Four Year University or College

You can opt for a Bachelor’s degree (B.A. or B.S.) in a subject of your choice and may declare an “undecided” major. In this way you can take general classes for a few semesters until you are sure of what you would like to major in. Colleges usually provide academic advisors to each student to guide them in the right direction. It takes four years to complete your degree and you study a variety of courses. This allows you exposure to a number of different fields and sectors of industry which may assist you in making the final decision.

Two Year Community or Technical College

A community or technical college offers an Associate’s Degree (A.A. or A.S.) which takes two years to complete. It is usually less expensive than the four-year college and university degrees.  An Associate’s degree is usually easily transferred to a larger university where one can continue to earn a Bachelor’s degree if so desired. There are flexible schedules and are usually easier to get admission into as long as one has a high school or GED degree.

Distance Learning

For those opting to start a job right after high school, distance learning offers a way to continue with college from the comfort of one’s home. Many noted colleges and universities now have an e-campus branch that is taught by equally qualified professionals offering quality education online. E-learning programs allow immense flexibility. One can structure their schedule to perfectly suit their busy lives.

Noted universities offer 24hour support for these classes and conduct classes through online discussions with other students, videoconferencing, and assigned homework assignments and tests. Proctored exams are taken to ensure accurate test taking. They are usually priced in an equal manner as a traditional university course.

Joining the Military

A safe option is to enroll in the military after high school. It gives you exposure to life and helps you learn more about yourself and you strengths. The U.S. Armed Forces offers full financial support for your entire college when you enroll.
Even though you may be deployed when needed, your education is provided at no cost to you.

Work and Study After High School

With the economy in its current state, many individuals are seeking jobs right after high school. Gaining work experience immediately after school can benefit one in the future. However, it is most beneficial when this is a short term goal to earn enough money to go to college later or to study while working. Internships are another way to delay after school college and yet advance your career. Employment in the field in which you are considering a career in will be most beneficial.

There are a number of options are available to high school graduates and even though college an education is teh best option, there are many ways to approach it. It is essential to explore the different options and pick one that is best suited for your lifestyle, finances and career goals.

Studying At Interstate Colleges

Students have many reasons to relocate to pursue their studies. It could be that a particular course is only available interstate, or that an interstate university has the best course or research infrastructure in their chosen field. Perhaps the entry score at an interstate university is slightly lower. Money could also be a factor, with lower course fees or living costs in some areas. For southerners the sun and surf of the northern states has a definite appeal.

Distance is probably what deters most school leavers from applying interstate, with the expense and time of travelling back to see family and friends being much greater here than in some countries overseas.

There are those who will move a distance within their state, from a regional area to a metropolitan one, or to a regional area from the city. Many students can’t wait to hit the bright lights of a big city campus. On the other hand, students considering regional campuses should know that they have much to offer. Life is a bit more relaxed and with fewer students, there is often a more personal touch than at the big city campuses.

Regional universities are also known to be successful in niche study areas such as brewing or tropical ecology, and at linking courses and research to the local environment or industry.

The obstacles that regional living can present, such as poor access to services, are felt less (if at all) on a well resourced campus. In many regional cities the cost of living is significantly lower than in the capital. It may be a cliché, but the slower pace of life outside the city is certainly conducive to helping you find your feet and make new friends.

Studying away from home also offers you the chance to broaden your horizons and force you out of your comfort zone. Perhaps more college students should follow their counterparts and look at the academic, lifestyle and financial advantages offered by metropolitan and regional campuses around the country.

Career Counseling in high school is very important because with the help of trained professional and some scientifically designed tests, students and their parents might be able to gain a good idea of where a student’s educational talents and career aspirations lie. Joe might have excellent communication skills but does that mean he will make an excellent lawyer or would he perhaps be better suited for a career in public relations?
Find the online college that fits your goals.

Purpose Of A Recommendation Note

As is obvious from the name, the purpose of a recommendation letter is to “recommend”. The writer of the letter of recommendation, recommends the college applicant to the prospective school or university. The letter usually includes further information about the student, such as achievements, personal details and even character references that would otherwise not appear on a college application.

In short, a letter of recommendation is a personal reference letter written by your chosen referee, telling your prospective school why they should give you a place at their university and how you will prove to be an asset to their school. Therefore, a good recommendation letter holds tremendous importance because a bad character reference could potentially deny you admission from your college.

Needless to say, recommendation letters are written in strictest confidence so you cannot possibly control what goes into it. However, you should advise your referee about what they should or should not include in a letter of recommendation. Here are some tips to help you secure the best possible recommendation letter for yourself.

Tips For A Recommendation Reference Letter

• Always choose someone who knows you well enough. Someone who barely knows you cannot possibly write a good letter of recommendation. College administrators are not impressed by fancy titles so you need not worry about picking someone important. It is more important that they know you well.

• Your teachers, professors, employers, school administration staff are all qualified to provide you with a recommendation reference letter.

• Tell your referee (the recommendation writer) why you need the letter and what you will be using it for so they know how to frame the letter and what to include in it.

• If you would like any specific details mentioned in the letter, mention it to your referee.

• Pick someone who has relatively good communication skills and can present you well in writing.

• It is wise to have more than one recommendation letter from different referees so you can showcase in your college application, that you are worth recommending and are thought of positively by more than just one person.

• Lying and forgery is absolutely unacceptable. Any false claims or recommendations can severely jeopardize your chances of being accepted into a college.

Remember to keep copies of the letter as you might need it again in the future and instead of running around trying to secure another letter of recommendation, you could use the same letter again.

Make A Shortlist
Before you go any further, make a list of possible schools you might want to consider. Depending on what you need, these could be online, correspondence or regular schools. Make a list of some of the schools you might like to attend and then start crossing them off your list one at a time depending on whether or not they fit certain criteria.

Make Enquiries
Send emails, letters or even call the universities you are interested in and ask them about the course. If they are unable to answer or do answer professionally, you can cross the school off your list immediately because a good school should be able to answer all your enquiries and it should not take its own sweet time to do so.

Teacher-Student Interaction
For some courses, it is very important to have enough interaction with a teacher so you should assess what your school offers. If the classes are too big, it is unlikely you will have much chance to interact with your teacher on a one on one basis. In addition, if it is an online school,  you must find out if you will have any time interacting with your professors or will you have to complete all course material simply based on instructions.

Costs
The cost of the program obviously has to be an important consideration. Two schools may offer identical programs but one may be significantly more expensive than the other – in that case the decision is made easier for you. Also, you must assess whether a course is worth the amount being charged. Online courses are usually cheaper than regular college courses, but if your online college charges just as much Harvard, you know you should look elsewhere.

Career Goals
When considering a particular course at a particular school, make sure it fits in with your career goals. Just because XYZ School offers a cheap course in Personal Training, does not mean it is meant for you, especially if you are considering a career in Public Relations in the long term. Make sure your course and school fit in with your long term plans.

Accreditation
Every school, whether online or offline, must be accredited by the appropriate body. Course that are not accredited hold absolutely no value in the real world so choose wisely and choose a school with proper education accreditation.

Don’t jump at the first university that accepts you because there are hundreds of universities and schools out there that will be willing to offer you a place. Do your research well and make a wise college choice decision.
Find the online college that fits your goals.