Should you go to college?

Well that’s a very good question. In my experience with colleges over the past fifteen plus years; this is probably one of the toughest questions with no easy answer. But I know where to start…

If it were only so simple to say ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to this question I’d love to figure it out tell everyone what that easy answer is. This would streamline the process for everyone.

But when we are making such life changing decisions it’s so important to take a look at the small picture and the big one too.

So the only way I can really answer this question is to help you take a look at things perhaps you may not have thought of yet. This will allow you pull your resources and make an informed decision about your future.

One of the biggest concerns right now is graduating without having a great job waiting for you in a field you love. Unfortunately there is no guarantee because this economy has affected all of us.

Even those with bachelors and masters degrees are struggling to find work.

The good news is that this is getting better little by little, but by in large this is still a tough economy overall.

So what do you do?

Many colleges are encouraging students to go back to college and better themselves so that when things do turn around you’ll be ready be hired. And this is true if you are not skilled in the trade you’d love to be in.

However, before we get to that the most important thing you can do is to ask yourself questions. Grab a pen and let’s take a look at ways you can determine if whether going back to college is the best solution for you.

I cannot answer these questions for you but I can help you ask questions and provide resources where you can make a determination regarding what would be the best move for you.

I’m sure you’ve heard that research is so important, and it is so let’s begin with these.

What would your ideal job be? If you could dream or design any type of career what would it be?

This may seem like an easy question, but if you don’t really sit back and ask yourself, and give an honest response then you’ll continue to do something you feel that you should, rather than something you love.

When you answer this first question, jot down the first things which come to mind and keep putting together ideas until you have about 10 or so.

Take this list and do some research, find out how valuable the job will be in the future

Here are some articles to check that out as you make your decisions

• http://www.careerplanner.com/Career-Articles/Top_Jobs.cfm
• http://www.dailygalaxy.com/my_weblog/2008/08/future-top-10-h.html
• http://www.careerplanner.com/Career-Articles/Hot_Jobs.cfm

If you fall in one of these three categories you’ll want to be sure to check these out.

• Students:

http://www.careervoyages.gov/students-main.cfm

• Are you changing a career?

http://www.careervoyages.gov/students-main.cfm

• Parents helping students to make a great career choice

http://www.careervoyages.gov/parents-main.cfm

Once you’ve determined what the value of the careers you’re considering are next look into the colleges you’re considering.

Often it’s taken for granted that by deciding to go to college all we need to do is to simply choose a college.

One thing I didn’t understand when I began looking into my own college options years ago is that no all colleges, are created equal. I really didn’t know that there were and are differences in colleges, outside of Ivy League schools of course. I knew that these were in a class all their own.

But this is a huge myth!

Colleges, especially now have to run like a business. They have to be concerned with cost, accreditation, graduation rate, and much much more.

Gone are the days where as long as you have a bachelor’s or master’s degree you’re pretty much guaranteed a good career.

Now a lot of it has to do with what can you do with the information you’re learning, and what kind of placement rate the college has.

Colleges often have statistics of what their placement rate is, and this is good information to have. I’d recommend taking it one step further, find out who is hiring students from these schools.

Generally this is public information and you can find it on the college website, or get this information from their Career Advisors at the college.

Key: Ask what the attrition rate is, what is the rate of students who come into the college vs. those who graduate. If the Admissions Advisor or Career Advisor is not willing to share (or Get) this information then this is a Red Flag. Be wary of this college.

If you really want to set yourself apart…

• Take the list and I’d contact the companies, find out what they look for in students they hire. Is it primarily the name of the college that they’re hiring for, the degree or what specifically they look for in employees they hire from this college?
• Let them know you are considering attending the college and want to know what their experience has been. Ask if they would recommend a different college and why.
• If it’s a company you could see yourself working at in the future let them know that, obviously you’d want to speak to someone in Human Resources for this.
• Relate that you are looking to set yourself apart and are eager to work for them.

Warning! Don’t just talk to one company to tell them this have a list of several that you contact about this. It can be very bad putting all your eggs in one basket!

Once you’ve looked into the colleges and the companies, compare  your experiences to what you would need to get the positions you’re interested in.

Consider the investment, is it going to be worth it for you in the long run, don’t just think about now and what you need to do today, keep this in mind, but don’t lose site of the big picture just because things are so tough right now.

How far are you from retirement?

What would you make with a job in this field? http://salary.com

I know this is so much easier to say than do… at least it has been for me. I have to make myself follow through on things when all I can see in front of me is the stress, and problems jumping out at me.

If you missed my post on what I’ve discovered about myself during this recession take a quick read on this post. http://www.sophiemaddox.com/2010/03/11/my-recession-gift/ I’m right there with you.

More important questions for you

• Do you have what it takes to do the job you’re interested in.
• If not how far off are you?
• Find out if the company will hire you while you’re bridging the gap.
• Ask if they have a tuition assistance program, some will help you with this especially if they see initiative from you first.
• Look into a certificate verses a degree, would this help you get the additional training you need without breaking the bank?
• Can you take classes a community college for the training?

In summary the important things are:

• Find something you love
• Research the future of a career in this
• Research the college options if this is what you need
• Look at the big picture and small one
• Research hiring companies find out what you need to get into your dream job
• Consider alternative education options

You may need to get a degree or you may just need to take a few classes or get a certificate to get into the career you’ve always wanted.

The recession is here and it will be with us for a while longer so let’s plan for right now, looking at what you can get into with the skills you have, and what kind of careers you can get into in the future.

This will help us put together an immediate picture and still plan for the future at the same time.

There are two books I’d recommend

One helps you determine what it takes to succeed as an Adult student

This next one gives you an insider’s perspective, by talking with students who’ve attended or are attending the colleges you’re considering.

Stop by my store and find other resources to help you as you make plans for now and the future.
Http://www.shop.sophiemaddox.com

Be sure to share this with your friends and family and let me know what you think, please re-tweet, Digg this and pass it on to others.

Oh, and don’t forget your free gift.

Sophie

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Have you ever considered college but weren’t sure exactly what to look for when you’re in the military?

Well, the good news is that you’re not alone. Most of the military personnel I’ve worked with were wondering the same thing. There are so many colleges vying for your attendance. They know the funding is available and so they don’t have to worry about getting payments from the students for the most part.

Now there are some colleges and universities that cost considerably more than what you as military personnel are allocated for college funding.

For example: most military are currently given about $250.00 per credit hour to apply to a college, but many universities will have tuition that is more like $550.00 per credit hour, with about a $4500.00 per fiscal year cut off.

Now that being said often there will be a discount on tuition that will bring the cost lower, I’ve seen this discount range from 25 to 50% of the traditional tuition.

So when you’re considering different colleges here are some things to be sure you ask your Admissions Advisor or your Educational Advisor to make sure that you are getting the most benefit possible for your service to our country!

Thank you by the way, I truly appreciate your service!! In my experience I don’t think you hear that quite enough. I’ve worked with the Yellow Ribbon Project, this is a program established to help military personnel acclimate to being back in the USA after being abroad serving our country.

I’ve seen thousands of military personnel who let me know that they don’t hear that very much. Your service means the world to us civilians who are able to work, live, eat and breathe in freedom all do to soldiers who are not afraid to put their life on the line daily.

Thus when you’re considering college here are some important questions to ask a college you’re considering.

1. What additional benefits do you offer military personnel and family member

Find out are there additional military benefits other than what you have in your TA, GI Bill or other military funding you qualify for. Often there is, if not don’t be afraid to check out several colleges that will be able to offer additional benefits to you.

2. Ask your Admissions Advisor, why should I choose you?

Many universities or colleges will interview you, and this is good, the college needs to ensure that they’re getting quality students. However, make sure this is not one sided bring a list of questions that you want to know; don’t just go for the one you first come across! They need to prove to you that they’re a college or university that is worthy of your attendance.

Sample Questions you might want to ask:

• What do you do to help military personnel who have extenuating circumstances?

As you know there always things that come up while you’re in college, family, friends, health concerns, someone who passed away etc. Well, this is of course increased for someone who’s in the military; you have so many more variables even if you’re State side. Find out what support system they have in place to help you.

• Ask about Tutoring.

You might find this very helpful to help you get the most out of your classes as you balance military service, family responsibilities, college, and or a job. Take all the study aides you can get. This will really help you succeed even if you feel pretty confident that you have everything under wraps, additional support options never hurt anyone… at lead that I know of. 

• How will you help me if and when I am deployed?

Get Details, I’m sure you know how important this is, I Betcha you could tell examples and experiences of soldiers overseas attempting to finish their classes and they’d a lot of trouble. I’ve seen a few examples, myself.

The last thing you want is, to find out when you’re overseas that you are out on your own with little to no support!

I know you can come up with other vitally important questions to bring to the interview for the colleges you’re considering.

3. Ask around, talk to your Educational Counselor, and find out what other military personnel are saying about this college or university.

Some of these will be much better equipped to work with military personnel than others. Ask the hard questions and find out what they say. Don’t just read the information on the web site and talk to an Admissions Counselor, do your homework, finding yourself overseas and struggling to get homework in on time and find you that there is not enough help to get you through.

4. Look at correspondence versus online learning what’s your best option?

Sometimes, correspondence is a great way to go for soldiers, there is no hassle with the online connection or as many technical concerns. Now if you know you’ll have a steady connection to the internet as you’re overseas then look for an online option, this could be a great fit for you. Just be sure you look at all the angles you can think of when you’re considering a college.

Now after you’ve found a college the next thing to do is find out how to get funding, see my blog for answers on this one. Depending on what branch you’re in will determine how you set up your funding. See http://www.sophiemaddox.com for posts specific to putting together funding for you, like this one for the Army; http://www.sophiemaddox.com/2010/02/02/army-ta-help/

If you found this helpful, please share it with as many military personnel as possible, (Digg, comment, re-tweet this or send the link in an e-mail to friends and family). Help spread the word about how to navigate the college admissions process when you’re Military Service Personnel.

Sophie

P.S. Don’t forget to grab a copy of my Free thank you gift to you for comments, and sharing this with others.

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Secrets of choosing the right College

If you’re like many of us today you are looking to make yourself more marketable. To even maintain where you are often we need to go above and beyond.

One of the best ways to do this is go to college education is very often the key we need; perhaps your boss is strongly encouraging you to make sure you finish your degree, or to get one started if you want to be considered for a promotion.

Or perhaps you’ve been raising your precious little ones and now that they are getting ready to go to school you want to go to college and do something for you. No matter what your reason, let’s say you need to get a degree. Now what? This can either be a very scary time or one of excitement that you look forward to.

Well now that you’ve found this blog (be sure to to subscribe so you don’t miss a single post) so let’s focus on the excitement part.

This blog will have information on so many topics to help you so that you can focus on the fun and exciting part of getting into college.

Well welcome, this is the best place to start.

Let’s look at a series of questions so that we can understand what options you are looking at.

Grab a pen, and let’s find the best option for you. Or just print this off and write your answers to these questions.

• What does the college need to have to meet your needs?
• Does your boss have a list of requirements that the school needs to have?
• Is scheduling a concern? Or will you be able to meet varied class schedules?
• Do you need the college to offer child care?
• Is cost a concern?
• Is Accreditation important?
• Do you want a small college?
• Are you looking for a college that has smaller classrooms? Is the professor student ratio important to you?

These are great questions to start; once you have the answers to these questions, look at the colleges that are an option to you. Then narrow them down to one or two by looking at which one of these are the best match to your requirements.

Call the two colleges next and find out who you’ll be working with, typically you’ll have an Admissions Advisor assigned to work with you; generally they’ll want to get you to come in for a look at the campus etc. That’s great but let’s wait, there are a few more things you’ll want to do before meeting with them.

Give yourself the upper hand. By putting a few additional things in place before you visit the campus you’ll have a much easier time working through the process. Plus when you’re being considered for Admissions you’ll generally be considered to be a stronger candidate if you have these in place.

1. First when you have them on the phone, if you don’t have answers to your questions like the ones above then ask them now.
2. Next find out the cost if you don’t know.

Pay close attention here: This next part may sound trivial, but it is critical, have him or her define what they mean. Say the university tells you that a class is   $450.00 per credit hour.

That’s good to know but ask how many credits are in a class.

• Say it’s three then you’re looking at $1350.00 per each class. This means that they are on a semester hour basis for the college. If they say 5 or so the cost is about $2250.00, big difference. This means that they are on a quarter hour system. This may seem a little confusing, but bear with me.
• The next question is: how many credits are needed to graduate with the degree? This will give you the ability to calculate the total cost while having the individual cost also. (If the school sends out a catalog this should all be listed.)

Some places will just tell you the total cost, although not typically, they want you to look at the smaller picture first, so that you are not scared away by the total cost. We just need to make sure we are looking at the best option for you. That is why it’s so vital to find out this information ahead of time.

Now, if a university is the best fit for you then this could be what you’re looking at cost wise. If not then there are more options that’ll fit you better. We’ll look at those in another post.

3. Ask if they are set up to accept FAFSA, (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Ever wondered what that means? Now you know.

This is a good clue to the legitimacy of a school. If they cannot accept Financial Aid then just be aware that you are working with a college that may not be accredited. Which means some employers may or may not decide to accept you.

Side Note: There’s a reason that most employers want you to have attended a college that is accredited, this way they know that the school has curriculum that is sufficient for you to be considered for the job you want. Some employers have been burned by employees coming in with a degree from a college, but then they find out the hard way what they expected the college to have taught the employee was very different than what’s truly needed for a job. This is one of the reasons an employer would want a college to be accredited.

If they accept FAFSA request their school code, generally this is a five or six digit code. This code is vital for directing your funds to the school you are considering.

If they don’t know it you can typically find this online, it’s public information.

Next find out the Admissions Requirements.

These can be some or all of the following:

• GPA from prior college or high school
• Scores on your SAT or ACT, yes believe it or not years later this can still be taken into consideration, as can your performance in high school.
• Aptitude test, a variation of the ACT or SAT test
• Recommendations, i.e. employer, family, and or educational
• Prior Transcripts if it applies
• Essay stating why you are interested in being considered for admission

Now you know what things you need to have in order to be considered for admissions to the school.

When you do meet with the Admissions Advisor they may has you questions as well, so I’d make sure that you know why you want a degree from this school and let them know what you can offer as a student.

Choosing a college is a big decision so going in knowing the answers to your questions puts you in a much better position to succeed rather than just coming into a school and perhaps being surprised. This way you can come in ready for success.

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