If you are thinking about attending college there is a lot of information you will want to know.
Some important things are listed below.
What college is right for me? online/ground campus
How much time does it take?
Where do I find finances?
How long will it take me to finish?
What to expect for all your time and effort?
What college is right for me?
That is a tough question to answer. Fortunately there is help everywhere to help you decide. If you work a full time job during the days you may find online colleges will be a better help to you. If you have plenty of free time then a ground campus may be what you are looking for. I found that online colleges have great counselors to help you make up your mind. (of course they will want you to do online education) Nevertheless its still a great idea to talk with them and see what they offer it may just work for you. I will included a few resources about online colleges and where to start.
How much time does it take?
The amount of time it takes depends on how fast you want to finish. Realistically you will not be able to finish any major program really fast anyways. Whether you go to a ground college or if you do the online college you will find it will take about 15 hours of your time in actual class settings. You will also find that homework takes another huge portion of your time. During my studies I spent about the same amount of time on homework as I did in class. If you are not willing to spend that much time you may find yourself lacking on your grades, which I might add are super important in the next step.
Where do I find finances?
You can find money everywhere for college, honestly people do not look hard enough to find free money to pay for their school. You have a few options, Federal Pell Grants, Student Loans, (recommended only last) and Scholarships. It all depends on your income, grades, need, and ability to spend time submitting applications that are well worded. There are a wide variety of scholarships from all sorts of company's, groups, and even individuals, but they all have requirements to fill out on the application. During my time I spent many hours filling out applications for everything I could find. It worked out well so far I have been able to find enough funds to pay for my tuition, and still receive a small amount back to use for things like gas, and pencil lead.The key to success in this part is persistence. Also counselors are a great resource to help you find all the funds you may qualify for so don't hesitate to ask, most of them are glad to help, because you will be paying their salary by attending their college.
How long will it take me to finish?
This is another great question. It all depends on the amount of time you spend actually learning material. Don't start college thinking it will be an over the summer project, because it is far from that. You will spend a lot of time every week for a while depending on what level of degree you want. Associates degree will take about 2 years which you could achieve a little faster by taking a few more classes, or take a little longer and spend a little less time per week. A bachelors degree will take around 4 years to complete if you work on it regularly, also the same applies to amount of work invested.
What to expect for all your time and effort?
This is an even better question most forget to ask. Starting pay for most professions with an associates degree is around forty thousand per year, but a bachelors will earn you sixty thousand plus. I will say this the economy is tough so finding the perfect job after you graduate may not be an easy task. Be ready to spend a lot of time finding the job you want, and be prepared to keep your current job, or find different work while you look for a better job. Most people after graduation take around a year to find a job in the field of their studies, while you might be lucky and find it faster just know that there is always a period of looking for the right job.
Did I miss something you have a question about? Feel free to leave a comment and when I have time i will try and find you an answer. Soon to come will be links to sites that will be helpful, also information on campus life and what to expect.
