. When an individual gets education credentials after a college degree, he can stand apart from the crowd, but if he doesn’t have that college degree to exhibit, college credentials aren’t worth his money or time.