Going Back to School — The First Step
Submitted by SharpMan Editorial Team on Sunday 10th October 2010- A few of your back-to-school choices.
- How to choose the educational option that fits your lifestyle.
- Helpful adult education Web sites.
How do you like your job these days? Is it stimulating? Satisfying? Well-paying? If any portion of your answer is somewhat nebulous or — worse — bleak, it may be time to consider a career change or career "boost."
For many SharpMen, boosting or changing careers means going back to school. Making that first move towards going back to school may be harder than any other — or at least that’s how seems based on the length of time it takes SharpMen to make it. This lack of motivation is usually related to the overwhelming choices available. Where do you look first? How do you identify the program that’s right for you? Wanna know more about your options? Check out the SharpWork 411 on just a few of the programs available:
The Choices
Full and part-time graduate programs. For SharpMen looking to add a few more letters to their business cards, part- and full-time graduate programs abound. If you’re looking for information on more traditional graduate programs, The Princeton Review (http://www.princetonreview.com/) is a good place to start. The site offers information on schools across the country, financial aid, scholarships and the standardized test requirements for each program. You’ll also find plenty of information on preparation for exams like the GMAT, LSAT and MCAT.
Realize that traditional graduate programs generally begin in the fall and require applications to be submitted as early as the previous fall. Between application deadlines and entrance exam preparation, your preparation for these schools may require a year or more of legwork.
Of course, not all graduate programs require you to take entrance exams and adhere to limited start dates. Many schools that focus on servicing the adult education market are more flexible regarding admissions requirements, start times and other common obstacles. These schools specialize in making it easy for the adult or "executive" scholar, with flexible class schedules, credit for work experience and more.
Perhaps the fastest-growing segment of both groups of the above-mentioned programs are those schools that offer online learning. Online learning allows SharpMen to study from the comforts of their own homes or offices, and receive undergraduate or graduate credit and degrees from many respected, accredited schools.
For example, University of Phoenix Online was among the first accredited universities to provide college degree programs via the Internet, and offers complete degree programs in business, management, technology and education. Another fully accredited online university is Jones International University, offering a variety of undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs. For more information on distance and online learning program, check out Peterson's. For information on online MBA programs from a variety of "bigger name" universities, check out http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/mba.
All too much for you? Consider an "Executive Education" program offered by many graduate schools. While you may not be eligible to practice law or medicine with one of these three- to four-week degrees, business types can gain valuable information and certification in subjects such as business administration, hotel management and more.
Public and private four-year colleges and universities. If "going back to school" means going back to get a bachelor’s degree, a good introductory resource for adult students is http://www.adultstudentcenter.com.
For more information on applying to an undergraduate program, check out http://www.collegenet.com/, a portal with information and online applications for over 500 colleges and universities, or http://www.collegeboard.com/, a consumer site with information on planning, paying and preparing for an undergraduate education.
Two-year community and junior colleges. When time and resources make a four-year school impossible, a two-year degree can help fill in those missing credentials on your resume. Two-year institutions offer certificate programs (less than two years of work), professional technical programs (terminal associate degrees) and transfer programs (Associate of Arts and Associate of Sciences degrees).
The advantage of a two-year learning program? Most community and junior college students learn in relatively small classes from instructors whose primary responsibility is teaching, not research, and average student-teacher contact time is higher than at other higher-education institutions. In addition, the general cost per credit is lower at a two-year school than a four-year school.
For more information, the American Association of Community Colleges http://www.aacc.nche.edu provides a variety of resources related to the two-year college experience. For a complete listing of two-year colleges in your area, check out http://cset.sp.utoledo.edu/twoyrcol.html.
Vocational, technical and trade schools. Want to learn a new trade or simply how to use the latest technology in a short span of time? Then a vocational, technical or trade school may be the route for you. Most programs can be completed in one to two years, and the pay and job placement is generally higher and quicker than with four-year degrees, because these high-skilled jobs (such as manufacturing and engineering) are generally in such demand.
The programs at these schools are career-oriented and their programs are primarily focused on getting you the training needed to get into the workforce as soon as possible, without all the general education requirements of the traditional four-year schools. For example, these types of schools can quickly and less expensively instruct you in manufacturing and maintaining technology, printing, electrical engineering, HVAC (heating, ventilation and air conditioning), automotive technologies, graphic design and more.
For more information about vocational, technical and trade programs, visit the University of Central Florida’s Vocational Education Resources page (http://www.ucf.edu/ ) or the RWM Vocational School database, with links to schools in all 50 states (http://www.rwm.org/rwm/).
Apprenticeships. An apprenticeship allows you to get on-the-job training in the field of your choice, combined with career-oriented schooling. For more information on apprentice programs, write to the Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training at their national office:
US Department of Labor
Frances Perkins Building
200 Constitution Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20210
(202) 219-5943
Scholarships, Financial Aid and Grants
If your first step to going back to school is "what program?", your second step should be "How will I pay for it?" For more information on scholarships, check out:
The feds. Visit the U.S. Department of Education's financial aid Web site (http://studentaid.ed.gov/) for more info on "what your country can do for you." Also a must see: http://www.finaid.org/, chock-full of information on loans, scholarships, military aid and more.
Other scholarship searches. Visit http://www.fastweb.com/ for a free scholarship search and information service and http://schoolgrantsfor.com/ for other scholarship information.
Loan information. For information on various types of loans, repayment methods and more, check out http://www.accessgroup.org/.
Other Adult Education Programs and Links
Adult Education 102. Also check out http://www2.ed.gov/pubs/TeachersGuide/statedir.html, a complete guide to adult education resources from all 50 states, featuring phone numbers, email addresses, Web sites and contact names.
Salary.com offers comprehensive salary information to help you determine what fields of study will yield a return on your time and money. Search by job category and location.
The United States Department of Education office of Vocational and Adult Education has numerous links to information on loans, grants, research and statistics and more.
How to study. If it's been a while, http://www.how-to-study.com/ offers tips that can get you back in the groove of life as a student.
Additional Questions to Help SharpMen Choose
Employer’s opinion. Whether you’re segueing into a new field or looking to move up in your current industry, ask current and "dream" employers how they view the schools and degrees you’re considering. Would they hire from the school you’ve chosen? Do they believe the degree is relevant and helpful?
Credit for past work or courses. Will your prospective school give you academic credit for previous work experience or pre-existing college credits? If so, you’ll save time and money.
Services. Will your chosen school provide extra services, such as counseling and job placement help? If getting back to work is your ultimate aim, these additional services can make one school a better choice than those without such assistance.
Cost. Finally, review the full schedule of costs associated with each program. Parking, lab fees and other required costs can quickly make a "bargain" look less appealing.
Other costs. Beyond monetary costs, consider the location of your new campus. Will commuting time eat up your study hours? Will a required relocation require you or your SharpWoman to change jobs?