Going back to school as an adult comes with a laundry list of different considerations: Do you have the time? Can you afford it? Will it actually help you accomplish your career goals?
You may be surprised at how much the world of higher education has changed over the past several years. Many of those shifts have revolved around making degree programs more accessible for students just like you — dedicated, highly focused adult learners who have goals to meet but also have a range of daily responsibilities to attend to.
That's why accelerated degree programs were created. Self-motivated learners can streamline their education with a unique, course-by-course cohort model, allowing you to become an expert in your subject while building the foundation for a robust professional network. Read on to learn more about the benefits of accelerated degree programs.
4 Reasons accelerated degree programs are perfect for busy adult learners
Bellevue University's online classes were designed so that students could have a quality learning experience in a format that fits their schedules and lives. The school's online undergraduate and graduate programs have been built with the priorities of working adults in mind, ensuring that every dollar and hour you invest in your education is well spent.
Accelerated degree programs are designed with the understanding that time and budget constraints are common hurdles for working adults looking to further their education. If you can identify with concerns like these, this could be the perfect type of college program for you.
But how do accelerated degree programs work, exactly? Keep reading to get a closer look and explore the notable benefits of this unique learning model.
1. You can save time
It's no surprise that the primary concerns for adult learners are time and money. Going back to school can be a big commitment. As a busy professional with financial and career responsibilities , it makes sense to be worried about the funds you'll need to earn a degree and the time it will take to accomplish that goal.
Because of this, schools have streamlined the coursework in accelerated programs to cover the same learning objectives in an expedited amount of time.
Each school will structure its programs differently, but at Bellevue University, students register for all their courses at the beginning of their time in the program. They then move from one course to the next with short breaks between sessions. All students are also assigned an advisor who will check in on a regular basis to be sure they're on track to graduate in their accelerated time frame.
2. You can fit your course work into your schedule
Adult learners are no strangers to balancing several different responsibilities at once, whether it's full-time work, parenting, community involvement, military service, or any combination of the above. Adding school into the mix can feel next to impossible.
But accelerated degree programs allow students to fit their learning into their schedules rather than having to schedule their lives around their learning. The calendars for these programs have been reimagined to meet the needs of students who simply don't have the ability or the desire to let school dictate their lives.
Focusing on one class at a time makes it more manageable to complete rigorous course work without putting your other responsibilities on hold. And because Bellevue University students enroll in all their courses at the start of their accelerated degree programs, your classes will run back-to-back without requiring you to re-register after each term.
Another benefit to accelerated degree programs like the ones at Bellevue University is that they don't operate according to a traditional semester model. Once you've determined that you're ready to go back to college, you'll likely be pretty eager to get the ball rolling, so having multiple options for when you can get started is a definite advantage.
3. You can benefit from the support of a cohort
Your instinct may be to believe that an accelerated degree program will inevitably come at the cost of valuable faculty interaction and peer collaboration. But that's not the case at all. At Bellevue University, for example, you'll actually join a group of classmates who are pursuing the same degree track.
You'll then be able to advance through your entire program course by course in a highly interactive learning environment with a supportive community of peers. All members of the cohort can benefit not only from the knowledge and skills of their instructors but also from the real-world experience and diverse perspectives of their classmates — which can result in some networking relationships that could have a long-term impact on your career.
4. You can become a true master of your subject
The way accelerated degree programs allow students to work through their course work one class at a time has some obvious benefits as far as your schedule is concerned. But it also allows you to do a deep dive into just one or two topics at a time.
Because the time-to-completion is expedited, the course work in accelerated programs can be rigorous. With that in mind, it can be an advantage to only focus on one or two subjects at any given time; that way, you can truly absorb the information and effectively add to your repertoire of knowledge and skills that apply to your industry.
At schools like Bellevue University, students in the accelerated degree programs also have access to all the same academic resources traditional students do, whether studying in person or online. There's both an on-campus tutor center and a Zoom tutoring option. Students also have access to the school's Writing Center, which offers many forms of writing assistance, including brainstorming, idea development, organization, documentation styles, and more.
Accelerate your path to a degree
If you're someone who has a clear idea of your career goals and you want to get there quickly, an accelerated learning model may be a great fit for you. There are clear advantages to accelerated degree programs that suit a busy lifestyle like yours.
If you want to learn more about how you can save time and money in your pursuit of a degree, visit the Bellevue University Accelerated Degrees page.
