Five Valuable Tips When Choosing Online Bachelor Degree Programs

While you may hear about exceptional college dropouts who have gone on to make millions, even billions, of dollars without the benefit of a degree, it is nonetheless still an advantage to acquire a college diploma. Even Hollywood superstars who put off their high school and college education eventually figure out a way to finish school and obtain a degree. Making your way into the world successfully and gaining an envious bank account do make for ideal objectives in life. But finishing your education is a whole other objective that can yield even more benefits - beyond the financial aspect. When you're ready to acquire your college degree, consider online bachelor degree programs using these five valuable tips.

Organize a list of ideal universities that offer online degree programs that fall under your preferences. There are undergraduate degrees in journalism, mass communication, sociology, computer and information sciences, management, personnel administration, liberal arts, interdisciplinary studies, nursing science, physical education teaching, sports studies, and a long list of other courses that you'll normally study on-campus. Make an informed decision by short listing at least five schools: two that you really want to go to and three others that have guaranteed admissions.

Compare tuition fees. The US News website on online college programs report that some universities charge tuition fees in one lump sum for a bachelor's degree while a majority of schools charge by the credit hour or course. If you're pressed for cash at the moment, you can start off with just a few credits so you're able to manage your tuition bill. Some schools even offer credit for previous coursework or life experience. So if you're studying a program that relates to a previous course you had to discontinue or one that relates to your current career, you'll be able to pay for cheap online degrees.

In connection with tuition fees, make sure you factor in the other fees you'll be paying for like books, technology, materials, and other learning tools required to finish your program. This will help you avoid any future costly bills and determine your ideal program.

List only accredited schools. Accredited online degree programs guarantee quality education, top-notch faculty training and credentials, reliable student services, and first-rate technology (24-hour live tech support, online labs, simulations, live tutoring, and applications for smartphones and tablets) that facilitate easy online learning. Some of the top ranking universities classified by US News as having exceptional online degree programs includes Westfield State University, Arizona State University, and Bellevue University.

And finally, maximize your online education by dedicating specific times for studying and avoid multi-tasking. You can certainly choose the easiest online degree program that doesn't take too much time away from your family or your work. But remember, like everything else in life, it takes dedication to achieve a dream. Whether that's finally acquiring a journalism degree or improving your career with a graduate degree program, all you need to succeed is to make that commitment to getting your diploma.

Getting a college diploma is no longer a problem for those who need to work full time as you can get a college education program online, and with the some universities offering fast courses, you can get a college diploma in half the time.

Finding a Career With a Big Purpose

Many careers are driven by self-motivated desires or needs. Most people put profit and self-promotional success before anything else, even personal happiness. With such grim motivations influencing the future generations, it is natural to wonder about who our healthcare workers will be in the future, and if we will have enough of them. And this worry is amplified when you take one look at the current state of our healthcare systems. The truth is evident in every hospital, clinic or doctor's office - more people are needed.

If you are the type of person that puts others before yourself, then maybe you should consider a career in healthcare. As part of the cluster of professionals that actually give back to society, healthcare workers are in serious demand. With such a large population ailed by so many affecting variables, the truth is that there can never be too many healthcare professionals. In fact, we don't have enough. Such an overwhelming shortage of qualified individuals has created a need for workers in the healthcare sector, and put medical institutions into overdrive. With the evolution of the human body, new fields and professions are being created in the health industry, and employers are eager to fill those positions. The problem is, not just anyone can work in a healthcare environment. All healthcare professionals must complete proper healthcare training and be extensively qualified.

Healthcare workers benefit from a stable environment and excellent wages, without necessarily requiring a university degree- you simply need to have the right certification. But healthcare workers do require extensive training, both in the field and in the classroom, regardless of the department that they choose as a concentration. Students can explore employment in fields like community service work, health unit coordination, medical office assistance, personal support work and medical office receptionist. There are careers for everyone regardless of ambition or personal preference.

Healthcare schools can help you get your foot in the door, and show you where to begin your career. Educators can also help you better understand what to expect once your studies are completed. Whether you are considering a career in nursing or administrative work, you are doing something for the good of society. But this is the type of career that requires extensive training, and absolute dedication. The right school will ensure that you gain real world experience while you work on your theory. This way, you learn what to expect in an actual situation, while working towards the mandatory certification.

How to Help Working Adults Get Their College Degree

After having been in the workplace for a while, most nontraditional students have been underpaid, passed over for promotion, or laid off due to lack of education, skills or workplace options. This lack of versatility is even more noticeable now with unemployment continually hovering at the ten percent mark. Most folks in this position realize they need to go back to school. But how can they when they have a family and both spouses are working two or three jobs (if they're lucky!) just to pay the bills?

The best way to get nontraditional students to attend college is to show them how they can afford it in cost and in time.

Nontraditional students are normally defined as adults over the age of 24 who didn't continue their education right after high school. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, unemployment percentages get lower as the educational degree level goes higher. For instance, per the BLS in 2011, unemployment among non-high school graduates was 14.1%. For an Associate degree holder, it was 6.8%, while Bachelor's graduates were at 4.9%. (Again, these current times are tough with high unemployment, but do you really see these ratios changing when things pick up again?)

Another BLS chart from 2011 shows lifetime earnings by degree level reflecting a larger return on better-educated workers. The median weekly earnings for a non-high school graduate was $451, while an Associate degree holder was $768, and a Bachelor's graduate was at $1,053.

Taken together, these two BLS charts indicate that educated people are less likely to be unemployed and they're more likely to make more money weekly. Educating a nontraditional student on the notion that a two-year degree will reduce their chances of being unemployed by more than 50% while making almost twice as much as a non-high school grad are powerfully significant facts.

However, if non-traditional students have no experience in a college setting, they generally don't understand how to pay for school, what support programs are available, or even what type of college programs are out there to choose from.

You must educate them about federal aid programs (Pell Grants, SEOG, Perkins Loans) as well as state monies (income-qualified grants, Lottery Scholarships) for attending college, not to mention institution-specific scholarships, foundations, private loans-all the types of financial aid available based on the individual's life and area of study. There may even be state or federal programs that will pay for their retraining.

Are they a veteran with educational benefits? The Veteran's Administration offers a broad spectrum of educational support, including educational counselors and monthly stipends. Your discussion could also include child care programs, disability accommodations, carpooling, tutoring and Federal Work Study jobs, depending on the person.

What about the time factor? Again, you must educate adult students on the vast offerings in education today. There are distance learning outlets in which the student can take classes from home according to his or her schedule. There are evening classes, weekend classes, daytime classes. There are accelerated programs that go year-round to speed up the graduation date. There are schools that will evaluate their work history to provide credit for experience which cuts down on the time they have to spend in school. They can take CLEP tests which also grant credit for knowledge and/or have their military schooling evaluated for credit hours.

Nontraditional students see the value of returning to college to get their degree. The Bureau of Labor Statistics confirms it. What they're unclear about is how to do it when they find themselves in the dilemma of survival versus getting out of the downward spiral they're in. The best way to help them is by teaching them how they can pay for school and how the right college will fit into their busy schedule so they can improve their outlook for the future.