Asking your partner about education-related decisions...

[LucyMay]

Re: Asking your partner about education-related decisions…

@Sehrysh

A friend’s husband wants to go back to school to get his masters and she’s not as keen on it as him - she thinks that now isn’t the right time given their family and financial obligations.

Let’s say a couple is engaged or married or even just dating, should a partner ask their significant other their opinion on:

1) What they should study (whether the course/degree helps with professional advancement or just for the sake of greater education)?

2) When they should pursue their higher education (now, later, full-time, part-time)

3) How much money they should spend on their higher education/should he/she take a loan to study?

Definitely warrants a discussion. Going back to school is not a simple decision - it has a lot of impact on the couple’s future. Education in the US and Europe is very expensive, so if the husband is undertaking such a financial liability, it kind of implies some sacrifice from the wife (both in terms of money and time spent together).
Another thing to consider is whether he is taking a loan - in that case what is the plan to pay it off? Loan repayment affects decisions like moving back to your home country - till the loan is paid off, the couple may be stuck in the country they’re in.