When we graduate from high school, many of us are so sick of having to go to class that we never want to think about opening up another text book. According to howtoedu.org, 26.7% of American high school graudates forego. Many cite the increasing costs for tuition, others the hard work, and many the amount of time required to receive your degree.

Despite these very real concerns, American citizens should consider a continuing education program if they want to improve their income, network, and enrich themselves. Want to know what continuing education is and why you should pursue it? Read on.

Continuing Education

Continuing education, as defined by CollegeTransfer.net, is the education received anytime you return to school after an absence. This can be defined as returning to school after dropping out of high school for your GED, returning to undergraduate classes to complete your bachelor’s degree, and going into graduate or doctoral programs. Each type has the final goal of providing you with new skills and work ability.

• Improved Income

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The strongest argument for people to pursue continuing education, whether it is through online education courses or brick and mortar continuing education programs, is that college graduates make a lot more money than those who only completed high school. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, men made $17,000 more annually in 2010 if they had their Bachelor’s degree. For women, the difference was $15,000. There is that old saying that you have to spend money to make money. This is a perfect example of that.

• Networking

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As US News writes, college can be a great location for you to network and set up potential employment opportunities in the future. Your friends, classmates, professors, and advisers all represent opportunities for you to build a bridge for your future well-being. US News recommends using services like LinkedIn while you are in school to cultivate and maintain professional relationships through school. When you get out, you will have a catalog of people you can contact that may be able to find you a job.

• Self-Enrichment

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When you pursue continuing education you open yourself to a world of knowledge and possibilities you never had before. Suddenly, you can study in a foreign country and learn a new language, for example. There is no place for discovering yourself, as eSchoolNews writes, like the college environment. As Krisy Force of the Grand Valley Lanthorn points out, this is one reason a recent study found college graduates to be much happier than their counterparts who have not gone through continuing education.

If all this sounds good to you, you should assess what it is you want to pursue and do it. Online education programs and the best colleges for history, political science, and many other fields are waiting for your application. If you want to improve your life in these three ways, act now!