Now that the summer Olympics have ended, we can all catch up on our sleep and take time to reflect on the examples of the incredible commitment of time, effort, and money athletes and their families have made in their quest to make the U.S. Olympic team and compete for the gold in Beijing.
In the end, many of our athletes, like Michael Phelps, hit their mark and took home gold, silver and bronze medals, while others fell short. It may seem like a lot to risk - until you consider the prize - a sense of personal accomplishment, performing at the highest level, and accolades. Not to mention the huge endorsement deals.
So what does this have to do with education? For many servicemembers and veterans getting a degree may seem just as daunting as competing in the Olympics. After all a college education takes an incredible amount of time, effort, money, and personal commitment. Unlike preparing for the Olympics a college degree is relatively risk free, while the rewards can be nearly as great.
Just like winning the Olympics, earning your college degree is worth gold. In fact people with bachelor’s degrees earn a median salary of $49,000 a year. The median salary for those with some college, but no degree is $35,700, while those with a high school diploma average $30,800. That means that the median value of a Bachelor's degree is over $18,000 a year - about a million dollars over a life time.
Like an Olympic athlete, college students rely on the support of coaches, families, and sponsors to reach their athletic goals. As a servicemember, or veteran, you have education advisors and counselors, supportive family members, and sponsorship in the form of tuition assistance, and the GI Bill; all there to help you achieve your education goals. All you need to do is make the commitment.
Are you ready to go for the gold? If so, then your next step should be to find the military friendly school that can offer you the support you need to reach your goals.
