Graduating high school is supposed to be an exciting time; a time during which kids spread their wings and fly so that they can figure out what it is that they want to do with their life that will make them happy. I never felt that way about graduating though and even though it is coming up this June for me I can’t say that I really began giving any thought to it until recently.
The truth is that I don’t know what I want to do with my life and my parents just keep telling me it’s important to get a college degree no matter what that degree. I just didn’t want to tell them that I had no interest in the typical college experience; no desire to go away to school and that I was utterly confused and sort of overwhelmed by the whole idea.
Something had to give I guess and it finally did. When they pressed me about my plans I finally confessed my fears and I’m glad I did because they reacted a lot differently than I thought they would. We actually talked a lot and sat down together to look at programs that would appeal to me and were close to home.
What we wound up finding were a lot of options for online degree programs which sounded great to me!! That meant that I could start the work of getting my college degree but also get a job which is really what I wanted to do anyway. I didn’t have to be on a college campus which really took the pressure off of me. I am choosing to go for an online IT degree which combines my love of technology with my desire to work in a field that is only growing.
From there, I may even consider an online business degree if it works out. I just know that now I am finally excited about graduation and about taking the next step in my life.
Popularity: 9% [?]
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My husband and I are in a financially difficult place in our lives. Not unlike many other people of our age we are struggling to pay a mortgage and bills that just seem to get more expensive by the day. And when we had our first child, we made the decision for me to stay home for awhile. Truth be told, the cost of childcare would have made my salary pretty much a wash anyway and I wanted to enjoy this first year at home with our daughter. In order to make that happen and take some of the financial pressure off of our shoulders we got rid of one of our cars. Now we only have my husband’s car which is paid off. This can be a huge inconvenience for sure, but it is one worth dealing with considering what it allows us to do.
But being without a car during the day has forced me to make dramatic changes to the way I was living. I certainly shop smarter, making sure that I have what I need in the house; and my daughter and I have gone on some long walks.
But when I decided to use some of my time at home to finish my college degree, I worried that transportation would be an issue. But with an online business degree program I am able to attend school without the commute that would normally be necessary. This means that school is anywhere I want it to be; I can logon when the baby is sleeping and do some reading, get a paper done at night when my husband is home and spending time with our daughter, and generally make my own schedule.
Clearly this wasn’t always an option in the world of education; but I’m glad that when I need it most the online business degree program is available for me.
Popularity: 100% [?]
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It’s no secret that when it comes to teaching in a desirable school district it’s a waiting game more than anything else. You may have the education, the talent, and the desire to teach anything but if there is no position available there’s not much you can do. That’s why so many people choose to substitute teach in school systems in which they have an interest; getting their foot in the door until something opens up and they can apply. It can be frustrating but the wait can pay off in the long run and those who are substituting in their chosen district may choose to use the time wisely to pursue a higher degree.
In fact, this may be the perfect time to begin working on a Masters in Education as it may be the last time during which teachers may have the extra hours to focus on their studies. But in the pursuit of a Masters in Education that doesn’t interfere with the ability to substitute teach, there is the option of earning a degree a different way – online.
Calling it “different,” however doesn’t give this method of education the credit it deserves in being one of the more popular ways to earn a degree today. After all, students are in a variety of situations; they are not just kids out of high school or coming right from an undergraduate program with no responsibilities and dedicated time to earn a Master’s Degree. An online degree program takes all situations into account and allows students to work at their own pace so that they can manage different facets of their life.
For teachers who are substituting in order to earn a reputation, they want to be available as much as possible. While a traditional Masters in Education program may require someone to be unavailable to substitute, an online program allows teachers to be flexible with their schedule and still make educational headway.
Popularity: 9% [?]
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I went to college in the early 90’s when it was unheard of that any of us would have brought along a personal computer to school and there were even fewer of us walking around with a cell phone attached to our ears. It’s actually hard to believe now; it’s really not that long ago in the scheme of things but so much has changed. And it was probably with my old perspective that I made my initial judgment of going back to school online.
I have always wanted to pursue my MBA but the timing has just never seemed to be right. I know it may seem like a bunch of excuses but I wasn’t afraid of the work; I was being realistic about my ability to juggle a schedule that was already pushed the breaking point. I didn’t have the childcare I needed to go back to school and there was no way around it. And when someone first mentioned the idea of getting an online MBA I scoffed at the prospect, considering the world of online learning an environment that was lacking and second rate at best.
I don’t admit it often but I readily will in this instance; I was wrong. But I am giving myself some leeway considering I was not an Internet kid the first time around in college. I had no idea what was now available and in what rich detail. Essentially, as I soon found out, getting an online MBA differed from getting a traditional MBA only in terms of where I was sitting. And in this instance I was sitting at home where I did not need to get childcare and where I did not need to juggle yet another schedule. I was free to earn my degree online; a whole new world has been opened to me and I’m only in my late 30s!
Popularity: 10% [?]
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Having always been into computers in some way, shape, or form, I knew from an early age that I wanted to explore a career in this industry, although I wasn’t sure exactly the direction I was heading. After high school, with financial pressures on my back, I chose to forgo college and I found a pretty good paying job with a local company handling their computer system. Businesses were still just getting online – this was the beginning of the Internet taking hold in companies and homes – and all I had was an innate understanding of computer technology and a desire to work hard.
I have to say that I’m pretty proud of how well I did without any formal education. Simply by teaching myself – and attending seminars here and there – I was able to learn more than the basics and excel in my job.
But now, as I am older, I feel the need to formalize my education with a degree. Sure, my experience speaks volumes about what I can do; but without a college degree some companies won’t even talk to you and I wanted to make sure that I was protected and marketable, especially now with so many people worrying about their jobs.
But I also didn’t want to give up my current job in order to better myself for the next one, so I chose to complete my education through an online IT degree program.
I always knew online learning was an option and had it in the back of my mind but once I made the decision the rest was easy. The online IT degree program that I chose is convenient and I’m able to make my own schedule in terms of completing my work. Best of all, I don’t have to give up my job and I can still take as many classes as I can handle.
I have always found great success with the computer and the online IT degree is no exception!
Popularity: 9% [?]
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I had long wanted to go back to school to pursue a degree in business; had wanted to since the day I left seventeen years ago when I was out of money and was going into the workforce “temporarily” in order to earn my tuition. The years flew by, as they have a way of doing, and before I knew it I was well into a career that I only barely choose. I also had a family that depended on me for more than just my paycheck; I needed to be around for the myriad mom duties that presented themselves on a daily basis. One would think that these obstacles alone would be the driving force behind my not returning to school but the truth was it more the intimidation factor of sitting in a classroom with students half my age.
I was far from old but in terms of the college experience – at least on campus – I was well past my prime and feeling every bit of it. And so I looked for ways to still get that degree I so longed for without having to completely rearrange my work and family schedule and without the embarrassment of walking into a class with twenty year olds. I know that shouldn’t be a reason not to go to school but I’m telling you that it really bothered me.
That’s when I began reading up on online learning and where I first found the online business degree program that would allow me to continue on with my studies on my own terms.
The online business degree program gives me the opportunity to complete all of my work on my home computer which literally covers all of my bases in terms of things that were stopping me from returning to school. I can continue to work full time, I can continue to be there for my family, and I can avoid the in-classroom experience that I so dreaded. I’m so happy to have found this program, that when I am done I am going to continue on to get my online MBA and finally make up for lost time.
Popularity: 12% [?]
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There has been so much press and attention as of late about the state of the economy – as if we needed the reminder that things are tough all over. People are facing this current period of time with equal parts tenacity and terror, doing all that they can to stay afloat through a crisis that could continue for some time.
Going back to school for adults who have long been in the workforce may be something difficult to consider under normal circumstances. But with a trying economy as a backdrop the idea of spending time and money to sit in a classroom may seem ridiculous at best. Until you consider the benefits that such an undertaking could offer.
The fact of the matter is that no one is safe right now; the job market is simply unpredictable and people with tenure in even the biggest of the nation’s corporations are finding themselves out of work. So, the pursuit of another degree may, in some small way, allow us to exert a little control over our future; give us another option in terms of a career. And it’s the reason why, now - rather than any time before – so many adults are looking into the option of returning to school online.
Online degree programs such as the online IT degree and online business degree offer options in the long term and flexibility in the short term; flexibility because students can continue to work at their current place of employment and enjoy all of the benefits of full time work while simultaneously earning a degree.
And so teachers are getting their Masters in Education to give them options in the world of school administration, those in business are earning their online MBA and the work force in general is exploring all that is available to them through online learning.
Popularity: 10% [?]
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When someone says they work in business this can essentially mean anything. There is a huge world of commerce out there and people are engaged in it in all manner of ways; often finding themselves in a completely different place in their careers than they expected when they set out. That is a part of the excitement and interest when it comes to business; there is so much to explore and so much available to us in terms of doing something with our lives that is meaningful to us and that fulfills us on an intellectual as well as a personal level.
Another part of doing business today is learning to not only expect – but anticipate – the many changes that happen year to year. Technology has had an enormous impact on the way that companies large and small relate to each other. The Internet has shrunk the world and allowed us to engage in business relationships with companies the world over just as easily as we would with a company next door. Those who have been successful in business have learned how to adapt to these changes that just keep on coming, just like the waves in the ocean.
Of course, nothing gives us as much experience in business as experience itself – the first hand activity in which we engage day to day. But working in one job and with one company can very easily see us working in a vacuum after awhile; we begin to lose touch with what is outside of our four office walls and what is happening right now to change business as we know it.
Subsequently, many people find themselves with a desire to return to school even well into their careers to pursue their MBA; giving them another tool to use in the business world and enlightening them to what is on the forefront of the business community in terms of advancements and trends. And today, this kind of education is much easier in terms of logistics thanks to the online MBA programs that are available through highly reputable colleges and universities.
Popularity: 10% [?]
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In the last post we talked about the impact that the Internet has had on education. It has arguably resulted in the most significant transformation of our time in terms of how we go about learning. The computer has been integrated into classrooms from as early as Kindergarten and has become a standard component in higher grades as college students tote laptops to lectures and rely heavily on Internet resources for research purposes, not to mention their word processing platforms in order to write and print their papers formatted easily and conveniently.
Further, the Internet has result in the availability of online learning in a variety of degree programs. Not enough can be said about how significant this development; online learning has allowed students in all situations to have access to degree programs that they can easily fit into their schedule and that will allow them to continue working a full time job, raise a family, or attend classes through a college or university that may not be logistically close enough to warrant travel to and from campus.
And in addition to the convenience offered by online learning, there is also the matter of its extensive versatility. A variety of degree programs are now offered online through reputable and accredited colleges and universities. The online business degree offers students a chance to explore the world of business in a variety of genres and there even exists the option to go further in their education with the earning of an online MBA. For teachers who want to earn a higher degree but not sacrifice their job to go back to school, the online Masters in Education program provides the perfect choice. Or the online IT degree gives computer enthusiasts the chance to get paid to do something they love.
No matter what your career goals, be it education, computers, or even nonprofit management, the control is in your hands in terms of your education; just another wonderful benefit in the age of the Internet.
Popularity: 14% [?]
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There is a large segment of the population – the youngest in our generation – that will never know a time when the Internet was not available to them; will never know what it was like to have a question and not be able to logon to get an answer, to not be able to instant message friends around the country or around the world, to not have anything and everything as close as a few keyboard buttons. This availability of information has transformed our world without exception. But those who have no basis of comparison – no first-hand experience in an Internet-less world – cannot fully grasp the levity of this transformation; while those of us who saw the birth of the Internet, as well as its subsequent evolution, can speak with authority about the mark it has made in nearly every area of our life.
One such area is that of education. Firstly in terms of how the computer serves us within a classroom and overall school setting – computers are introduced in the elementary school level, are used to look up books and procure information in libraries (remember the card catalogue?), and kids even bring their laptops to school in higher grades to take notes. Further, computers have changed the way in which we complete our work. It used to be that a trip to the library was in order for research purposes; today we need only to get online to find everything we need and papers are typed with ease and printed from home. For those of us who were all too familiar with the many obstacles of the modern typewriter, we can only surmise how much easier life would have been with a laptop when we were in school.
But even more, the Internet has changed the process of learning, rendering the traditional classroom unnecessary in some cases as students flock online for exclusive Internet degree programs – everything from an online MBA to a Masters in Education. More in the next post.
Popularity: 12% [?]
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