Make yourself recession-proof with an affordable education at Seminole State
While the Great Recession of 2008 now seems safely distant in the rearview mirror, you never know what economic speedbumps and potholes lie in wait on the road ahead. The economy is volatile, and you can never be certain when the next dip, recession, or depression might be lurking. All you can do is prepare yourself for the next period of instability.
And research continually shows that the best way to make yourself recession-proof—that is, get a well-paying job and hold on to it—is to get a college degree first.
Even before the Great Recession, college grads were far more likely to find jobs. According to a recent study by the Pew Charitable Trusts, 69 percent of recent college graduates with a bachelor degree and 64 percent of those with an associate degree were employed, compared to just over half (55 percent) of young adults with only a high school diploma. During the economic downturn, college grads fared much better, experiencing only a 7 percent employment decline for bachelor degree grads and 11 percent for associate degree grads, next to a whopping 16 percent drop for high school graduates.
The same study found that while wages decreased for everyone during the recession, the drop in pay for four-year college grads was half that of non-grads. Also, those college graduates who were put out of work were able to pick up new jobs far more readily than their less-educated colleagues—even in the midst of the greatest economic calamity since the Great Depression of the 1930s.
Regardless of whether the stock market is bull or bear, boom or bust, data repeatedly points to a college education as the best ticket to financial prosperity and stability. The Center on Education and the Workforce found that, by 2020, the minimum requirement for 65 percent of job openings is some college experience or an associate degree—including 35 percent that require a bachelor degree.
When times are tough, people are understandably wary of taking on debt, and student loans can be a hefty burden without the guarantee of a future career. But the numbers indicate college is well worth the investment. The Bureau of Labor Statistics found that workers with at least a bachelor degree pull in $1,173 in median weekly earnings, while those with only a high school diploma and no college experience make $712 per week. Overall, men with bachelor degrees earn a mean of about $900,000 more over the course of their lifetime than non-college grads, and women with bachelor degrees make $630,000 more.
You don’t have to break the bank to go to college.
Enter Seminole State College of Florida. Located in in the metropolitan Orlando area in Seminole County, Seminole State provides learning opportunities at four campuses and sites as well as Seminole Online, the College’s virtual campus. With seven bachelor degree programs, including in high-demand areas like nursing, construction, and information systems technology, you can earn a degree at a fraction of the cost of other schools. The annual cost of tuition and fees at Seminole State is just $3,131 per year, less than half that charged to in-state students at public state universities ($9,410 per year) or attendees of private colleges ($32,410 per year).
Seminole State’s partnerships with the University of Central Florida, the University of Florida, and Complete Florida give current and prospective students additional options to complete their degree and not incur overwhelming debt.
DirectConnect™ to UCF provides guaranteed entry to UCF for all Seminole State students and alumni who obtain, or who have previously obtained, an Associate in Arts (AA) or Associate in Science (AS) degree.
The partnership with UF Online, the University of Florida’s online baccalaureate degree program, allows Seminole State AA graduates easy transfer to UF Online bachelor degree programs not offered by Seminole State, such as anthropology, environmental management, public relations, and sports management.
Complete Florida is a free service provided by the State of Florida to the more than 2.8 million adults across the state who have earned some college credit but have not graduated. The program helps these students complete their certificate, associate or bachelor degree and also offers year-round scholarships to help with tuition, materials, and books.
Lower costs mean less debt to pay off once you get that coveted golden ticket diploma—and it means you can start making and banking those extra earnings quicker. Once you get your better-paying job, you can immediately start building equity, savings, and career experience that will help protect you against anything the economy may throw at you. And so, when the next downturn hits, you’ll be virtually recession-proof and unimpeded on the highway to a prosperous future.