Academia calling: Should the pandemic prompt you go to go back to school?

You’ve considered going back to school before, but the COVID-19 shutdown has brought it back to the forefront of your future plans. Won’t employers be looking for educated workers? Won’t innovative companies want to hire the best and the brightest as they attempt to regain economic dominance over their competitors? Maybe. But “better” doesn’t always mean “more educated,” as many employees with advanced degrees have learned — and that was before the pandemic started. Still, there’s nothing wrong with trying to better yourself.

While there’s always value in gaining additional knowledge, your additional education may not always pay off in your paycheck, so do your homework, which should include:

• Checking the data from the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics to see which fields will show high growth in the years ahead. If you’re in a dying industry, you still might want to consider an advanced degree but maybe not in your current field. Take note of occupations with high growth and adjust your career and educational plans accordingly.

• Asking yourself which areas you need to add or improve; which skills you need in order to change jobs or careers; which degrees offer the opportunity to grow those skill-sets; and if you have the time to complete your degree and maintain your personal commitments.

• Checking their current employee benefits to see if there is a tuition match or discount in general or with certain institutions. On a related note, bring it up during your next review to see if your boss will assist you in getting a tuition benefit.

• Considering the math so see if paying for a degree out of pocket will pay off in the long run. Check out the average salary of people in your industry with advanced degrees to see if you can justify — at least financially — working toward a degree.

• Setting goals that align with your academic plans. If you want to be in a managerial position soon, you may need to earn that MBA sooner than later. If you see yourself on a longer timeline, you may have a few years before you’ll feel the need to go back to school.

• Assessing the time it will take to pursue a degree. It can be timeconsuming, especially if you’re trying to work while going to school. Work in the time you want to spend with your partner, your children, your parents, your friends and others.