Washington State Department of Services for the Blind

Why and What?

The first step to take when deciding if you should go on to college or vocational training is to decide why you should go, and what you would do with your degree or certificate.

Here is a list of common reasons people give when they are asked why they want to go to college or vocational programs. If any of the reasons listed match your own reasons for furthering your education, write down the number. Write down or remember all of the numbers that apply to you.

My parents, spouse, friends, or other important people think I should enroll in a college or vocational program.

I need to go to college or a vocational program so I can get a job.

I love learning, and want to continue to educate myself.

I don’t have anything better to do with myself.

Now let’s consider each of these reasons systematically.

For those of you who marked down number one as the reason, or one of the reasons you are considering college or vocational training, your family and friends have placed some great expectations upon your shoulders. This can be positive in some ways, because if your loved ones expect you to further your education, they may be very supportive of all of the hard work and time you will be giving to your studies. On the other hand, if this is the only reason why you are considering a college or vocational program, there could be trouble ahead. Taking on an educational program requires you to make a minimum commitment of at least six months, and possibly four years, of your life. That’s a long time to do something just to please other people in your life.

If you chose number two as a reason you want to further your education, you are interested in the ways that college or vocational training can enhance your career opportunities. It is important to remember that getting a degree or certificate will not guarantee you a job, but it can help substantially in the job market. If this is the only reason you would go to college or vocational training, it might be worth considering employment options in your intended field for people with and without degrees or certificates.

For example, if you want to be a high school math teacher, you must have at least a four-year college degree. If you really want to teach, but wouldn’t be happy going through four or more years of college, then you might consider being a teacher’s aide. Teacher’s aides are typically required to have either a high school diploma or a two-year degree.

Having some knowledge of your basic area of interest, the possible careers in that field, and the schooling required of each career can assist you in making your decision.

Imagine you know you want to work with computers, but you aren’t sure what computer-related job you would like. One way you can figure out which specific career path would be best for you is to consider the variety of jobs that deal with computers, and the amount of schooling and training that each job requires. For example, computer repair would involve a vocational program at a technical college, typically lasting about one year, while computer programming would involve a four-year degree from a college or university. On the other hand, many positions related to computer sales do not require any degrees or certificates.

If you chose reason number three, congratulations! A love of learning will serve you well as you complete a college or vocational program, and it will encourage you to enjoy the experience every step of the way. If you didn’t choose number three, don’t worry, because it is certainly possible to develop a passion for learning.

Some people have negative feelings towards school because they did not enjoy themselves or do well during their elementary and high school years. If you fall into this category, there are a couple of things for you to think about.

First, you have to be honest about your work skills and abilities. You may be very bright, but if you didn’t do well in high school you may not have learned good study skills such as how to take notes, how to meet deadlines, how to organize a paper, how to study for tests, etc. You can still be successful in a college or vocational program, but you should think about taking study skills courses at a community college before you begin your program of study.

Second, you should think about how the expectations of college and vocational programs will affect you. In college and vocational programs, you will be much more independent than in high school, and you will be totally responsible for your own education. This can be a great thing for folks who did not do well with the tightly structured nature of high school, but it also means that if you fail, there is no bail out through extra-credit or Saturday detention; you just lose your money.

If you chose reason number four, you’re in for more than you bargained. Going to college or vocational training because you don’t have anything better to do is a little bit like marrying someone because she’s sitting next to you on the bus. A bit of advice for those of you who picked number four as the only reason to further your education: GET A HOBBY!! There must be cheaper, easier, and more personally meaningful ways to fill your time if this is really the only reason you’d go to college or vocational programs.

Now that you’ve had some time to reflect on the typical reasons for getting more education and training, it is a good idea to discuss your ideas with your vocational rehabilitation counselor from the Department of Services for the Blind. Your counselor can provide guidance on education and employment issues and help you determine where your interests and talents lay.

Furthering your education is a little bit like love. It’s a lot better to try it and fail then never do it at all. In other words, if you just don’t like the schooling process, then it is reasonable for you not to go, but if you’re thinking you won’t go because you’re reluctant to try something new, or you feel like it has been too many years since you were a student, you’re selling yourself short.