bachelor’s degree | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

5 Key Facts Why Earning A College Degree Is Important

The importance of earning a college degree cannot be overstated. In today’s competitive job market, higher education opens doors to a broader range of career opportunities and offers many other benefits.

Here are five key facts highlighting why earning a college degree is important:

Higher Earning Potential: One of the most significant advantages of obtaining a college degree is the potential for higher earnings. Numerous studies have consistently shown that individuals with higher levels of education tend to earn more over their lifetime compared to those with only a high school diploma. According to data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, on average, individuals with an associate degree earn about $8,000 more per year than those with a high school diploma, while individuals with a bachelor’s degree earn approximately $27,000 more annually. These earnings differentials can add up significantly, making a college degree a worthwhile investment.
Increased Employment: In today’s competitive job market, having a college degree significantly increases your chances of securing employment. Many employers view a degree as a minimum requirement for job applicants, especially for positions that require specialized knowledge or skills. With a college degree, you demonstrate to potential employers that you possess the necessary commitment, discipline, and intellectual capacity to succeed professionally. Furthermore, some industries and professions have specific educational requirements; with a degree, you may find yourself more in career options.
Job Stability: Another compelling reason to earn a college degree is the increased job stability it can provide. While no educational credential can guarantee a job for life, statistics consistently show that individuals with higher levels of education experience lower unemployment rates and are less likely to be affected by economic downturns. During times of recession, individuals with a college degree are generally more likely to retain their jobs or find new employment than those without a degree. This job stability can provide security and peace of mind in an uncertain job market.
Economic and Financial Stability: Earning a college degree benefits individuals and improves financial stability. Research has shown that societies with higher levels of educational attainment tend to experience more substantial economic growth and development. Individuals with higher education levels often have the skills and knowledge necessary to contribute to innovation, productivity, and economic progress. Moreover, the higher income levels of college graduates result in increased tax revenues for governments, which can be invested in public services, infrastructure, and social programs, benefiting society.
Personal Growth and Improved Self-esteem: Beyond the tangible benefits, earning a college degree can foster personal growth and improve self-esteem. College provides an environment that encourages critical thinking, intellectual curiosity, and personal development. Through exposure to diverse perspectives, engaging coursework, and extracurricular activities, students can broaden their horizons, expand their knowledge base, and develop valuable communication, problem-solving, and teamwork skills. These experiences enhance personal growth and instill a sense of accomplishment and self-confidence that can positively impact various aspects of life.

Earning a college degree is very important in today’s society. It leads to higher earning potential and increases employment opportunities, job stability, and economic stability. Additionally, obtaining a degree promotes personal growth and improved self-esteem. By recognizing the numerous advantages of college education, individuals can make informed decisions about their future and position themselves for success in a rapidly evolving world.

Written By: Justin Hart

Advice for Aspiring Respiratory Therapists

A Respiratory Therapist is a specific medical care therapist who has graduated from a college or a university and approved a national board validating exam. Respiratory practitioners work under the general guidance of a primary provider, such as a doctor or health professional therapist most often in intensive care units and operating rooms, but also in out-patient treatment centers.

Respiratory therapy has been one of the best medical care professions in the United States. This is due to the increasing population of middle-aged and seniors who will be requiring health support for respiratory cases such as emphysema, serious respiratory disease, pneumonia, and other lung and heart problems in the long run. Other cases that will continue to demand for respiratory practitioners consist of cigarette smoking, air pollution and respiratory emergency situations. These are the tips of a respiratory therapist to aspiring individuals who are willing to traverse this career path:

Associate’s and bachelor’s degree graduates will have the same wage rate. The only aspect that will change the wage is the experience. However, if you want to go to the managing level, you will need to take the bachelor’s degree.
The job is very constant. Respiratory practitioners and therapists do not just work at medical centers. They are also in-demand for home care sufferers, treatment centers, assisted living facilities and other organizations having respiratory care.
Going through a respiratory treatment education and studying is not that easy. However, they will teach you everything you need to learn about respiratory care. Aside from theory sessions, you will encounter hands-on studying in an approved medical center under the guidance of a respiratory therapist.

Lastly, to eligibly work as a respiratory therapist, you will need to get two permits. One is the national certification which will be offered by the National Board for Respiratory Care (NBRC) as soon as you successfully pass their exam. The other certificate is your “state license” which will be given specific state licensing boards.

College Level Examination Program Dilemma

CLEP has become quite popular in the home school community. You may be thinking, “What is CLEP?” CLEP is a test created by the College Board to evaluate college degree knowledge of a subject. It’s called the College Level Examination Program. Basically, if your kid knows a subject well enough to successfully pass the test, he can get college credit score for that subject.

If your kid is highly inspired and desperate to engage in an advanced degree that needs a bachelor’s degree as a first step, CLEP examinations can boost your kid’s knowledge. In some cases, your kid can generate his entire degree through the college level examination program. If the college your kid is most interested in participating allows CLEP credit, CLEP can be a great choice, because it’s both cost and time effective. A bright and inspired college student can CLEP a lot of classes in a brief period of time, garnering lots of college credits and saving a ton of money.

Earning a bachelor’s degree through the college level examination program is not the best choice for most learners. The school experience offers much more than a degree. Your kid will find like-minded friends, begin long term connections, learn freedom and self-awareness and build networks that will increase his job possibilities. He will most likely have the chance at many exciting and different internships and study overseas programs and will gain knowledge and life skills through the number of possibilities and experiences college life offers. Your kid will skip many of these benefits if he selects to engage in college at home.

One global lament is how challenging it is to socialize after college. An individual’s college buddies are generally real and long term buddies. It is in the exclusive establishing of an excellent university that your kid will understand who he is and what it is he wants to do with his life. This is why I suggest CLEP only for making credits before coming into college or getting a degree if one already has a career in place.

Rise of Respiratory Therapists

When Santa Fe Community College graduate Marilu Herrera began working as a respiratory therapist at Presbyterian Rust Medical Center in Rio Rancho about 18 months ago, she gained a starting pay of about $24.40 hourly. That was more than her sister, who has a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Mexico, was making as a medical lab technician in those days. “I think, with an associate’s degree and as a respiratory therapist, you can start off pretty well,” said Herrera, who was not amazed to listen to that a new review declares that college learners who generate an associate degree often earn more money than those who have a bachelor’s degree, at least in the first year or two of work.

But Herrera’s sister has lately caught up to her in wage, another point made in the new research, “College Pays: But a Lot More for Some Graduates Than for Others.” The 47-page document, written by Mark Schneider, president of College Measures, uses data from five states, Arkansas, Colorado, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia, to track the earning power of school graduates. In three of the states, Colorado, Texas, and Virginia learners with specialized associate degrees like respiratory therapist, generate more in their first year of work than their alternatives with bachelor’s degrees. The review focuses on programs that are more remunerative than others. Graduates with health, engineering and business degrees are out-earning those with liberal arts degrees. And despite increasing dependency on STEM programs in educational institutions, the report indicates that the technology part of that plan does not pay off economically for those earning degrees in biology or chemistry. It hints that learners should focus on TEM and not STEM.

For example, Texas learners with specialized associate degrees gained an average of at least $11,000 more in their first season of employment than learners with bachelor’s degrees. Still, Schneider recognized that, gradually, learners with bachelor’s degrees gradually economically outpace those who only have associate degrees. Santa Fean Sarah Rodriguez-Aguilar, who is the clinical supervisor for the respiratory therapy department at Christus St. Vincent Regional Medical Center, is aware of that all too well. She gained her second associate degree from Santa Fe Community College and gained $20.18 an hour plus benefits when she began working at the medical center. But upon getting her bachelor’s degree via Pima Medical Institute, her wage increased by $5 an hour.