What Is School Accreditation?

In general terms, accreditation is the means by which a school is officially recognized as a provider of a satisfactory education that public institutions (i.e. employers) can trust.  It is a voluntary process that requires the school to meet minimum requirements that are established by various regional accrediting agencies.

The lack of one official accrediting agency creates an opportunity for sub par online schools that are trying to obtain students through any means possible.  In other words, just about any organization can say that they are an accrediting agency, so potential online school enrollers should do their research before signing up for classes at a particular online school.

Sadly, a number of online schools create false accrediting agencies in order to make candidates think that they are trustworthy and established.  To avoid this conflict, be sure to check whether or not an online school is accredited by one of the six major regional accrediting agencies.  These include the New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC), North Central Association of Schools and Colleges (NCA), Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges (MSA), Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (NWCCU).

If your online school is accredited by one of the above agencies, your degree will be seen as legitimate by most employers.  However, if your online school is not accredited by one of the above agencies but by a false accrediting agency, your degree may not be acceptable to most employers.

Why You Need a College Degree

A college degree can benefit an individual in many different ways. Some of these include higher income, greater knowledge, more potential and better job opportunities. Not all of these benefits resulting from a college degree may be immediately obvious.

Obviously, one of the main reasons that people want to have a college degree is because of the increased earnings opportunities that it brings. It is not guaranteed but, in general, a person with a college education will earn more money than a colleague without a college education.

A college education tends to give a person greater knowledge and this will increase their levels of understanding of new developments in their chosen field. Another benefit of a college education is that it develops a person’s ability to think abstractly and critically as well as improves their ability to express their thoughts clearly both orally and in writing.

It is also widely believed that a college education helps people become a responsible citizen by giving them a greater understanding of their community, country and global issues. If not achieving anything quite as grand as this a college education certainly helps people become more self-sufficient.

The fact is that the processes involved in obtaining a college education are very different from those a person may have experienced at school. Even if a person genuinely hated school life and felt that they were unable to learn properly under those conditions they should still consider attending a college. It is a good idea to visit colleges when the students are there or at an open day so you can chat to current students and ask about the differences between high school and college life.

There are so many ways to obtain a college education these days that there really are very dew excuses for people to not give themselves the opportunity. Going away to a different area to receive a college education has a lot of benefits on its own, including teaching a person who may be away from home for the first time how to be self-sufficient. This not only gives the person the bonuses associated with having a college education but also prepares them for moving away from home.

If you are adverse to the idea of moving away from home, for whatever reason, then you can still obtain a college education by attending a college in your home town or area. If you are already working then you can attend colleges on a part-time basis. If you have problems fitting in scheduled college classes around your work or family commitments then there are a growing number of distance learning courses that can help you receive a college education by fitting it into your own routine. These can be either correspondence courses or via the internet.

Student Financial Aid Types You Should Know

There are many types of financial aids offer to college and university students. While a few are gifted aids and do not need to be paid back; others are provided as a loan and need to be paid back after the completion of the education program.

In general, student financial aids are grouped in below categories:

•  Grant
•  Fellowship
•  Scholarship
•  Loan
•  Work Study
•  Waiver

What are the differences between these financial aids? Many people confuse especially on grant, fellowship and scholarship. Let;s take a brief look on these financial aids.  Grant, Fellowship & Scholarship, A grant is a gifted financial aid for a student that does not have to be paid back. Fellowship is a fund awarded to a graduate student in a college or university. And scholarship is a financial aid usually awarded based on merit or academic achievement. Both fellowship and scholarship are grant. Practically, these terms very little in different and in fact, these terms are used interchangeably in representing fund gifted to students to support their college or university study.

Loan

A study loan is a financial aid offers to students and these money need to be repaid after the completion of the study program. Although there are loans offered with zero interest rate by charities, associations or religions organization, most of loan programs have repayment provisions and repayment interest rate applied.

Work Study

This program provides jobs that enable students to earn a portion of school costs through employment at the institution. Many colleges and universities offer job to students where they can earn their school fee and part of their living expenses.

Waiver

Under certain circumstances, a college or university may allow a student to attend the courses without paying tuition or other costs. A certain eligibility requirements need to be met in order for eligible for the waiver.

Last Words

Ideally, all students are dreamed to get free money (grant, fellowship or scholarship) to aid their study needs. Although there are many scholarships available out there for students to apply, beware of Scholarship Scam. Remember if you have to pay to get money, it probably a scam.

That's all for this time. See you soon.

Next time we shall talk about Scholarship scam and how to protect yourself from these scholarship scams.

Writing A Successful College Application Essay

With the intense competition for entry into America’s top schools, the college application essay is more important than ever. Although most students dread this assignment, it is the best way to distinguish yourself from other candidates, let the school get to know you, and add a personal touch to your application. Winning admission is about more than just GPA, class rank, and SAT scores. Universities are looking to build a student body with diverse talents, personality, and character. There is no better way to showcase these qualities than the college essay.

The first step in writing a winning essay to understand what admission boards are really looking for. Many students mistakenly believe that there is a correct answer to the essay question–that colleges are expecting the student to espouse a particular point of view. However, the exact opposite is usually true. It is not so much what you say, but how you say it that matters. Is the writing original? Is the thesis well developed and logically supported? Is the writing grammatically correct and stylistically pleasing? These are the questions the essay reader is likely to have foremost in his/her mind.

Every aspect of the essay will say something important about you. Show that you are an orderly and conscientious student by submitting a neatly typed (or a laser printer generated) document that exactly follows the essay requirements. Do not go over any limits placed on length or write on any topic that does not fit the assignment question or prompt. In general, it is best to keep your essay brief and to the point. Remember, it is not about how much you right, but how well you write. At all costs you must avoid appearing long-winded or superficial in your thesis. Readers can quickly spot an essay that was written simply to fulfil an admission requirement. Present a point of view that you truly believe in, and the sincerity and relevance of your thesis will come through.

Do not be afraid to inject some humor or personal information into your essay. Of course, be careful not to go overboard. You want the reader to know something of your personality, but a vulgar joke or admitting something that should be kept private can make the reader rather uncomfortable. Just be sure to keep everything in good taste, and that overall the essay demonstrates your seriousness as a student.

Instead of fearing the essay, consider it a great opportunity. This is your chance to show that your "A" in English was no fluke. Or even better, a well-crafted essay may help compensate for a disappointing score on the SAT verbal section. Most important, this is your best chance to distinguish yourself from the hundreds of other applications you are competing against for that exclusive spot in the college of your choice.

4-year Colleges vs. Technical Schools: You Choose

College is not for everyone, but that does not mean you shouldn’t pursue some sort of higher education or job training. When you think about your future, what do you envision? Are you doing something you love, or are you just working for a paycheck?

If you are one of the many who is trying to make a decision about where to spend your money and invest your future, read on. This article provides a comparison of 4 year colleges and technical schools. Which one is right for you?

How to choose between 4-year colleges and technical schools:

Ask yourself these questions and then consider the benefits and disadvantages of each type of school.

What are your goals? Do you have a specific career goal? What are your educational goals? Do you want to learn as much as you can about a variety of subjects? Do you want to learn as much as you can about one specific topic (become an expert)?

What are your strengths? Weaknesses? Would you benefit from a shorter more targeted program?

Lifestyle. How will school fit into your life? Would you benefit from non-traditional scheduling such as online, evening, or distance learning? 4-year colleges and technical colleges both offer such options, but it varies by school so check with any schools you are interested in attending.

What do you need? Realistically, what sort of degree or training do you need to pursue your dreams? Research your desired field--know what the requirements are and how they compare to the programs you are considering. The US Department of Education website offers resources for career and training research.

Be a consumer. Check equipment; is it new and up-to-date? How does it compare to the equipment you will be using on the job? Trust me, this can be tedious but it is quite important. After graduation I realized I should have taken more time to research the computer programs employers expected me to know for technical writing jobs. Had I been better informed, I could have taken extra courses dealing specifically with those programs.

Investigate the following: campus size, current and former students, faculty and staff;

Find out if the school is accredited and licensed; Do they make extraordinary claims? Will your credits be transferable?

4-year Colleges

Some people like to learn just for the sake of learning, while some are more focused and driven and use school as a steppingstone for job advancement. If you are interested in more scholarly pursuits a traditional 4-year college might be your best option.

Benefits: liberal arts training applies to many fields, diverse topics to explore, prestige, "college life"

Disadvantages: expensive, time consuming, may get degree in area you no longer wish to pursue, high admission standards and prerequisites, job market may be slower upon graduation-may require additional training

Technical Schools

If college was for everyone, technical schools would not exist. Some people may feel a stigma is attached to technical schools. In a society where attending college has become standard, we lose sight of the value of skills training. People feel abnormal and may be angry if they don’t want to go to college but feel pressured to do so anyway.

Benefits: shorter duration, focused programs, easier admission standards, flexible scheduling, certifications not necessarily offered at 4-year colleges, hands on training

Disadvantages: may be viewed as less prestigious, can be expensive, may be less room for exploration of other subjects, accreditation, for-profit institutions

Many of the fastest growing jobs do not require a bachelor’s degree but do require post-secondary education (education beyond high school) These jobs include:

• Medical Assistants

• Social and human service assistants

• Home health aides

• Medical records and health information technicians

• Physical therapist aides

• Physical therapist assistants

• Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors

• Veterinary technologists and technicians

• Hazardous materials removal workers

• Dental hygienists

• Occupational therapist aides

• Dental assistants

• Personal and home care aides

• Self-enrichment education teachers

• Occupational therapist assistants

• Environmental science and protection technicians, including health

• Preschool teachers, except special education

• Respiratory therapists

For more information on job growth statistics see the Bureau of Labor Statistics webpage.

Remember, the best way to determine what is right for you is to simply know yourself and be informed.

2 Years to an Associates Degree

In the United States, an associate degree is a 2-year degree given by colleges upon completion of an associate degree program. Associate degrees are generally 2-year degrees, like those awarded at community colleges. Associate degrees are also available online - allowing students to study on a schedule that suits their busy lives. An Associate Degree is a type of undergraduate degree that requires at least 60 semester credit hours. With full-time study, it will take 2 years to complete - or 4 semesters with 15 credit hours. An associate degree program involves a general education requirement, major requirements, and electives.

The two types of associate degrees offered are the A.A. or associate of arts degree, and the A.A.S., which is the associate of applied science degree. You can earn and A.A. degree at a community or junior college, at a technical school, or even online. This degree designation indicates that you have completed a course of study with an extensive foundation in general education, as well as concentration in a particular area. Your degree is often in an occupational area, or in liberal arts. This degree is designed to transfer to a four-year college or university.

Associate of Applied Science degree (A.A.S.) is intended for graduates that seek career entry or job advancement after 2 years of college study. AAS degrees will possibly transfer some or all credits to a four-year college. Associate of Applied Science degrees are the preference of employers seeking people to fill various middle level technology positions.

Once you get an associate degree, you typically need another 2 years or 60 credit hours to earn a bachelor degree. Earning an associates degree is a great away for a student to see what direction they want to take in their education. Either degree is a great option for those seeking to earn an associate degree.

Making the Transition to Higher Education (Part 7)

Become a self-regulated learner. Reflect on your transition to higher education. Think about what’s working well, what you’d like to change, and ways to make those changes.

Psychologists use the term self-regulation to describe this kind of thinking. Self-regulated learners set goals, monitor their progress towards those goals, and change their behavior based on the results they get.

Becoming a Successful or Master Student promotes self-regulation through the on going cycle of discovery, intention, and action. Write Discovery Statements to monitor your behavior and evaluate the results you’re currently creating in any area of your life. Write about your level of commitment to school, your satisfaction with your classes and grades, your social life, and your family’s support for your education.

Based on your discoveries, write Intention Statements about your goals for this term, this year, next year, and the rest of your college career. Describe exactly what you will do to create new results in each of these time frames. In this way, you can take charge of your transition to higher education, starting now.