Education and Business

Archive for August, 2009

Education is something that continues from the day we are born until the day we die. In some cases, it’s formal, with definite starting and finishing times and a specific course of study.

After high school, some children go on to university, college, community college, or a technical school. Oftentimes, that’s our children’s first experience with true independence, which is a completely different kind of education. And, in addition to the formal subjects, schools of higher education also offer learning in social skills and other life skills.

The freshman year offers the potential for pitfalls, and students show their ability or lack of ability to handle independence quickly.

Food, money, recreation and study habits are the four most common problem areas in the freshman year. You can help your child succeed by talking with them about this ahead of time and helping them set specific goals in each of these areas.

Food: With the multiple choices in the school cafeteria, and no one monitoring their intake, children may choose based on taste rather than nutrition. The infamous ‘freshman fifteen’ weight gain comes from this.

Money: Unprepared students are likely to run into disastrous problems when they are suddenly expected to make payments for books, housing and tuition.

Recreation: Without supervision and a curfew, freshmen can get caught up in the excitement of seemingly unlimited time to play. Sometimes their dorm mates are of legal drinking age, leading to the temptation to party all the time when that seems to be the only opportunity for fun and socializing.

Study habits: Regular studying rather than last minute cramming is essential. Being a full time student is equivalent to having a full time job, and freshmen are often surprised by how much time they need to study in addition to the time spent in class.

You can help your college-bound child prepare for school by talking with her about these potential problem areas, and helping her set realistic goals. During the senior year in high school, you can help your teenager prepare for
college by giving her the chance to practice more independence while still living at home.

You can give your teenager the opportunity to schedule his own time, to choose his own food, to budget his money and time, within some limits. It’s important to be balanced, giving him some freedom yet not too much.

The danger for teenagers who have had no choices at home is that they tend to go out of control when they first get to college and have complete freedom. Setting goals and achieving them, making wise decisions, and learning self- discipline are all habits that are learned over time, not overnight.

Of course, some students are better off taking some time between high school and college, or attending a community college and continuing to live at home. This gives your teenager the opportunity to learn important life skills before going on to formal education. As a parent, you can help your child to evaluate and decide the best route. If your student needs more time to develop maturity and life skills, you are wise to give them the time rather than pushing them before they are ready.

Whether your teenager goes directly from high school to college or takes a break, you can help them make choices and develop skills that will serve them well throughout their lives.

So, like most people you are likely reeling from the cost of college these days. Scholarships seem like a great option to lessen the blow to your wallet. But, you may be wondering if they are achievable for the average student.

The good news is they most certainly are. Not all scholarships are academic scholarships that consider only the straight A, honor-roll students. Many relatively unknown scholarships are available. For example, have you heard about the duct tape prom dress scholarship? Or, what about the scholarship that’s just for tall people?

Yes, those scholarships are real. And, there are many others out there like them. But, how in the world do you go about finding one the suits you (or your students) quirks?

The information is out there, much of it online. Here are 3 Simple Tips for locating unusual scholarships online:

1. Use Search Engines – Using Google search for “left hand scholarships” (with quotes) if you are left handed. Insert your various unique qualities and / or hobbies. Don’t overlook small things, like hair color, eye color, height, etc… You never know what you will find!

2. Sign Up For a Scholarship Database – There are many scholarship databases online, some free, some paid. These databases usually contain a fairly comprehensive list of available scholarships. We review several popular databases on our site.

3.Visit message boards and forums – A search on your favorite search engine for “scholarship forum” or “scholarship message board” will likely provide you with a wealth of resources. Visit active forums to network with other students who are looking for scholarships. Interesting scholarshipswill likely get talked about. This is a great way of getting “in the know”.

With a bit of time and effort, you can uncover real gems. Unusual and quirky scholarships do exist, you just need to find them. The internet can be a great tool to mine for these treasures.

Is an Online Business Degree Right for You? Deciding if an online business degree is right for you is an easy task. With the wide selection of programs, flexibility and personalized formatting, an online business degree is a great choice for any one new to the business world or those that are very experienced but looking to learn more.

These degrees can be obtained in many fields of business, for examples, accounting, general business, leadership and marketing. Many colleges offer these business degree, but three well know, accredited online colleges are Ashworth College, Kaplan University and Walden University.

To decide which online business degree is right for you, it is best to decide what your career goals are or what your current job calls for. For instance, if you want to start your own small business, then a degree in marketing may be your best bet. But, if you are currently a manager at your place of business then a leadership degree may get you the skills you need to get a promotion and a raise in your current career.

Other individuals may pursue an online business degree in order to change careers. Many nurses, teachers and other non-business career holders seek online degrees while working at their regular job.

Applying is easy. All you need is a high school diploma or G.E.D and a wilingness to learn. Depending on your previous college experience and work history, you may be able to obtain your business degree in as little as six months.

Before deciding on a university that you are interested in, make sure that they are accredited and the staff has extensive experience in the field that you are interested in.

Once you have decided to enroll, getting started is easy. Most colleges offer year round enrollment so that individuals can get started on their studies right away. After enrolling, most online programs make the coursework available for immediate download so that you can start that very day itself.

What are the Advantages to Completing an Online Bachelors Degree?
An online bachelors degree is a four-year college degree that an individual completes and earns through the Internet. The biggest benefit of an online bachelors degree is that it usually takes less time to complete.

Most individuals can complete their online bachelors degree in as little as three years. If you have prior college credits to transfer or relevant work history to consider, then you can complete your degree in as little as six months.

Another benefit to completing an online bachelors degree is that the course work is extremely flexible. Classes can be taken any time throughout the day and you never have to leave your house. All course work is completed via the Internet either through downloadable lessons or virtual class times.

The average online bachelors degree program requires at least twenty hours of course work a week. But since the course are completed online, individuals can work faster or slower, depending on their schedule, as long as the course is completed within the allowed time frame.

The standard time frame for the course work of an online bachelors degree is one class every five weeks. This schedule allows a student to concentrate solely on one class or module at a time ensuring that they learn all of the information presented in that session. This is an advantage over traditional four year colleges because with an online program you can devote your time to each session without being distracted by other classes and information.

Tuition payment is also easier with an online program. Online degree programs qualify for the same tuition assistance that on-site programs do. Therefore, individuals can apply for student loans, payment plans and employer reimbursement programs. Plus, some online colleges allow the student to pay as they go, cutting down on upfront college costs.

Earning an online bachelors degree is a perfect way for individuals that are currently employed full time to further their careers. By studying online, individuals can keep their regular job and still earn a degree in record time.

To qualify for enrollment, you are only required to have a high school diploma or G.E.D. Since no prior college education is required, online degrees are also the perfect choice for someone that must work full time to pay for.

If you are contemplating earning your bachelors degree, then an online bachelors degree program is definitely worth researching.

Why You Should Choose an Accredited Online Degree

An accredited online degree is a college degree that is received through Internet studies offered by an accredited college. This means that the school or university that is offering the degree has been approved by a national or state board of education.

In order to offer an accredited online degree a college must offer its course work and lesson requirements to the board of education for approval. The board will then go through that course work and make sure that it adheres to the industry standards for completion.

When contemplating completing any type of degree over the Internet it is best to do so with an accredited online degree provider. Accredited degrees are more reputable and the credits transfer to other schools should you ever decide to further your education again.

Online degrees can come in many forms. You can earn an associate’s degree, bachelors or masters degree or even a course completion certification diploma.

To earn a masters accredited degree online, you must first possess a bachelors degree from a regular or online college.

To earn a bachelors accredited online degree, you need to have at least a high school diploma or G.E.D.

With both degrees, you can shorten the amount of time it takes to complete by having prior college credits or related work experience.

It usually takes about three years to complete an accredited online degree. This time frame is based on a curriculum of at least twenty hours of course work a week. Some degrees, like a specialized law degree, can take up to four years to complete.

By choosing an accredited online degree program as opposed to a regular degree program, you are choosing a degree of a higher standard. With an accredited degree, there will be more choices opened up to you and more occasions for advancement.

What are Accredited Online Degree Programs?

Accredited online degree programs are college programs that are offered over the Internet by certified schools and universities. Accredited online degree programs are tested and approved by state or national education review boards.

There are many different types being offered on the Internet. These programs include degrees in many different fields such as accounting, law, business management and healthcare.

A few well-known schools that offer accredited online degree programs are Phoenix University, Concord Law School and Pierce University. Accredited online degree programs usually offer a completely off-site program, meaning that the student can access everything they will need to earn a degree from the comfort of their own home.

Also, these online degree programs usually offer downloadable lessons that can be accessed and completed at any time during the day or night. However, some programs do require the attendance of virtual meetings or classes that are put on at certain times throughout the day via the Internet.

To find out which degree program is right for you, you first need to choose a field of education that interests you. After defining your field of interest, seek out a school that specializes in that field.

Accredited online degree programs are very useful for those individuals seeking to further their education while continuing full-time at their present job. Some even offer credits for work already completed in the same field as the sought after degree. These credits are usually based on work or life experience. Also, some programs accept credits from other colleges.

Applying prior credits toward accredited online degree programs will help to shorten the length of time required to receive your new bachelor’s or master’s degree. While some programs can take up to four years to complete, prior credits can reduce your education time by up to two years.

How to Get Your Bachelors Degree Online

Getting a bachelors degree online can be a fast and easy way to further your career. But before you enroll, there are a few important things you need to know.

First, you’ll want to make sure that the college that offers the online degree is accredited. School and universities are accredited on a state or national level. This accreditation means that a board of education has researched and approved the schools curriculum and course work.

Next, you will want to make sure that the school is highly recognized and that the bachelors degree is transferable. This helps because someday you may want to further your education by completing your masters degree and you will need to be able to transfer your bachelors credits.

Prerequisite to getting a bachelors degree from any university, you must first have at least a high school diploma or a G.E.D. It also helps to have some college or previous work experience under your belt. If you have previous college credits, then they can be applied toward your bachelors degree program and shorten the length of time that you will need to be enrolled in school.

Without previous college credits, most bachelors degree online programs take up to three years to complete. This time frame is based on an individual that takes at least twenty hours of course work a week. With prior college credits, or by spending more time on course work each week, some individuals can complete their bachelors degree online program in as little as one year.

To decide which college or university to enroll with, it is best to decide what type of degree program you need. Many colleges offer these programs but some specialize in different fields. For example, a person who wants a bachelors degree in business night want to go with Ashworth College, while a person that wants an education degree would want to go with Penn State University.

Once you have chosen a bachelors degree online program, you need to research its class schedule. Many online programs allow you to download the course work and complete it on your own schedule, but some programs require that you log on to the Internet for virtual class sessions a few times a week at a designated time.

Here are some benefits to studying for your college classes the right way: more leisure time, less stress, less pressure from your parents, less debt, better grades, and better career opportunities. Sound worthwhile? That doesn’t mean there isn’t work involved, but it’s how you accomplish the work that matters. You can either work smarter, or keep spinning your wheels while barely hanging on to passing grades. Follow these tips to make the most of your time and mental resources:

Establish Successful Habits. Here’s a simple formula: Successful habits lead to success and unsuccessful habits lead to failure. Commit to studying by establishing a set time and place. Eliminate distractions, turn off your cell phone and for that time period dedicate 100 percent of your energy to learning.

Get Roommate Cooperation: Discuss with your roommate the best times for you to study. Make that time off-limits to guests and loud distractions.

Prepare. Read the topic chapters before the lecture. (If you haven’t purchased the book yet, now is the time to do it!) This will get you familiar with the material and give you an indication of what the professor thinks is most important by what is stressed in the lecture.

Take Notes. As you read, write notes on what you think are the important points. Then, during the lecture, use a highlighter to mark your reading notes when the professor touches on the same points. Take new notes on material that is not in your book or that you did not already write down.

Study More Often for Less Time. Cram sessions are the least effective way to learn and retain information. It may sound cool to pull an all-nighter, but actually, you’re wasting your time as it prevents your brain and body from functioning at peak levels. Break up your study sessions into 45-minute blocks with a 10-15 minute break in between. Grab something to eat, stretch, or go for a walk. This gives your brain a chance to absorb the material. Of course this requires that you plan ahead instead of waiting to crack open your book the night before!

Study in Groups. Studying with other people helps to reinforce the material by discussing, clarifying, and repeating it in your own words. In addition, it also forces you to commit to a time and place to study since other people are counting on you.

Relate it to Real Life. It’s much easier to digest and remember information in the context of a story or personal example than memorizing a bunch of unrelated facts. Whenever you can, relate the material to real life. Find examples in your personal experiences, music, books, current news stories, business, pop culture, or case studies.

There are many reasons people seek degrees in today’s day and age. As a grown adult, it may seem like an unrealistic goal, but it is achievable. You may be sick of your job, you may want more money, or you may just want to try something completely different from out of left field. All of these are justifiable reasons to seek out a higher education.

Even if your reasons are not related to your job or potential career, getting an education is beneficial regardless if it is only for the sake of learning. After all, knowledge is power and the more you know, the easier time you will have in life.

The only thing you really need when seeking out a degree or an education is a goal.

A goal will keep you on track and prevent you from giving up.

Set a goal and stick to it no matter what, you are the only person you need to impress.

Envision yourself with your degree; Do you like what you see? A smarter, more educated person; somebody sought after by the workforce and envied by your friends.

Every year students flock to the college bookstore to purchase the various textbooks that they require for their classes. Little do these students realize that, in doing so, they are throwing good money away. As unbelievable as it may seem textbooks, in some cases, actually cost as much, if not more, than tuition.

On the surface the college bookstore may seem like a convenient source for textbooks. Titles are usually in-stock and students may purchase new textbooks or opt for the cheaper alternative of used books. In truth the money saved by purchasing used textbooks from the college bookstore is only a fraction of the amount that students could be saving if they shopped online.

More and more online booksellers have begun selling textbooks at a considerable discount off of the cover price. In fact, many major booksellers now have special areas of their web sites that are devoted to selling nothing but textbooks. Online used bookstores are another source for college books as they stock a large number of textbooks, which means sizable savings for students. There are also web-based retailers whose inventory is entirely devoted to college books.

Students should avoid purchasing their textbooks at the first store that they browse. Instead, they should investigate the alternatives offered by other online booksellers. Price isn’t the only factor to consider when making an online purchase. Students should also factor in shipping costs and delivery time when making their buying decision.

Online auctions are another option for students seeking a bargain. This option, however, has its pros and cons. A plus is that students can get incredible bargains when obtaining books via online auctions. One downside is that established retailers have channels in place to ensure that you receive your order within a reasonable amount of time. With an auction purchase, however, you are at the mercy of the auction seller’s timetable.

One way that students can really save is by obtaining books for free. Project Gutenberg is one resource that English majors will find invaluable. At this site students can peruse a vast collection of classics that have entered the public domain. In the past students seeking assistance with their studies had to pay for the privilege of that help by purchasing study guides. Today that is no longer the case. Cash-strapped students can now visit Spark Notes for free downloadable study guides as well as free downloadable classics.

Students who elect to buy online will no longer be able to resell their books to the college bookstore at the end of class, but that doesn’t mean that they are stuck with the textbooks. Many web sites that sell textbooks also offer students the option of selling their books to fellow bargain-seekers. This allows students to easily recouping a portion of their money.

Textbooks normally consume a major portion of a student’s budget, but that doesn’t have to be the case, because while the cost of tuition may be set in stone the price of textbooks isn’t. By taking the time to do a little research on the best textbook values available college students can save money now rather than acquiring debt to be paid back later.