How helpful is a college degree ??

I am planning on getting my PT certification, soon followed by a Bachelors degree in either Exercise Science or Sports Medicine. How helpful is a degree as far as getting a job ( most likely at a gym or fitness facility ) and better pay ??

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Depends on What You Want to Do
by: Anonymous

If you ever decide you want to take NSCA's certification test for Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, then you'll need a college degree. If you really want to get into the subject matter, get a BS in sports science or kinesiology. With that kind of background, you can write your own ticket. If you just want a job writing exercise programs and passing out towels, then you don't need one.

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ACSM A Winner
by: Rabbit

Are you ever going to live/work in England, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Europe, South Africa, or Japan? If you have an ACSM its recognized and respected; in varying amounts. For places like Dubai and Qatar, Collage of Sports Medicine - those three words will get you hired on their own. I recommend, as an international PT the ACSM, If you have a BA also gain the CSCS for your own personal CEd. If not, don't worry about it -- think about this, some of the best gymnastic coaches where never schooled and the ones now that have gone to get BA's and Masters's in an exercise science then go on to these retired coaches unlearn a lot of things they've learned to get real life results from there athletes. Young clock and watch makers spend years at school, most of the good ones however (bearing in mind hand made watches sell for $1m+) work for a master and become successful, and out shine the guys and girls with phd s in engineering. Credentials don,t mean much these days, 60 years ago Phd's etc. where respected and not many people had them, now they're ten a penny. You must know people in your life that are very academic but with no common sense, communication skills or good natural empathy 3 things every PT needs .Also when you go for an interview to a really good place they look at your body language , communication skills, common sense and when they see passion too - they will choose you over a degree every single time. Out of all the people with degrees over the past few years especially, they mostly lack these traits but of course if your socially and have these treats you'll be kicked to the kerb. If anyone is worried about this, and yes I have decreased some what I apologies let answer it the easy way

"How helpful is a college degree? Answer is a little bit, but i'd apply anyway if they ask for a degree as a prerequisite, go to an interview and let them offer you the job. If and when they ask what is your degree, be honest and say 'I don't have one' they will either be upset for wasting there time or they will like you and say thats ok your a good fit anyway. So If anyone is worried about this read a book like Think and Grow Rich, spend time and money on real tangible tools like kettle bell instruction, gymnastic exercises, yoga, pilate, olympic lifting, communication skills courses. A personal trainer with an awareness of biomechanics or kinesioligy is a great asset but not to a degree level - I don't spend 30 min. using video and protractors when teaching a client the optimal force blah blah blah for a bicep curl, I/most personal trainer deal with everyday people some of us are lucky to have some weekend warriors and the odd high school athlete but thats it - where not training Lance Armstrong and utilizing fancy $1m equipment.

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College Degrees are a must
by: Matt Tecmire

Disregard everything that "Rabbit" said in his long and grammatically incorrect statement. The real problem with the Fitness Industry is because there are people out there who are allowed to train othes without an education. To say that customer relation skills are the most important thing to a PT is a joke. There are plenty of people who can communicate in the Fitness Industry that have no clue what they are doing when it comes to real world application of exercise principles. The best thing you can do for yourself is get an education! PERIOD! A Personal Training is not an exercise expert! They are the last on the link of exercise experts! Exercise Physiologists, Kinesiotherapists, and Strength and Conditioning Specialists are considered exercise/fitness experts. Someone who can tell you to do squats because they graduated high school and studied a book to pass a test are not experts. If you ever want to be something more than a PT in a gym than you have to have an education (preferably a graduate degree). Please do not listen to people who tell you otherwise!

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Rabbit
by: Anonymous

Wow, the person identified as Rabbit who said an education is not important just demonstrated that an education is definitely important because his writing is unintelligible. Not to mention the grammatical and spelling errors.

How helpful is a college degree ??

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