You’ve always had a passion for teaching and want to take your career to the next level. All teachers play a pivotal role in helping students learn, however, professors are usually the last teacher students interact with before venturing out into the workforce. That said, being a professor requires dedication to the field and the desire to further your own education. However, it’s one of those careers that requires a lot of work, planning, time, and devotion. Being a professor is a long-term commitment, so it’s important for you to know what to expect. In this post, we’ll review the steps you need to take when you want to become a professor.
Get Your Bachelor’s Degree
Every professor’s career starts by obtaining their bachelor’s degree. A bachelor’s degree is a four-year college program that’s used as a prerequisite for a higher level of education. Becoming a professor is one of the more flexible careers you can have. That said, your BA can be just about anything, like anthropology, architecture, chemistry, and medicine. One thing to note, however, is the requirements of being a professor in a specific field will differ. If you want to become a medical professor, you’ll have to walk the path as a doctor. You’ll need to go to medical school, pass the MCAT, get the right experience, and obtain a Ph.D. It can take about five to seven years to be a professor but remember that it does depend on how you go about it.
Start Planning How You’re Going to Pay for Your Education
Since you’re going to be in school for quite some time, it’s best if you start preparing your finances as soon as possible. The cost of college can be very high, especially when it comes to an advanced position. The overall cost is dependent on the type of teacher you want to be, but the average amount you can expect to spend is around $110,000. At the very least, you could spend as little as $90,000, while the maximum cost exceeds $260,000. So, you might be wondering how you’ll be able to afford this. You have quite a few options at your disposal. For one thing, you could apply for a scholarship and not have to pay too much.
Most scholarships can cover pretty much everything involved with your education. However, there are a few that only finance around half of it, which means it’s up to you to cover the rest. Alternatively, you can consider getting student loan refinancing. This is a process where you take what you currently owe in student loans and turn it into a new one. It’s a great way to lower the costs while also making it easier to transition into a more advanced degree program. One thing to note, however, is that you must graduate for your BA program first. Furthermore, you need to show proof that you’re doing alright financially. Student loan refinancing typically has a few requirements to fulfill before you can be approved.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Have a solid credit score
- Show an adequate checking/savings account
- A low debt-to-income ratio
- Proof of a steady income
- Make sure your current loans haven’t defaulted
Acquire as Much Experience as Possible
What would a professor be without plenty of experience? An unsuccessful one. Making good progress in your programs and having amazing grades is certainly what you want to aim for. However, these don’t make up the entirety of a professor. To be honest, successful professors are made through the wealth of experience they get throughout their career. There are many ways for a professor-to-be to get the experience they need. Typically, you’ll get your first amount of experience through tutoring and teaching actual classes. You can also gain experience solely by becoming a teaching assistant. Volunteering at community colleges is a great way to introduce yourself to different people and how they ultimately learn.
Be Prepared to Travel
One thing that a lot of newcomers may not expect is how much they must travel. Professors aren’t situated to only one classroom or learning facility. They are avid travelers and are constantly going from one place to the other. In fact, it’s how they get experience. Whether it’s within your native country or going abroad, professors are constantly on the move teaching at different universities. If you’re someone who’s not a big fan of being on the move, then you may want to consider your career goals.
Don’t Be Afraid of Failure
Failure is inevitable in any career, and professors aren’t any different. You’re going to go through hardships and may end up ultimately failing somewhere down the line. But that doesn’t mean you should let it break your stride. Failure is an amazing teacher as you can look back on what you did wrong, so you can approach a similar situation differently.
