December 22, 2022

The Value of Higher Education

By B&SC Blog Team

The Value of Higher Education

Is getting a higher education worth it? The short answer is yes. Valerie Senatore, PhD, Vice President and Chief Academic Officer at Bryant & Stratton College, offers some insight into why pursuing a degree or a certification is worth the investment.

The value of higher education can vary depending on the institution. Some colleges and universities concentrate on teaching critical thinking but often shortchange applied career education. Throughout its 168-year history, Bryant & Stratton College has specifically focused on careers to effectively prepare students to enter the workforce right after they graduate.

One of the keys to our success with this career-focused model is our faculty. We hire professionals from the industries we offer programs for and then invest in their development as educators. We also spend significant time with these professionals to learn how to adjust our teaching and learning practice to meet future industry employment demands. Whether it’s a new employee or an employee they are looking to upskill, we have the tools to create a mutually beneficial curriculum that translates to success for the student and their future employer.

Another way Bryant & Stratton College differentiates itself from other higher learning institutions is through our Career LifePrep program. Part of this program’s success is our very thoughtful content development for first-term courses. We evaluate the rigor level and work to raise it over the time that a student spends with us in a way that allows them to start learning how to juggle multiple things at once, because they are going to do that in the workplace. We very purposefully design the path for students to introduce industry applications on day one. We then support students along their journey as the program increases in intensity and difficulty so that they have the best chance for success.

With higher education, you have a major advantage for career success through internships. An internship founded on strong partnerships between business partners and colleges can be one of the most valuable aspects of earning a credential. Bryant & Stratton College has a large network of industry partners, which has led to positive outcomes for students. We are sending students into the industries they are studying either through internships or clinical programming. Our employers can see them in the workforce, and then they hire them. So we end up with kind of a recursive cycle: The employers then want to further partner with us and bring in some of their first-line personnel to have them level up to the next role in their profession.

One of the barriers to higher education, which contributes to the notion that it is not valuable, is the cost of going to college. Financial aid exists for students on the federal and state level. For example, there is roughly $6,800 a year available in Pell Grants for people who have a low estimated family contribution. If you live in the state of New York, you may be eligible for an additional $5,500 with the Tuition Assistance Program. Bryant & Stratton College also offers grants to students and scholarships to student athletes.

Time and flexibility are also reasons why some question the value of higher education. At Bryant & Stratton College, we have in-person and online programs and a combination of both, which eliminates some of the barriers those considering college face. We work with each individual student to determine what they are looking for in a career, how they want to learn, and what they need from us to ensure they have a successful path forward to the career they want. We also offer smaller class sizes and cohorts, which allow students to have the same peers throughout their program journey. This fosters teamwork and gives students a chance to connect with others like them. 

The value of higher education is not only about the student but what the college or university offers to them. Bryant & Stratton College offers many programs, financial support, and counsel to help students achieve career success and realize the value of higher education. Learn more at https://www.bryantstratton.edu/.

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