Why investing in education is the best thing you can do for yourself

Thinking of starting a culinary education?

This decision requires you to exam both personal and professional reasons for doing so.

Many employers today look for post secondary education as a sign of many things:

  • The candidate for employment is willing to invest in themselves and is dedicated to self improvement.

  • The candidate for employment has identified the need for continual self growth and has followed through to completion.

  • The candidate for employment has improved her/his ability to critically think, read and write at a professional level.

By making an investment in a career-specific educational program you put yourself on a track to take charge of your career and development of marketable skills.

There are many reasons to invest in yourself.

Here are a few to consider:

Making More Money

Studies have proven that individuals with post-secondary educations earn more than those who receive no formal education past high school. Simply having a degree or certification on your resume will provide you with an advantage over others applying for the same job.

Meeting People

Continuing education increases the opportunity to meet new people, make new friends, and increase your social network. Social networking can provide you the best job leads in your area.

Happiness

Education increases self-esteem which leads to greater self-worth and happiness throughout life.

Increasing Opportunities

Continuing your education opens the door to greater employment opportunities. Employees are increasingly requiring educational degrees or certifications even with work experience.

Gaining Knowledge

Continuing your education does not mean classroom work alone! You will gain many hands-on skills and be exposed to a wide variety of educational topics and knowledgeable teachers.

Making a Dream Come True

Investing in your education will set you on a path towards fulfilling your dream. You will be surrounded with people who invest in your success and are dedicated to assist in your accomplishments.

Always remember: Life is a journey – not a destination. Enjoy the ride!

Nuts and Bolts – Ways to Finance Your Education

Start with Soil2Service

The Detroit Institute of Gastronomy is a non-profit institution. Soil2Service is the not for profit entity that owns and operates DIG. They have incredible scholarships designed exclusively for DIG Apprentice Students.

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Financing Your College Education ( A how-to guide)

by Julie Bogart
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Finding Scholarships (don’t pay to apply!)

Scholarships are a great way to pay for school without paying for school! Fastweb, for example, will have you fill out a form and they will search databases for scholarship opportunities that are right for you!

Options include: fastweb.com, scholarships.com, myscholly.com

Apply For A Private Loan

Applying for merit-based and need-based Federal aid should be your first step when looking into ways of covering your tuition. If you find yourself still coming up short, private student loans can be a viable option. However, they do come with a price.

Student loans obtained through private banking institutions or schools should be a last resort for financial aid due to their higher interest rates. While Federal student loans typically have a fixed interest rate and do not require repayment when you are in school, the opposite is true for private loans. Additionally, private student loans are not typically eligible for forbearance, consolidation, or loan forgiveness.

Private Loans for Career and Community Colleges

Education Tax Credits

American Opportunity Credit
The American Opportunity Credit is a tax credit for qualified education expenses paid for an eligible student, of up to $2,500 per eligible student. The student may be yourself, your spouse, or your dependent(s). If you take this credit, you may not also claim the Lifetime Learning Credit (as described below).

Lifetime Learning Credit
The Lifetime Learning Credit is a tax credit for any person who takes college classes. It provides a tax credit of up to $2,000 on the first $10,000 of college tuition and fees. You can claim the Lifetime Learning Credit on your tax return if you, your spouse, or your dependent is enrolled at an eligible educational institution and you were responsible for paying college expenses. You need not be enrolled at least half-time. Even if you took only one class, you may take advantage of the Lifetime Learning Credit.

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