Why Self-Employed Workers Should Get a College Degree

It’s a common question for those who plan to be their own boss in the future: do you actually need a college degree? After all, by being self-employed, you control your own work without any requirements or approval needed from any potential employers or higher-ups. It seems that going straight to work and skipping out on any kind of school may be a no-brainer. In all actuality, entering the self-employed workforce without a university degree can cause a lot of challenges (and even more hard work) that you could have avoided by having one in the first place. Here are the top reasons you should consider securing a college degree before becoming self-employed and how to pay for it, including through student loans.

College Gives You Exposure and Experience

It is rare for a young individual who just graduated high school to know exactly what he or she wants to do long-term and how to go about doing it. That’s not necessarily a bad thing — in fact, it’s a part of the journey of youth. What university provides students is both exposure and experience. You are immersed in an environment filled with individuals of all backgrounds, providing you with opportunities to sharpen your people skills and networking abilities (essentials to succeeding as a self-employed worker). Moreover, you gain experience with other fundamental life skills, such as problem-solving, overcoming pressure-filled situations, time management and organizational capabilities.

College Lays Out the Fundamentals

Moreover, a degree will lay out the fundamentals of the subject you are interested in building your career around. For instance, if you would like to work in business as a self-employed individual but don’t know much about the field, an education will provide you with the foundations of how a company operates, among other business-related principles. Armed with this knowledge, you are able to narrow down exactly what kind of self-employed work you can do.

College Sets You Apart

In the end, an individual with a college degree will often have the edge over an individual without one. This is because graduating with a degree shows others that you can commit to something, demonstrating a dedicated work ethic and ability to complete set-out objectives. Moreover, even if you get a college degree in one field but decide to pursue self-employed work in another, your degree still portrays the same capabilities across all areas.

How to Pay for College

The second question for those wondering about a college degree: How will I pay for it? There are several options for you to choose from when it comes to finances, with the most popular being student loans. Many students prefer to take out student loans from private lenders as these types of lenders are more flexible in terms of how much money you can borrow and when you have to pay it back. It is worth researching each company to compare fees and interest rates that best match what you are looking for that will fit your budget once you start your business endeavor.