In his job as University of Phoenix’s social media communication manager, Brandon Ethridge is in a unique position to influence students and help them avoid getting overwhelmed by the requirements of a degree program. He knows what he’s talking about. Ethridge has worked at University of Phoenix for 12 years, first as an academic advisor. His best advice to students is to just “take a step forward.” “You don’t have to leap,” says Ethridge. “That first step is enough to start.”

Your boss, family members and friends are all potentially affected by your decision to go back to school, so you can’t leave them out of the equation. If they know what they can and can’t expect from you, it will lessen the blow when you’re inevitably less available than you used to be. As you communicate your needs, give them the chance to do the same. Hernandez recommends working together to come up with a schedule that makes the most sense for everyone.

Now a high school teacher, he shares those memories with his students. His message is that “success is possible; all you have to do is try.” He wants to show them that if he could concentrate on his studies and complete his degree while serving overseas in a volatile and unpredictable environment, they can overcome any obstacle they may face in life. Steer is just one of numerous alumni who attended University of Phoenix while deployed overseas with branches of the U.S. military. The University is familiar with accommodating the unique challenges faced by active duty service men and women, veterans and military spouses.

Brandon’s Degree Journey

Ethridge earned a Master of Science in Psychology degree from University of Phoenix. He’s the first person in his family to go to college at all, let alone get an advanced degree. He admits that he didn’t work as efficiently as he could have during his educational experience. In fact, he feels that he wasted time and money by switching degree programs in the middle of his college career. It’s that waste that he wants to help students avoid.

Helping Students Know What They Want

Ethridge says that many first-time college students “don’t know how to start school.” He helps them by encouraging them to explore their passions and discover where their true interests lie. He gets students to think about what they like and don’t like about their current job. He even goes so far as to suggest that students shadow a person with their dream job before they commit time and money to earning a degree in that field.

About University of Phoenix

University of Phoenix offers a variety of business undergraduate and graduate degrees. The University has locations in 22 states for in-person learning and is available online to students worldwide. More than one million students have earned degrees from the University since it was founded in 1976.University of Phoenix is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (http://hlcommission.org).

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