College

[Gretchen]

Well, graduation is coming up, and I've been wondering what everyone's opinion is about college. Also, what do you think of getting a degree online?

For those who've been to college, what advice do you have to people just starting?

Edited April 13, 2010 by Gretchen

[Dravin]

Several thoughts:

* If you want to get a degree online see if you can do it through a brick and mortar institution. In some cases your degree won't specify it was obtained online, it'll just say it's a degree from Y for x.

* If you do go through a mostly online institution ask around in your perspective field and ask if any are respected. An online Information Technology degree may be respected but an online Geology degree (assuming you can get such) may not. And something from University of Phoenix Online may get more mileage than Bob's Diploma Mill University.

* If cost is a concern consider going to a community college for your generals, it'll probably be closer to home and it'll be cheaper. Then finish off at a full 4 year university.

* They'll suggest you join all sorts of clubs and become involved, I recommend waiting until your second semester when you are broken in before you attempt any of that.

Edited April 12, 2010 by Dravin

[MisterT]

Well, graduation is coming up...opinion is about collage...collage, what advice do you have to people just starting?

I advise if you're interested in doing collages that you invest in really good scissors, quick drying glues (like art-deco glue), stencils, colored pencils, water color paints, and a nice book to display them in.

If you're referring to college, and not collages, I recommend you study very very hard in English for the rest of the year...

[Gretchen]

Sorry 'bout my spelling, I never could spell well.

[MisterT]

I hope you realize I was teasing, hence the . I hope I didn't offend, I just thought it was funny :)

[Gretchen]

I know. Seriously, the only test I ever cheated on was a spelling test...in 3rd grade.

[NeuroTypical]

Well, graduation is coming up, and I've been wondering what everyone's opinion is about college.

For the love of Pete - DO IT!

Also, what do you think of getting a degree online?

There are reputable online degrees that mean something, and a lot of crappy meaningless degrees that will get you nothing but a hole in the wallet. Choose well.

For those who've been to college, what advice do you have to people just starting?

If you know what you want, go get a degree. If you don't, then start out with an Associates degree that can transfer to other places easily - you'll figure out what you want soon enough.

LM

[hordak]

There are reputable online degrees that mean something, and a lot of crappy meaningless degrees that will get you nothing but a hole in the wallet. Choose well.

LM

This really applies to all college. I know a fair share of brick and mortar grads working customer service for a cell phone company or managing a store in the mall along side a high school grad. Heck my wifes last supervisor (same pay grade) is sitting on an MBA and her subordinate is Corn Husker alumni.

OP

I think a big part of school is knowing how your going to market yourself. It isn't Get a degree to get the job , it is get the degree to compete for the job. In the last 15-20 years, particularly in the medical field, entry level degrees have gone from BS to MS to Doctoral. I think this is related to the increase in education for the masses.

If you can, go to a community college first. I'm going online(because i have to) paying 5x what my neighbor is at the local CC and doing twice the work.

[Roseslipper]

I say go for it....but make sure its a credited school...i cant spell either....lol...oh well I have other talents...

[JudoMinja]

My only advice other than what others have already said is to go for something in the two-year (associates) ballpark first. That way, you'll have the schooling and skills you need to get a job that's better than flipping burgers while you work on your four-year degree if that's what you want to go for.

[Loving_Wife]

If you can, go to a community college first. I'm going online(because i have to) paying 5x what my neighbor is at the local CC and doing twice the work.

I agree. I currently am attending University of Phoenix (online) and it is very expensive. I am paying about $1,100.00 for 3 credits! Right now online school is my only option as I also homeschool 5 out of 7 children. I also do more homework at UOP than I ever did at the CC I attended and, I think, my work is held to a higher standard. I do not get the same grade for the same type of work. At UOP I would get a B on a paper but at the CC it would be an A.

*ETA*

I just found out by doing job searching that not all company's and almost all government jobs require that you have a degree from an accredited instituion, which UOP is not. Where it gets confusing is that UOP is accredited but not for my degree through the Council of Social Work Education.

I have 24 credits towards my A.A. degree and when I finish that I will transfere to a CC.

Edited April 14, 2010 by Loving_Wife
more info

[FairChild]

I have done come college in a classroom and I took an online course so that I could become a certified caregiver. I got a 97% ave on the online course work and a 100% on my certification test. If I could do it all over again, I would do it in a classroom. In a classroom you can ask immediate questions and quickly get answers to problems. You also have a lot of varied experiencce in your fellow classmates. They may be able to teach you things the coursework on-line may not be able to. Time wise it is not as flexible to go to a classroom, but I think I learned much more by being in one.

[celiweston]

ya our culture is developed and the education level is increasing.college studies increase our talents and it help us to prove our excellency.

Yoga

[Hemidakota]

Well, graduation is coming up, and I've been wondering what everyone's opinion is about college. Also, what do you think of getting a degree online?

For those who've been to college, what advice do you have to people just starting?

Education is from cradle to grave....it simply never ends.

Degrees online are now becoming a common place for many upper academic facilities. You can now take a course online at Stanford.

[prisonchaplain]

Consider a school with smaller class sizes--especially if you gain from classroom interaction. I went to a small college, and would not trade my education for any big-name state univ. This issue is less important for grad. school, because most class sizes are small at that level...but especially for the first two years, and really for the whole undergraduate experience, I'd strongly consider a smaller school, or at least one with small classes, taught by the actual professor, rather than an assistant.

[pam]

One thing to think about when considering online or traditional type classes: If you are covered under your parents health insurance as long as you are a full time student; find out their definition of full time student etc.

I worked in the insurance field for quite some time and there were some plans that would not cover a student unless actually attending classes in person. They didn't recognize alternative schooling such as online etc.

Edited May 23, 2010 by pam

[Joella92]

it depend what kind of college u want to go to, catholic, public, priviate, and where u want to go to school if u have a state in mind and what is u want to study and if the school has it

[Gretchen]

I'm thinking of being a special needs/Autism teacher for high school. What I was thinking of was getting my AA at the CC and working as an Aide while working on my BA. As for what type of college, just a regular in-state. Nothing fancy.

[MichaelPAGuy]

I am currently receiving my associates degree online, after that I intend to transfer to a major university to finish my bachelors. It just depends on what you feel most comfortable with.

[Bini]

No great advice here but as mentioned earlier, consider how you're going to market yourself and what careers are offering jobs. I did nursing, I've always had a job and I'll always be able to get a job. My sister on the other hand just passed her Bar Exam for law school and hasn't been hired anywhere. She's gone to interviews but nada. She also has several buddies that have passed the Bar Exam that have not found any work either.