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Posts Tagged ‘college degree’

Obtaining College Credit through Life Experience

Tuesday, May 10th, 2011

A big question that readers of the blog at www.TheDegree.com keep asking is … “Can you actually obtain a degree for life experience?”

Unlike most questions about education there is a simple one word answer for this question which is a plain NO. Any person who states that you can attain a degree for life experience is trying to sell a valueless piece of paper to you which will not be helpful for your life. Getting a degree is easy nowadays, but it can not guarantee a good life for you, but it’s just a tool to search for employment.

But it’s possible to obtain college credit and acquire complete degree depending on what you have learnt at workplace, through independent readings or study, life events, knowledge acquired from hobbies, life events, voluntary work etc, with help of exams like DANTES and CLEP and also through assessment of earlier learning (APL).

Adult learners with work experience often already know what students usually learn at colleges, having gained knowledge outside of the classroom. Many accredited universities in the United States and throughout the world offer credit when a student is able to prove that they have learned something, which is equivalent and valuable as a course. In United States, “portfolio” is used to asses prior learning when compared to college degrees. Portfolios are considered to offer a course description at college level from any college within United States. Hence portfolios are considered as necessary by some universities as evidence to prove that someone has acquired knowledge, which is tantamount to a college degree. In other institutions verification of work experience can meet their criteria for college credit.

In all cases, the knowledge, which is gained through experience at workplace, is compared with knowledge that is needed to complete a course and acquire a degree based on common standard. With portfolios, this is explained by a real life example of a student who explains what they have done in their life that includes proof to support the knowledge, which they have gained substantiating that it is equivalent to knowledge obtained through classroom training.

Because the process of assessing portfolios consumes lot of time and many students are searching for different alternative methods to showcase their skills and knowledge, which they consider to be equivalent to degree attained from a University. For the most part only universities present outside United States which are fully accredited are providing credit through APL (Assessing of Prior Learning), with and without need for submission of portfolios.

While this can save lot of time for students, the end result is actually same and student is able to attain credit for learning outside classroom through research, work experience, hobbies, voluntary activities or life events. International University of Panama is one such university, which gives credit to students for outside classroom learning. You can find lot of useful information about acquiring credit from knowledge gained through outside classroom learning at the website, http://www.thecareerpeople.com/

Obtaining College Degree through Knowledge gained from life experience

Thursday, May 5th, 2011

As per statistics given by U.S. Census Bureau, people who have a bachelor’s degree are able to earn an average income which is sixty percent than people who have just a high school diploma. The difference in earning potential between people having a college degree and people with high school diploma reaches more than 1 Million dollars. In spite of this vast difference in earning potential just 21 percent of adults above 25 years of age are getting college degrees. There was survey conducted by National newspaper in which readers regretted about the fact that most of Americans are not able to pursue their education at college level and attain a degree.
But now there is hope for people to obtain a college degree with knowledge that they have acquired outside classroom through either work experience, voluntary activities, knowledge gained through hobbies etc. These degrees are fully accredited and equivalent to degrees, which are issued by top fully accredited US universities.
You can get this degree if you have started but were not able to complete the course of study, even if it was more than thirty years ago. If you have credits from an accredited college outside United States, then you can obtain a fully accredited US degree with less time when compared to normal college degree. If you are currently in high school and wish to push up your education levels so as to enter college with three, six, twelve or thirty credits, it is now possible. This helps to you get credit for the knowledge that you already acquired through life experience and you can become a college graduate within a time span of 1 year. Much of the work can completed as online study, exams, work experience, or other outside the classroom learning. In many cases it is impossible to know if the final degree is an online degree or a campus based one. This is true for undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees.

There is no need to attend regular classroom training and to obtain credit for already acquired skills outside classroom. You can study something on your own or make use of work experience to get a degree by completing exams. You can start fresh and take exams at your own convenience to obtain a US college degree easily. You can use the knowledge attained through life experience, voluntary work, hobbies, self-study and reading, work experience etc and attain US college degree by writing exams such as DANTES, CLEP or APL – Assessment of Prior Learning.

This type of degree has been acquired by lot of people already, and they enjoy the benefits of fully accredited US college degree. They have able to get professional high-paying jobs with help of their degrees which has literally altered their lifestyle and earning potential. For more information about this, you can visit the websites http://www.thecareerpeople.com/ or www.TheDegree.com. Both these websites provide valuable information about obtaining a degree or degree equivalent to that acquired from top universities without attending formal classroom training.

The Cheap Track to a College Degree

Tuesday, April 26th, 2011

Some politicians believe that students should be offered Bachelor’s degree courses at a cheap price, because education is very important, not that just for the future for the individual students, but also for the country, as these graduates are the future of the country. It is believed that education institutions should offer courses, even as low as $10,000 for students, and this is for a full degree course from beginning to graduation, and including books. They believe that there should be a cheap track to a college degree, which should not rely on Financial Aid loans but rather reduced tuition or scholarship only.

However, there are plenty of negative reactions to these suggestions. While many believe that it is a great idea, as not all students have no family support, cannot get adequate scholarships, and simply cannot afford to pay for a Bachelor’s degree as tuition is simply rising even as I type this. With the job market so tight student loans would put these students under water after graduation. Getting a job that can pay off student loans in the hundreds of thousands of dollars is becoming an impossible task. It takes time for enrollments to catch up with reality but if student aid is not forthcoming then colleges will close. College officials must wake up. Our elected leaders must prioritize education. Online degrees maybe the beginning of an answer to this problem. They are often cheaper and faster than campus degree as well as reducing the need for child care or housing.

In addition to this alternative to an overpriced college degree, it will give these students the opportunity to work as they study, because their time would be flexible. If the students are able to work while studying, they are able to earn money, and gain a real world experience when it comes to the working world which would prepare them for what is coming ahead when they graduate. e-Learning and Online courses is definitely road to a cheap yet fully recognized and accredited college degree.

What is Accreditation All About?

Monday, April 25th, 2011

Thinking of getting a degree online? Before you start you need to understand about accreditation and the right questions to ask from online universities and colleges.

Many people are going back to school to earn a degree and they’re doing it online for two reasons, cost and convenience. But not all online universities are created equal in the eyes of some employers and other universities.

Make sure the online university you’re thinking about is accredited through a board of accrediting agencies. Don’t just take the school’s word for it; you need to verify that an accreditation actually exists. If you decide to take your education to the next level you don’t want to discover that the next university you apply for does not recognize your online degree.

Because a school is accredited doesn’t mean that you’re getting the best education either. Some school can obtain an accredited status by passing on the bare minimum of requirements. If you’re going to spend the time learning you want make sure you’re getting the best education possible. So make sure the agency doing the accreditation is approved by U.S. Department of Education. It’s the part of the government that, among other things, regulate which accreditation agencies are legitimate and which are not. If an agency does not have USDOE approval stay away from the institutions that they accredited.

Getting a degree to advance your career can be a wise move. There are many degree programs so you need to consider which one is right for you. If you’re having trouble making a decision on your higher education moves, you might want to consider talking to a professional career consultant to evaluate your educational goals. The last thing you want to do is spend months and maybe even years getting a degree only to discover you really don’t want to pursue that career path.
Another thing you want to consider is the longevity of the career you’re going back to school for. Technology is changing the face of the business landscape and many jobs are either being outsourced to other countries with a cheaper labor force, or being eliminated altogether due to obsolesce. Research what you are considering for your college degree, as it might not be there in a few years.

You’re going to spend a lot of time cracking the books; it makes sense to spend at least a little time researching online universities first.

Time It Takes To Complete A Degree

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

It depends upon your academic objectives. Generally, a certificate course for a particular career or field (credit or non-college credit) takes around a year. Certificate programs are offered in culinary arts, childhood education, computer technology, emergency medical technicians, pharmacy technician, office administration, real estate, tourism, teacher’s aide, travel.

It takes around sixty credits and two years for a full-time student to obtain an associate’s degree. And, in case of a bachelor’s degree, one hundred and twenty credits and four years are required; however the degree can be attained through various academic options.

Need for a College Degree

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Need for a college degree depends upon personal career objectives, however generally if you have a higher education, your salary will be higher, and you will have better career choices as well as security. Recently, a report from the Census Bureau of America shows that the median annual salary for employees holding a high school diploma was $27,915; whereas for a  four years bachelor’s degree, it was $51,206. People holding just a high-school diploma were more likely to be jobless compared to those with bachelor’s degrees. People not holding a high-school diploma had an average yearly salary of only $18,734. People earning a master’s/doctoral degree got a yearly average salary of $74,602 or even more.

According to statistics project 75 % of  positions in the future are likely to necessitate at least some kind of licensure or certification, and professions which necessitate a bachelor’s degree are likely to increase almost twice as speedily as the nation’s average. So, investing to obtain a college degree is undoubtedly a wise decision. A number of adults come across the need of a college degree to step in their career of their interest or to obtain an increased salary. Rest of the people find themselves as workforce due to economic conditions or divorce or career transition. With the advancement in technology plus changing economic as well as employment circumstances, a lot of adults are coming across a growing demand to build or update their skills and knowledge.

Remember that not every adult needs to obtain a college degree. Vocational training and certificate programs can usually offer the essential expertise and professional training.

Earn Six Figure Jobs in Six Simple Ways

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Earning six figure jobs can be done in six easy and simple ways. All you need to do is to find a college degree and complete the following steps.
1.     The first step involves matching your skills and interests to a college degree. See if you are interested in computers, movies, art, books or love to socialize. Are you an outgoing person? Or do you like facts and figures well? By matching your skills and interests with the perfect four year college degree, you can find a college degree in the field of your interest which will help you be successful in your job in the future. Moreover, it even assists to consider jobs that you did not like; for instance, if your love to talk to people while working retail, you may fit well in the position of business management.
2.    The second step requires specializing in a field with the potential of growth. Well, if you are interested in web and graphic design, consider digital and web design over print. According to BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), while three hundred fresh jobs are projected to open up in the print-heavy desktop publishing from 2006 to 2016, around twenty-six thousand people are expected to be accessible for graphic designer. A four year degree in graphic designing would meet the requirements for each of the 26,000. However, additional web design training will add to your career. Find a bachelor’s degree in a field that has growth potential.
3.    This step involves earning an online bachelor’s degree. For beginners, obtaining your online bachelor’s degree provides you the opportunity to keep full-time career along with your study. Now, you can attend school and earn valuable experience in the industry both at the same time. For the fields like IT, attending school online allows you to develop skills as you learn. Looking at the brighter side of the picture, you can get training to work well with confidence in the industry.
4. Always mention your degree objectives when finding a job while you are in school. Once you get the degree, do not throw your time away in a position undervaluing your education. Although, you may not be paid a six figure salary at the first day of your work, you can get there by proving your value to your employers.
5. This step requires you to make smart moves for your career. The starting wages for computer engineers in 2008, averaged $56,201, however, according to the BLS, the annual salaries for computer engineers averaged $100,180. What you need to do is to work hard for getting from point A to point B. Find the right organization to work with and do not be afraid to ask for a pay raise. While obtaining your bachelor’s degree, taking some courses of business administration would be wise to improve your business know-how.
6. Finally, it is the time to climb up the ladder. It involves further education.  For instance, if you are finding a management position, obtaining a master’s degree would be the best. Earn a Master’s in Business Administration to make your career successful.
Starting with a Bachelor’s Degree
Earning a bachelor’s degree will make it easier for you to get a six figure career. There are colleges that allow you to step in a program even if you don’t declare a major. Because of the degree programs online, obtaining a bachelor’s degree has become easier than it ever was.