Accelerated degrees allow you to bypass a lot of the steps others have gone through and see your goal completed faster. They are not, however, a cheat. Accelerated degrees are instead wonderful if you are looking for a career change later on in life. You will have already completed your degree, already had experience in a job, but realize that that job is just not for you.
With an accelerated degree, you can go from marketing to nursing in a jiffy. You can go from a dead-end office job to working on the frontline saving lives or in a comfortable job at a clinic in a small town.
Nurses will need to first become Certified Nursing Assistants, and then a licensed practical nurse, and then finally an RN. With online accelerated BSN programs, you can obtain that BSN degree and become an RN once you take the state exam. It is a targeted, intensive approach to see your dream through faster.
Due to their intensive nature, however, you do need to be 100% on board with the process. You need to be completely certain that an accelerated degree is right for you. So let’s take a look at the benefits of taking such a degree.
“I’m still learning.”
– Michelangelo
Benefits of an Accelerated Degree for Your Career
Accelerated degrees are not for everyone. Online degrees are not for everyone. You need to be disciplined and committed to successfully steer your career into a new direction with the right degree and course for you. If you are wondering which is the best route, here are some of the benefits of taking an accelerated course:
1. You Want to Change Careers, Fast
Accelerated degrees allow you to use your existing bachelor’s towards a new degree. If you graduated and have spent a few years in a certain industry, only to realize that it isn’t for you, then this is the best way to divert your career on the right course.
Not every career change will require a new degree. Many skills are transferable. Someone in marketing can work in the marketing department in every industry on the planet.
Accelerated degrees are essential when there are qualifying barriers to your dream job. If you want to do more with your work and really help people by becoming a nurse, for example, you can accelerate your future career by completing one of the best online accelerated BSN programs first. This will allow you to qualify as an RN rather than work your way up and try to study and work at the same time.
Accelerated degrees can be very useful if your career change requires you to have a certain degree on your CV. Check before you commit, however, to ensure it is standard practice or law. You will always benefit from further learning, but it doesn’t hurt to try job hunting beforehand if there are no strict barriers in place.
“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.”
–Earl Nightingale
2. You Want to Learn from the Best University
In terms of learning online, one of the biggest benefits is that you are not restricted to places that you can live. You can learn online anywhere, meaning you can learn from the best university for you, hands down.
3. You Want to Learn from the Best Course
The university itself, however, isn’t the only thing that matters. A highly ranked university can have a poorly run science department, for example. You want to equally find the best course from the best university for the future of your career.
With online learning, once again, you are not bound by location.
4. You Have Responsibilities at Home
If you are a full-time parent whose children are growing up and will soon be old enough for you to go back to work, then online education is the way to go. Your responsibilities at home mean that a commute to and from your institution is not feasible.
By taking an online accelerated degree, you can learn, be there for your kids, and start a thriving career sooner to better support your family.
5. You Want to Save Money
Studying an accelerated degree will help you save money in two ways. One, it shortens the overall length of your degree by using credit you already have towards it.
It also saves you money by cutting down on accommodation costs. You don’t need to stay on campus or nearby, meaning you can instead save big on rent by living further out where your money goes much further.
How to Find the Right Accelerated Degree for Your Career
Accelerated degrees allow you to use your existing experience towards a new change. They can be completed either entirely online or in the case of a hands-on degree like nursing mostly online, and of course, work best with busy schedules.
Despite their positives, the university you enroll with matters. A second rate institution will provide you with a lackluster education at best. It isn’t just what you learn, after all, that matters. It is how you learn it. It is the opportunities and services you have access to while studying.
That is why finding the best program and the best institution for you is essential. Take your time to compare providers and get in touch with them to learn more directly before making such a big decision.
Watch Your Pace for Success
Slow and steady wins the race, which might feel like it goes against the entire point of an accelerated degree.
Just because it is full time and intensive does not mean that you cannot take it easy. A little a day will go so far, so try to build a routine that sets a healthy pace both for any scheduled learning modules and for self-study.
By setting a healthy pace, you can avoid anxiety and stress building up, and in turn, avoid the damage that can be caused by a breakdown. If, even with a steady pace, you still feel like you are being overwhelmed, then it may be in your best interest to take your degree on a part-time basis.
Find the right way for you to learn because, at the end of the day, you will reach your goal so long as you remain committed.
