To Study or Not to Study???

I spoke to your aunt recently and she told me that you were sitting for your final exam. I hope it all went well. I am toying with the idea of studying myself. Do you think I would have a little too much on my plate if I was to attempt full time work in conjunction with a uni degree as a mature age student?

My first response to X was that the competition is fiercely aggressive and this generally reinforces the need for tertiary education. A qualification provides us with a dynamic edge because there are more candidates than ever before so a degree (or multiple degrees) have now become a necessity.

On the other hand, I also believe that if you are successful within your current arena, taking on additional study may stunt your growth. This is because although a degree will give you the privilege of swimming in a different pool of candidates, it is no longer a 'meal ticket'. Your experience, persistence, focus, passion, clever networking and determination will get you further.

To paint a better picture, I was a Marketing Manager studying full time postgraduate law. I could not relate my units to work at the time. I struggled to prioritise tasks but felt that my education was more important so I dropped down to part time work. I was able to do this as I had minimal financial responsibility. But, I am assuming this is not an option for everyone especially for a mature student. I passed but only hit the 60-70 range, which really bothered me as legal employers look carefully at transcripts.

As the legal sphere (like most) is saturated with exceptional candidates, the smallest discrepancies in marks will set you miles apart. The stress of performing was intense and it was hard to focus on both my job and study. I felt like I was burning out on both ends, finding the energy was an accomplishment of its own. Eventually I quit my job and started to focus more on improving and maintaining marks because I was adamant about practicing law.

I truly believed that this degree was a long term career path, not a hobby. I knew that my law degree would add to my current skill scope, enhance my experience and allow me to break through the glass ceiling. In fact quitting my job gave me more initiative to study as I refused to allow that compromise go to waste.

Alas, I did not and will not practice law. Looking back I believe that with strong leadership and solid experience I would have ended up in a similar position without my Juris Doctor.

So... what was my response to the above query from X?

• I wouldn't recommend studying a postgraduate degree full time in conjunction with full time work because it requires meticulous effort. Or, begin as a part time student then add to your workload rather than overwhelm yourself and lose motivation.
• You will not pass your units if you can't dedicate resources and commit to a study regime. Your lack of interest and dedication will be most evident and frustrating around the assessment period. Don't let your marks dwindle because you can't commit, you must make study a first priority.
• You may want to make note of the fact that exam period becomes very stressful so think carefully about how well you cope with stress. Ask yourself, will stress interfere with my performance at work or in my personal realm? And would this interference be to the detriment of your well-being and career prospects? If so, then studying seems redundant.
• In saying this, there are certain subjects that don't require exam assessment, you may only be required to submit dissertations. Therefore, prior to selecting units I would research the subject outline and take note of the assessment requirements then deduce in what circumstances you perform better - exam or essay conditions?
• You should note which classes are compulsory and familiarise yourself with the TIMEtable. Unfortunately the university may set questionable times for compulsory lectures or tutorials (these can fall on weekends or during the day) which would not be applicable for most full time workers. If this is the case I would advise picking subjects with little or no class participation. I have passed subjects previously without attending ANY lectures because I used that time wisely to make study notes instead. BUT, a word of warning, if you do not find the drive or focus to study you will fail. You need to be prepared (especially if you have little or no experience with study/uni routine), as the saying goes Fail to Plan you Plan to Fail.
• If you make good money and feel content with your position but feel like you aren't getting ahead, study is not the magical answer. Why risk the possibility of starting on a much lower salary and working in a field that you may not even like? Reassess your thought process.
• Most universities hold classes and subjects over the summer period. Although these classes are more condensed you can use summer school as a means to speed up your degree or fill in the blanks if you failed some units. This is very important because you want to prevent prolonging your studies as this will tarnish your drive.
• Entertain the notion of taking leave around assessment period to rest and focus on study. Consider whether your job would cater for study leave, if there would be any repercussions and if you would prefer to be holidaying or can't/refuse to use your leave for study purposes. By applying this thought process you will be able to better define the level of enthusiasm and interest in completing what you started.

Study CHECKLIST:

• What level of degree do you want to pursue? (This will outline the workload and pool of peers/support.)
• What units are involved? (Are these applicable to your current job or desired path?)
• How is this degree persevered, will it be difficult? Can you obtain current student feedback to measure the expected input? (Where have they ended up and what do they recommend about it?)
• What is the assessment criteria? (Can you keep up? Do you test well under these circumstances?)
• Is class participation compulsory? (Check the times!)
• How much will it cost and can i afford it? ($2,500 to $4000 per subject?) And, will i recover those costs? What is the expected salary relevant to this qualification and what is the likeliness of career progression in this field? Does the end justify the means?
• Will my current working arrangements allow me the flexibility to sacrifice my time and efforts? Can I apply these resources to my degree without repercussions?
• Will I be happy to use annual leave to study for tedious exams instead of holidaying?
• Will the units I study be applicable to my current role or enhance my career prospects? (Evaluate the purpose of further study.)
• Which university would I attend and what is their application criteria?

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