While a flexible schedule is the reason why most students who choose distance education look for online colleges, it is still important to look into different colleges before making a final decision. In addition, while some students choose online colleges because they simply learn better with a more flexible schedule and they don’t cope well in a more traditional institution, shopping around and seeing what others have said about the various online institutions is an important part of finding an online program that will meet your needs.

In a recent poll conducted by USA News, they ranked online education programs based on a number of criteria.

Based on Student Engagement and Assessment, the top 5 schools were as follows:
1. Bellevue University (Bellevue, NE)
2. Newberry College (Newberry, SC)
3. Troy University (Troy, AL)
4. University of the Incarnate Word (San Antonio, TX)
5. University of Phoenix (Phoenix, AZ)

Based on Faculty Credentials and Training, the top 5 schools were as follows:
1. Westfield State University (Westfield, MA)
2. United States Sports Academy (Daphne, AL)
3. St. Mary’s College of California (Moraga, CA)
4. Pace University (New York, NY)
5. Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX)

Based on Student Services and Technology, the top 5 schools were as follows:
1. Arizona State University (Tempe, AZ)
2. Sam Houston State University (Huntsville, TX)
3. Florida International University (Miami, FL)
4. University of North Dakota (Grand Forks, ND)
5. Troy University (Troy, AL)

It should be noted that while for-profit institutions such as the University of Phoenix, DeVry University, and American Public University are among the schools with the highest enrollments in online programs, non for-profit institutions provide high quality programming as well. This is illustrated by the rankings listed above. However, there are a number of important indicators that prospective students must inquire about prior to enrolling in an online institution. They are as follows:

1. Regional vs. National accreditation
Accreditation is the best way to find out what the type of institution, the prospective school, is. Put simply, regionally accredited institutions are institutions whose main focus is academia. Alternatively, nationally accredited institutions are vocationally centered and mainly focus on career training. There are seven regional accreditation associations in the U.S. and it has been traditionally understood that regionally accredited institutions are more widely recognized in the U.S. than nationally accredited institutions. What does this mean for students? Those who attempt to transfer their degrees from nationally accredited institutions to regionally accredited institutions, do not find a lot of success in doing so. On the other hand, some online colleges will offer national accreditation which means that if you want to transfer to your local university later on, you may not be able to. To ensure that your online college has the right accreditation, check out the school’s “About” page or contact their main office for more information.

2. Course Format
While many people believe that online courses are always in a “go at you on pace” format, many online colleges offer course work that comes in several formats. Video, conference, correspondence, web-based or even face-to-face format are some of the various types of programming prospective students can expect to see at different online colleges. If a course’s format presents a problem for you, you may need to do your research. For example, it may seem great to have 24 credits of web-based format coursework but finding out that your last 6 credits will have to be face-to-face format when you live over 1,000 miles away from the college location could be a problem. It is important that you research exactly which courses will be required of you, in your given program.

3. Online Tuition
More and more schools are starting to offer out-of-state online students incentives, such as tuition waivers and special rates. This can make it easier for students to afford to take part in an online program that is within their budget even if you are out of state. Check with the institution to see if there are any monetary incentives that they offer for their online students.

As great as online colleges are, they may require more research to ensure a smooth college experience. It is important to investigate online colleges before you enroll. Please browse through www.academies.com for a better understanding of the various online education programs available.

Attending school in California and becoming an engineering major can really pay off for college graduates — by thousands of dollars a year.

According to a report released Thursday from salary-tracker PayScale.com, petroleum engineering majors and graduates of Harvey Mudd College are taking home the biggest paychecks.

While mid-career salaries fell 1.5% overall between 2009 and 2010, engineers, scientists and mathematicians continued to rake in the big bucks, as well as students who graduated from Ivy League schools.

“Our society values something practical — that’s why poetry isn’t popping up on the top of the list,” said Al Lee, director of quantitative analysis at PayScale. “As in the past, engineering and [similar] fields with a strong math component plus a physical world component remain on the top, with lots of money to be made in these fields.”

The data in the report, collected from 999 bachelor degree institutions in the last year, track median starting salaries of employees who graduated in the last five years and median mid-career salaries of graduates with more than 10 years of experience in a given field.

Follow the money: So where are all the lavishly paid engineers bred? According to PayScale.com, it’s Claremont, Calif., where Harvey Mudd alums go on to earn a mid-level salary of around $126,000.

“Harvey Mudd is the nexus of all good places to be in terms of graduate earnings,” said Lee. “Not only do engineering majors make good money and this happens to be a specialized school for engineering, but southern California is an area that tends to have some of the highest wage earners in the country.”

Meanwhile, Dartmouth College, which claimed the title as the school with the highest paid graduates for the past two years, was knocked down the list to number two — tied with Princeton — with its graduates receiving a starting salary of $54,100 and a mid-career salary of $123,000.

Since a large chunk of Dartmouth students typically head into financial services post-college, many graduates felt a blow to their wallets in the last year as financial companies cut back on pay, said Lee.

Harvard, California Institute of Technology, Colgate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford, Duke and Bucknell rounded out the top ten list of schools with the highest-paid mid-career graduates.

On the other end of the spectrum, if you choose Coker College in South Carolina — the worst-paying school on the list — be prepared for a starting salary of around $28,900 and a mid-level salary of $40,300.

Majors that pay: Topping the list of best-paying degrees this year, petroleum engineers earn a starting salary of $93,000 and a mid-level salary of $157,000.

That’s $49,000 more than the next most lucrative majors, aerospace engineering and chemical engineering, which both produce graduates earning a salary of around $108,000.

“Petroleum engineering has been an incredibly profitable sector for the last few years,” said Lee. “It’s a very cyclical field and depends largely on the price of oil, and we’re very much on an up cycle right now.”

Electrical engineering was the third-highest paying major on the list, with mid-level pay of $104,000 per year, followed by nuclear engineering, applied mathematics, biomedical engineering, physics and computer engineering.

But I don’t want to be an engineer! If science and math aren’t your thing, don’t worry. There are plenty of other majors — many you wouldn’t expect — that will put you on the money-making track.

“People always think they have to be an engineer if they want to make good money down the line, but there are a lot of other majors that will help you find good careers with salaries that anyone would be comfortable living on,” said Lee.

A building construction major typically leads to a mid-career salary of more than $94,000, while mid-level government majors earn $87,300 on average. International relations, supply chain management and urban planning also boast average salaries of more than $80,000 a year.

Even majors like film production and zoology can help you land a good-paying job. While film-makers earn a starting salary of only $36,100 and recently-graduated zoology majors tend to make about $34,600, mid-level salaries come in at about $77,800 and $68,800, respectively.

There are a wide variety of jobs that open up for you once you have graduated from the culinary arts degree program. You can be a line chef, an assistant baker, a restaurant manager and even a pantry cook.

Salaries of chefs or head cooks van vary widely depending on your type of work environment. Top wages are usually paid by fine dining establishments. Other high paying employers include hotels, resorts and individuals who hire private chefs.

The average pay for a beginner such as a cooking assistant or a line chef is $26,500 annually. An executive chef may earn $57,471 to $87,563 per year. An executive pastry chef can command anywhere from $47,756 to $71,559 annually. A hotel manager can make $68,000 to $127,756 per year. A restaurant manager could earn $38,533 to $56,491 and a sous chef $33,912 to $53,123 annually.

Across the fields, those individuals who hold a bachelor’s degree earn almost twice as much as those with only a high school diploma.

Civil engineering graduates also posted a 6.4 % increase, bringing their average offer to $51,632. Mechanical engineering grads received a 5.3 % increase, boosting their average starting salary to $57,009. The offer to electrical engineering grads rose a modest 2.9 %, bringing their offers to $56,910 annually.

An engineering degree, at least a bachelor’s degree is usually required for entry-level engineering jobs and eligibility for professional certifications may require a master’s degree. Once completing the Bachelor of Engineering or Bachelor of Science of Engineering, many students will go on to pursue a two-year Master of Engineering or Master of Science in Engineering degree. At this point, many students will choose to focus on a specific form of engineering.

There are many different fields of engineering you may choose, to name a few: an aerospace engineer, biomedical, agricultural, architectural, electrical, chemical, civil, environmental, mechanical, software, telecommunications, manufacturing, materials, naval, nuclear or automotive.

Another reason to earn a degree in engineering is the ability to work in different environments or you may opt to travel. Most engineers work in office buildings, laboratories, or industrial plants. Others spend time outdoors at construction sites, and oil and gas explorations and production sites, where they monitor or direct operations or solve on-site problems. Some engineers travel extensively to plants or worksites here or abroad.

There are many government jobs in the local or state and federal level that you may wish to choose in your career. Having the right degree is imperative to getting your foot in the door.

An associate’s degree will allow the student to gain the minimum amount of specialized skills to gain an entry level position in the human services field. However, a good paying job will require at least a bachelor’s degree in human services. You can even choose to earn a higher degree such as a Doctorate or a PDH in human services.

The bachelor’s degree in human services at most schools combines career-related courses with broad exposure to arts and humanities. By the end of the program, students have gained the ability to relate to clients on multiple levels. A degree in human services requires degree specific classes, such as abnormal psychology, group dynamics, developmental psychology, ethics and human services, and research design and evaluation.

The masters degree in human services focuses on areas related to management and director positions. During their graduate studies, human services majors develop a deeper understanding of human psychology. Key areas of study include graduate level ethics and legal issues in human services, assessment and intervention techniques, clinical case formulation, diversity issues in human services, group processes and facilitation, and applied behavior analysis.

The salary you will earn will depend on your job and your level of education as well as your employer. It is difficult to estimate your income precisely, because human services can cover a wide range of different occupations and employers. For example, if you go into social work, you can work in pediatrics, in mental and public health, or with people who suffer from substance abuse. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, social workers in the mental and public health field earn the highest median income, at $43,040 (2006).

Job seekers with business degrees have the advantage of pursuing jobs in many fields, including finance, accounting, office management, marketing and human resources. Employers often choose applicants with business degrees because they know these employees have a well-rounded education with training in areas important to running a successful company.

Higher income is another reason to have a degree in business. People with business degrees generally earn more than their colleagues without one. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, employees with a bachelor’s degree in business make $20,000 more annually than an employee with only a high school diploma.

Employees who have a degree in business can expect to earn anywhere from $34,361 per year for entry-level positions such as office administrator, or well over six- figures plus perks for high-level executives such as CEO,s, COOs or CFOs. Workers with an advanced degree such as a Master of Business Administration (MBA) or a Doctorate degree can command even higher salaries upon graduation.

Being fortunate enough to work in a field you enjoy and to earn the salary that comes with the degree is the ultimate in personal and job satisfaction. If you have what it takes to be a strong communicator, good at leading and working with a team, enjoy solving challenging math problems and working with numbers then you should earn your degree in the exciting field of business.

For skilled workers who keep up with the latest technology, prospects for advancement are good. Advancement opportunities for computer software engineers increase with experience. Eventually, they may become project manager, manager of information systems, or chief information officer, especially if they have business skills and training. Some computer software engineers with several years of experience or expertise can find lucrative opportunities working as systems designers or independent consultants, particularly in specialized fields such as business-to-business transactions or security and data assurance.

In May of 2008, median wages of wage and salary computer applications software engineers were $85,430. The middle 50 percent earned between $67,790 and $140,870. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $53,720, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $120,870.

In addition to a Computer Technician’s salary, benefits are an important part of any compensation package. Paid holidays and vacation time are the most highly prized benefits for the majority of technicians, followed by sick leave and a 401(k).

Earning a bachelors’ degree in Computer Technology will give you a great advantage in the job market and has been proven to earn the highest salaries in the industry.

A degree in Art Design is an opportunity to turn your talent, your passion and your imagination into a career that suites you inside and out. It’s about putting your ideas to practical use, whether creating new designs or products or taking existing ones to the next level. A degree in Art Design is a great choice for the talented individual.

A Bachelor’s degree in the arts can be earned in a variety of disciplines: art history, art education, graphic design, web development, video game design and many others. You can earn Bachelor’s degrees in Art Design, including a Bachelor of Arts degree or a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree.

About 62% of artists are self-employed. Many, however, find work with museums, galleries, schools, advertising agencies, magazines, newspapers, and movie studios. Employment of artists and related workers is expected to grow faster that average: 16% through 2016, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

Competition in all art related fields is generally quite keen. The outlook is most favorable for multimedia artists and animators, as the demand for special effects in movies, and television and video games increases. Medical illustration will also be in demand as medical research grows.

Salaries vary greatly for artists, particularly for freelance artists who must work to ensure a constant stream of income. Average earnings for artists range from $32,570 for craft artists to $88,510 for art directors. Multimedia artists typically earn $52,000 per year. Commercial Industrial Designers will face an increase of 7% in employment growth. They will earn an average of $54,560 annually.

Because the field of education is so diverse, demand varies for different positions. In large urban areas, there are many high demand teaching jobs thanks to growing populations. Suburban areas continue to see rapid growth and expansion as well. Whether you chose to live and work in the city or the suburbs, the next few years will hold solid prospects for everyone with an education degree as many “baby boomers” are nearing retirement age; leaving many jobs open for those with teaching degrees.

Besides your average kindergarten through grade 12 teachers, there are many additional job prospects within specific teaching fields and related areas for those with educational degrees. Some of the hottest areas in education today are bilingual teachers, special education teachers, math and science teachers and educational administrators. Whatever you choose, you will find that with a teaching degree you will always be able to find a faculty opening in a high demand area; someone with a teaching degree is never out of work.

Once you’ve earned your degree, it’s time to start working in your preferred field. Although the salary range in teaching varies by state and by school district, virtually all public schools in the U. S. employ a rigid salary grid to determine the starting salaries for teachers paid in a specific district. The single unified salary schedule recognizes only years of service and amount of education as factors in determining the pay of individual teachers. It treats all degrees as equivalent, regardless of where they were earned or in what subject.

A new teacher with a bachelor’s degree would start at the salary of $32,722 for the nine month school year. Salaries usually increase at a rate of 2-3% a year. However, for a teacher with a bachelor’s degree, these salaries usually cap at year 12 or around $44,916 per school year. With a master’s degree instead of a bachelor’s degree, a teacher would be paid $51,192 rather than $44,916. The other benefit of having a master’s degree is that the salary step increases are no longer capped in year 12, but continue to increase to $69,859.

Education and teaching is not only a way to give back to your community and enjoy personal satisfaction but it is a great way to earn a lucrative salary.

Membership associations in academies and universities serve as a valuable resource for the student.

They can provide leadership, promote ethics and stimulate and nourish creative teaching and learning.

These associations also serve to promote knowledge and understanding of the origins, aims, programs and goals of the university or academy.  

Membership in these groups can provide student support, research, funding for programs, and scholarship funds. Some students have relied on their memberships in the various associations to assist in career advancement after graduation.

Will you need a master’s degree, a doctorate or just an associate’s degree?

This will depend on the job qualifications for your career choice.

You may decide that none of the programs offered by your college fits your needs; in that case find out if you can sign up for a personalized study program.  The Personalized Study Program (PSP) is intended for undergraduate students who wish to pursue a major that falls outside an established academic department or program. The PSP permits intellectually coherent majors designed by the student, assisted by faculty. There are also “interdisciplinary”  programs that allow students to choose classes from many different subject areas.

Moreover, there are foreign exchange student programs, off-campus study programs, study abroad programs and special programs for most classes such as specialized math classes, science and technology programs and pre-professional programs such as pre-law.

Whatever your career path look into the programs offered by the academy or university of your choice to find out which college can best suits your needs.

Many colleges specialize in certain areas of study.

Some are well known for their legal department, some are best for medical, business, music/art, engineering, dentistry, bible study, or perhaps agriculture and farming.

Whatever you choose to study as your major it is a good idea to research the academy or university to find out how they rate in your chosen field.

Investigate the technological capabilities of specialized colleges to help you make a final decision. You should apply to a college with the latest computers and software as well as a commitment to reinvest tuition into learning technologies to get the most for your money.

Many colleges offer an infirmary with a fulltime staff of qualified doctors and nurses, outpatient clinic, sports medicine and health education programs.
It is a good idea to check out the health facility of the colleges or universities you are planning to attend to see what type of facilities are available.
When packing for college be sure to include your immunization records, medical doctors phone numbers and bring along a variety of first aid items.

College Internet Services
The Internet has quickly become an integral part of college life. In many cases, it is not possible to take certain classes without the Internet. This means students need access to both an Internet connection and a computer. While most students today are well versed in Internet usage from DSL to cable to even fiber optic and satellite connectivity there are many particulars to college Internet access that must be considered. A student will need the proper hardware, software and Internet services account.

A particular college or university may provide an Information Technology Department with innovative, reliable, and integrated technology solutions, quality services, and information resources. One university also boasts three virtual computer labs. The virtual labs were created so that you can receive the same computer lab services online as you receive in campus computer labs. You can log into these virtual labs from any computer with your Internet connection.

College Libraries
Some colleges and university have large libraries allowing access to more students without crowding or excessive noise. Some have quiet study rooms filled with resource books or history rooms. Others may have a room with computers and access for all students and a virtual reference library.

If your school has a digital and multimedia center in their library you can access both online and traditional media collections, designed to meet research needs across many different disciplines and subject areas. They serve the community and the worldwide academic community through digitization projects that preserve scholarly resources.

Other colleges offer course guides and tutorials to provide information and links to resources that are especially useful for a particular course. You can research by course, title, department or professor. This can be used when looking for help with a particular course’s assignment.

Whatever your needs are make sure that the academy or university you are planning to attend can provide you with the best library facilities for your style of study.

Architecture of the College Campus
The architecture of your chosen college is essentially important to student pride. It is a nice place to bring friends and family to visit and something to be proud of. The campus could be modern, classical or even located at a strip mall. The buildings may be revered and the grounds pleasant.

A school doesn’t have to have a lawn. You can find excellent schools in busy urban centers or even on the Web. But when we dream of academic life, we often think of ivy-covered towers, ancient trees, and vast expanses of green. However, some of the most picturesque college campuses in the United States were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted or his partners. From 1857 to 1950, Olmsted’s firm designed the master plans or served as landscape consultants for 355 school and college campuses.

But on some campuses, bad old architecture really gets in the way. The regional campus that I visited had three principal residential areas: (1) a group of three ten-story cinderblock towers; (2) a wholly separate collection of nine mid-sized apartment-style buildings with student suites; and (3) another wholly separate group of house-like three-story buildings with suite-like apartments. Making this a difficult campus to navigate.

One of the most amazing learning centers in the world is at the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. From a distance, you can barely even tell that the 5-story structure is a building; it blends in so well with its environment. A plethora of glass walls allow plenty of natural light to illuminate the interior, and the grassy roof is used as a meeting space for students. The green roof also insulates the building, cools the surrounding air and harvests rainwater for landscape irrigation.

Fraternities and Sororities
Many colleges and universities continue to maintain fraternities and sororities. These are organizations identified by Greek letters that signify a single-sex organization with memberships considered active only during undergraduate years.
Although, notable exceptions to the rule are historically black, Latin and Asian and multicultural organizations, in which active membership continues long after completion of undergraduate degrees. Greek letter organizations may sometimes be considered mutual aid societies providing academic and social activities. Some groups maintain a chapter house, providing residential and dining facilities for members.

For organizations with Greek letters composing their name, these letters are the initials of a motto (such as Delta Upsilon), a set of virtues (such as Alpha Kappa Lamda) or the history of its organization (such as Phi Tau).

Hazing is a ritual used in the fraternities to instill loyalty and unity in its members. Hazing has been banned by many; it does however, still occurs and has resulted in numerous injuries and deaths.

Some colleges and universities have banned the Greek letter organizations with the justification that they are by their very structure set up to be elitist and exclusionary. According to the US Dept of Education fraternity and sorority members drink more than other students and are therefore more likely to suffer the effects of alcohol abuse, poor academic performance, missed classes, fighting, vandalism, injuries, and sexual assault than the general college population.

Members Associations of Colleges
Membership Associations usually are formulated from Alumni, the theatre group, professional associations, medical or dental associations, art associations, music associations and sports associations. Membership associations in academies and universities serve as a valuable resource for the student. They can provide leadership, promote ethics and stimulate and nourish creative teaching and learning.

These associations also serve to promote knowledge and understanding of the origins, aims, programs and goals of the university or academy.
Membership in these groups can provide student support, research, funding for programs, and scholarship funds. Some students have relied on their memberships in the various associations to assist in career advancement after graduation.

College Alumni
Does alumni really matter? Does the academy or university you are considering have a list of distinguished alumni? This may be something you should research before choosing the right college. In some cases you stand a much better chance of landing your dream job when your choice college has a good reputation and a list of high profile Alumni.
It is a well-known fact that Wellesley College in Massachusetts boasts that Hillary Rodham Clinton and Diane Sawyer are among their celebrated Alumni. Also Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey include several authors and US Senators are distinguished Alumni. The Alumni list of the college may include a billionaire or a Nobel Prize winner. These are exciting facts about your college and can be an advantage to you.

Some Alumni also provide financial support to their Alma Mater. The annual fund is enormously important to the welfare of the college or university.
Many foundations consider Alumni participation to be a measure of worthiness of the college to receive funds, which impact the long term effects of foundations, grants and college standing.

A particular college or university may provide an Information Technology Department with innovative, reliable, and integrated technology solutions, quality services, and information resources.

One university also boasts three virtual computer labs. The virtual labs were created so that you can receive the same computer lab services online as you receive in campus computer labs. You can log into these virtual labs from any computer with your internet connection.

Some have quiet study rooms filled with resource books or history rooms. Others may have a room with computers and access for all students and a virtual reference library.

If your school has a Digital and Multimedia Center in their Library you can access both online and traditional media collections, designed to meet research needs across many different disciplines and subject areas. They serve the community and the worldwide academic community through digitization projects that preserve scholarly resources.

Other colleges offer course guides and tutorials to provide information and links to resources that are especially useful for a particular course. You can research by course, title, department or professor. This can be used when looking for help with a particular course’s assignment.  

Whatever your needs are make sure that the academy or university you are planning to attend can provide you with the best library facilities for your style of study.

Students can gain unlimited information about any area in a very short time.

They can develop a more accurate view of the scientific community. They can actively participate in their learning and engage in open-ended construction of knowledge.

Other types of internet study include the use of virtual labs. One university also boasts three virtual computer labs. The virtual labs were created so that you can receive the same computer lab services online as you receive in campus computer labs. You can log into these virtual labs from any computer with your internet connection. Virtual displays are also valuable learning tools. Some schools may provide an Information Technology Department with innovative, reliable, and integrated technology solutions, quality services, and information resources.

A school doesn’t have to have a lawn. You can find excellent schools in busy urban centers or even on the Web.

But when we dream of academic life, we often think of ivy-covered towers, ancient trees, and vast expanses of green. However, some of the most picturesque college campuses in the United States were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted or his partners. From 1857 to 1950, Olmsted’s firm designed the master plans or served as landscape consultants for 355 school and college campuses.

But on some campuses, bad old architecture really gets in the way. The regional campus that I visited had three principal residential areas: (1) a group of three ten-story cinderblock towers; (2) a wholly separate collection of nine mid-sized apartment-style buildings with student suites; and (3) another wholly separate group of house-like three-story buildings with suite-like apartments. Making this a difficult campus to navigate.

One of the most amazing learning centers in the world is at the School of Art, Design and Media at Nanyang Technological University in Singapore. From a distance, you can barely even tell that the 5-story structure is a building, it blends in so well with its environment. A plethora of glass walls allow plenty of natural light to illuminate the interior, and the grassy roof is used as a meeting space for students. The green roof also insulates the building, cools the surrounding air and harvests rainwater for landscape irrigation.

The growing interest of colleges and universities in their surrounding communities has caused many to realize that a building boom of dormitories, student centers and libraries isn’t enough. Students don’t want an “ivory tower” experience; they want to be part of broader communities that offer commerce, culture and cuisine.

Many communities offer several restaurants, coffee houses and bars and breweries. The local coffee shops are a great place to go to escape for an afternoon whether it’s on the weekend or after classes. If you have work to get done give yourself a change of scenery from the campus library and take your laptop down to the local coffee shop which usually offers free wireless while you enjoy your coffee.

Some college towns have a thriving local music scene, a wide variety of clubs and bars, and multicultural dance clubs. Cities like Miami, which is known for its crazy parties, but those, are mostly associated with South Beach. It’s not all about South Beach, and a lot of the college kids in town can tell you that. Remember, not everyone has the cash to party in clubs and lounges with the social elite, which is why they’ve staked their claim in Coconut Grove, the one area in Miami that’s definitely known as college turf. Filled with bars and restaurants, which bring in the young-adults by the droves, this one spot is where you’ll find many of the top college bars.

Whether you feel like going for a few drinks or dancing all night, it’s worth it to check out the local scenery.

The dorms can help jump-start your social life, ease the transition to life on your own, and introduce you to a diverse group of people. Sure, living in a dorm can have its drawbacks—no privacy, crowded bathrooms, weird roommates. But most people find that the rewards outweigh the frustrations.

The cost of living in a dorm is relevant to the cost of the university or college itself.

On the lower end, dormitory expense could run approximately   $3,000 per year, mid range $4,950 and on the higher end expect to pay $7,425 annually.

Off campus housing will cost approximately $3,600 to $7,200 depending on whether or not you wish to have a roommate.

The cost of living off-campus at a academy is anywhere from $6720 to $10,800.

However, if you choose a Academy you may wish to attend one close to home (if you still live with your parents) to save the cost of housing.

These are considerable expenses to add to the cost of college education. This does not include food.

Here are some valuable tips:

1. When you are looking for a career school, check out the career services office. Make sure the college or career school has a dedicated career advisor who will take the time to work with you personally. Many schools even offer job placement services to online students.

If the school does not offer these services, think twice about enrolling!

2. When you enroll, get to know the career services staff. Start planning your new career before graduation. The staff is there to help you, and their services are generally offered at no additional charge. They cannot guarantee you a job. Whether or not you get hired depends upon you!

3. Many career services offices offer seminars or classes where they provide information about how to conduct a job search. Take advantage of their experience!

4. Some college career counselors offer mock job interviews. These give you the opportunity to practice and hone your interview skills.

5. Your resume is important. It’s a one-page description of your work and education experience. Keep it simple.

6. The career services office may also have access to local job listings. Make sure that your qualifications match what the employer is looking for. If you have earned a certificate in medical assisting, then you’ll want to target local health care offices that are looking for entry-level medical assistants.

7. Professional appearance is important. Dress appropriately. Be well-groomed, and be a good listener.

8. Do your research. If you apply to an administrative assistant position at a local business, take the time to find out more about what the company does. .

9. If at first you don’t succeed, keep trying! Sometimes hiring decisions are made because of personality, or for reasons that may seem hard to figure out.

Does the academy or university you are considering have a list of distinguished Alumni? This may be something you should research before choosing the right college.

In some cases you stand a much better chance of landing your dream job when your choice college has a good reputation and a list of high profile Alumni.

It is a well known fact that Wellesley College in Massachusetts boasts that Hillary Rodham Clinton and Diane Sawyer are among their celebrated Alumni. Also Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey include several authors and US Senators are distinguished Alumni. The Alumni list of the college may include a billionaire or a Nobel Prize winner. These are exciting facts about your college and can be an advantage to you.

Some Alumni also provide financial support to their Alma Mater. The annual fund is enormously important to the welfare of the college or university.

Many foundations consider Alumni participation to be a measure of worthiness of the college to receive funds which impact the long term effects of foundations, grants and college standing.

There is much you can learn from international students, such as the way their country does business, their culture, political views, law, food, music and fashion concepts.

If you are interested in international finance for example, it would be important to have first hand information from the people who may have conducted business in other countries.

According to the Institute of International Education roughly 671,600 international students attended college or university here between 2008-2009.

The United States tends to be the top destination for international college students.

The vast majority of overseas students are coming from Asia at 62%, 13% from European countries and 10% from Latin America.

There is an immediate source of  information when you have all types of people to study with and learn from.

Although notable exceptions to the rule are historically black, Latin and Asian and multicultural organizations, in which active membership continues long after completion of undergraduate degrees. Greek letter organizations may sometimes be considered mutual aid societies providing academic and social activities.  Some groups maintain a chapter house, providing residential and dining facilities for members.

For organizations with Greek letters composing their name, these letters are the initials of a motto (such as Delta Upsilon), a set of virtues (such as Alpha Kappa Lamda) or the history of its organization (such as Phi Tau).

Hazing is a ritual used in the fraternities to instill loyalty and unity in its members. Hazing has been banned by many; it does however, still occurs and has resulted in numerous injuries and deaths.

Some colleges and universities have banned the Greek letter organizations with the justification that they are by their very structure set up to be elitist and exclusionary. According to the US Dept of Education fraternity and sorority members drink more than other students and are therefore more likely to suffer the effects of alcohol abuse, poor academic performance, missed classes, fighting, vandalism, injuries, and sexual assault than the general college population.

Some people are attracted to mountain areas such as Colorado or Vermont for skiing or ski-boarding while others wish to be on Florida’s Atlantic Coast or Southern California for surfing. Theater fans are attracted to areas such as San Francisco or New York. Some students prefer to be close to communities of their countrymen so places like New York and Los Angeles are popular. Other students choose to be inland or somewhere in “Middle America” where they can have an almost complete cultural immersion.

Keep in mind, also, that many of the United States’ most important research universities are located in small cities or towns such as Lawrence, Kansas or Madison, Wisconsin which might not be famous in other countries but are well known “college towns” with relatively low cost of living but a high quality of life.

Location of Academy or University
It is wise to find out how far the academy or university is located from your home if you are attending a local college. On the limited budget that a student must live on one thing you don’t want to worry about is spending too much for gasoline expense. Also the driving time if your school is too far can be a detriment. Traffic delays are another time waster.
Also, looking at the location of the employment you are planning in your chosen field. For instance, if you are studying for a degree in the medical field you should determine the distance from the university or academy to the local hospitals or clinics.

Tuition Costs at Today’s Academies & Universities
When a student is considering choices for college education it is important to weigh the cost differences between academies and universities. Depending on the credibility of the college or university the costs of tuition and fees widely vary.

If you are an out of state student the cost is considerable cheaper. However the living expenses are part of the expense that should also be considered. Housing can cost as much as $6,000.00 to 9,000.00 per year. Slightly less if you plan on living in the college dormitory.

The lowest cost for tuition and fees for undergraduate study, based on 2008- 2009 prices is $3797.00 at California State University for one year. The average cost of tuition and fees was found to be $7,122.00 per year with the highest being Rutgers University in Newark, New Jersey at $10,357.00 annually.

Accelerated Program: This is a program students may complete in less time than is normally required, usually by attending summer classes or by carrying extra courses.

Cooperative Education: This program allows students to alternate between semesters of full-time study and related paid full-time work. It takes five years to receive a bachelor’s degree under this plan, but your child will get a year’s practical experience, too.

Distance Learning: Students take courses for credit broadcasted via public or cable stations or the Internet.

Double Major: Students complete the requirements of two majors, concurrently.

Dual Enrollment: Students enroll in college courses for credit while still in high school.

English as a Second Language (ESL) program: With this program, international students can improve their English skills.

Honors Program: This is an opportunity for educational enrichment, independent study, acceleration, or some combination of these.

Independent Study: Students complete some of their college program by studying independently, instead of attending scheduled classes and completing group assignments.

Internship: This is any short-term supervised work experience, usually related to a student’s major, which earns them academic credit.

Semester at Sea: Students live for part of a semester on a ship, frequently a research vessel.

Study Abroad: Students complete part of the college program studying in another country. A college may operate a campus aboard or it may have a cooperative agreement with some other American college or an institution of the other country.

United Nations Semester: Students take courses at a college in the New York City metropolitan area while participating in an internship program at the United Nations.

Visiting/Exchange Student: Students study for a semester or more at another college without extending the amount of time required for a degree.

Weekend College: Students take a complete course of study and attend classes only on weekends. These programs are generally restricted to a few areas of study at a college and require more than the traditional number of years to complete.

An athlete who is considering a college based on the sports program should research the athletic department and programs offered by various academies and universities.

The importance the college or university places on the athletic department is crucial.

It should be a very important department for the college or university if funding is to be maintained.

If you are attending college on a sports scholarship you will need to know exactly what are they are offering. How much is the scholarship? Are they paying for books? Are living expenses included? What is the grade point average that is expected of you in order to play on the team?

Like most athletes and students, school is very entertaining and you obviously can’t continue playing the sport you love unless you not only go to school and attend classes but maintain a 2.0 GPA.

It motivates the athletes because they have to succeed in the classes in order to be able to showcase their skills. For athletes that can’t afford to go to a bigger school if they don’t have a scholarship and still want to continue their athletic career, academy sports give them another 2-3 years of being able to play. Most of the student-athletes at academies would never have attended college, let alone earn a degree had they not been given an opportunity to participate in academy sports. Taking away sports is like depriving a child of nourishment, nourishment that feeds into the future of all potential athletes that are given the opportunity to continue their education through the participation in sports.

In 1968 the National Opinion Research Center under the Carnegie Foundation on the Future of Higher Education was mailed questionnaires concerning ethnic based colleges and universities. In the subsample of 1961 college grad class populations noted that 11 ethnic groups could be investigated.

The results showed that expectations were likely to cause social scientists to re-examine their ideas and that ethnicity is no longer an important variable in the American educational society.

Prior to 1996 certain colleges and universities around the country were known for favoring a particular religion or race for applications of students. College admissions committees ration access to many of the most selective US colleges. Competition for admissions has become increasingly controversial, particularly for public institutions.

In the spring of 1996 the Fifth Circuit Court of appeals dramatically lowered the latitude to use race in determining admissions to colleges within its jurisdiction. The Supreme Court refused to review the case. However, in the fall of 1996 California voters approved a proposal to end the use of racial and ethnic preferences in admissions to state institutions.

Coed Status Off Campus

Twenty-five years ago it was a radical notion, male and female living together in the same dormitories, eating, studying and socializing in the same home-like atmosphere. Joseph Katz of Stanford University predicted that coed housing “would help students avoid over-idealization of the opposite sex and a good deal of the mutual teasing and destructive behavior characteristic of campus dating.” A certain type of maturity level can be reached by individuals when placed in this setting.

Coed dorm living is now considered the norm and is widely taken for granted.
The co-ed ratio on campus could be an interesting situation on most campuses. The ratio in the classroom should be a good mix since men and women do not always agree on certain topics; whereas you might actually learn something from the opposite sex. The best thing about coed classrooms is it gives people perspective on all types of issues. Classroom discussion is certainly livelier when you have a good balance the ratio of male and female students.

There are certain aspects of living in a coed dormitory that might be beneficial to the college student. If you are a person who is very gregarious and feel more comfortable in the presence of lots of people you will be quite happy. It is nice to have other people to make friends with especially the opposite sex. We can often learn a lot about the nature of human beings when in a coed environment. If you are majoring in Psychology, for example, coed living is imperative. It will become a huge part of your studies.

So if the ratio is 30% female and you are a female you might want to look for a university with more balance. Having a larger difference in the ratio of male students to a female could result in a loss of privacy or loss of equality in the dormitory. However, if you are seeking more quiet for study time a coed dorm might not be the best situation for you.

Coed dorm living is now considered the norm and is widely taken for granted.

The co-ed ratio on campus could be an interesting situation on most campuses. The ratio in the classroom should be a good mix since men and women do not always agree on certain topics; whereas you might actually learn something from the opposite sex. The best thing about coed classrooms is it gives people perspective on all types of issues. Classroom discussion is certainly livelier when you have a good balance the ratio of male and female students.

There are certain aspects of living in a coed dormitory that might be beneficial to the college student. If you are a person who is very gregarious and feel more comfortable in the presence of lots of people you will be quite happy. It is nice to have other people to make friends with especially the opposite sex. We can often learn a lot about the nature of human beings when in a coed environment. If you are majoring in Psychology, for example, coed living is imperative. It will become a huge part of your studies.

So if the ratio is 30% female and you are a female you might want to look for a university with more balance. Having a larger difference in the ratio of male students to a female could result in a loss of privacy or loss of equality in the dormitory. However, if you are seeking more quiet for study time a coed dorm might not be the best situation for you.

Also, looking at the location of the employment you are planning in your chosen field. For instance if you are studying for a degree in the medical field you should determine the distance from the university or academy to the local hospitals or clinics.

Distance education is defined as “planned learning that normally occurs in a different place from teaching and as a result it requires special techniques of course design, special instructional techniques, special methods of communication by electronic and other technology, as well as special techniques of course design, and other technology, as well as special organizational and administrative arrangements.” (p. 2, Moore, M G., & Kearsley, G.).

There is no question that as technology improves and becomes more readily available, so too will distance education. In addition, the current economic downturn has left many consumers jobless and looking for higher education. Several states have introduced No Worker Left Behind programs, encouraging the post-collegiate bunch to hit the books once again. With this, students from both past and present are looking for the most accessible education possible.

Online Campus vs Traditional Campus
If you wish to make a comparison between receiving a degree from an online college or a traditional campus you might want to check on the acceptance of the school’s diploma. Not all schools are considered acceptable as far as academic standards and accredibility. Some research is required to determine if the online campus has an acceptable college ranking. This can also depend on how far you want to take your career. The degree needed to work in business at the level you seek. Do you need an Associate’s degree or a Masters degree to complete your studies?

The school you are considering must be able to issue a degree that is accepted by the Council on Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Degrees issued by a university that is not accredited will not satisfy the educational requirements indicated on the job specifications.

You should also review feedback from real students from on-line universities if you are planning to attend on on-line college or university. You can do this by visiting the website of the school you are interested in.

A bonus to attending an on-line university or college is that you can work in your career while attending on-line classes. Also classes can be tailored to fit your schedule and time availability.

The availability of adult education programs in our academies is very important since it creates a system of lifelong learning that promotes the concept that learning is an ongoing part of adults’ lives and that many adults will need to develop new skills or knowledge as they grow older. These basic adult learning and literacy programs can help in coordinating the components of career pathways to include academic training, career awareness and planning, and the provision of support services.

They help build awareness of incumbent workers about opportunities for participation in postsecondary education and the payoff in the workplace from their development of new or enhancement of existing skills. These programs continue to educate the academies and state policymakers about the issues of Adult Education and the learners’ transition to academy.

Continuing Education courses offered in our academies give the learner a unique experience to enhance his career to move on to a new career path.

Special licensing for certain careers being necessary, these classes offer an opportunity to study with masters in their chosen field while obtaining the tools to successfully master the state exams.

Academies are a critical part of the educational system in our country, offering affordable education and training to millions of Americans. The Office of Adult Education (OVAE) whose goal is to provide the information and leadership required to improve accessibility, affordability, accountability, and quality in academy education. In addition, they hope to heighten awareness among a wide range of constituencies about the superior education and training that academies provide. Thier office is in a unique position to encourage other federal agencies to use their agendas to address issues affecting community education.

by Charles Purdy, Yahoo! HotJobs

Although this year’s college graduates are facing a tough job market (and the smart ones are facing it now, rather than waiting until after graduation), they have an advantage over other job seekers, according to Andy Chan, vice president of career development at Wake Forest University: they are among the age group most likely to be hired in coming months.

“Organizations are very interested in hiring young people because they have a lot of energy and are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done,” Chan says.

But no matter how well-positioned these young people are, they–and all job seekers–will have a better chance of success if they avoid these common job-hunting mistakes of new college grads:

1. Not being proactive enough
Emily Bennington, the author of “Effective Immediately: How to Fit In, Stand Out, and Move Up at Your First Real Job,” says, “This isn’t the time to sit back and be casual in your approach. Create a hit list of five to ten target companies, and really utilize your network to locate an ‘in’ at each.”

2. Relying solely on the Internet

In a recent Yahoo! HotJobs poll, 57% of respondents said networking was a factor in landing their current or most recent job. Brad Karsh, president of JobBound, says, “When thousands of candidates are applying to the same jobs online and posting their resume to the same job boards, candidates need to stand out by making connections and networking their way into a company.” Job boards are an important tool, but Karsh says new grads also need to focus energy on networking.

3. Not creating wide networks
Career expert Liz Ryan agrees: “Use your parents’, grandparents’, and friends’ networks to help you in your post-graduation job search,” she says. “Don’t be shy–reach out to any long-ago Scoutmaster, choir director, or babysitting or leaf-raking boss. … There’s no statute of limitations on networking.” (Read more Yahoo! HotJobs articles about effective networking.)

4. Not creating customized resumes
Ryan says, “Don’t send out any resumes that simply list your courses, the degree you’ve earned, and your part-time and summer jobs–use this opportunity to make a stronger statement about what you want to do with your adult life.” And according to Jay Block, the author of “101 Best Ways to Land a Job in Troubled Times,” younger job seekers often haven’t thought about what they have to offer an employer (as opposed to what they want to get from one). With this mindset, they create resumes that are “boring biographies” instead of effective marketing tools. (Read more Yahoo! HotJobs articles about crafting better resumes.)

5. Misusing the Internet
Tory Johnson, CEO of Women For Hire and the author of “Fired to Hired,” says, “New grads don’t use LinkedIn–it’s not sexy like Facebook or Twitter. But it’s the best resource for getting names and building a professional identity. Don’t overlook it.”

6. Failing to follow up
Johnson says, “It’s not enough to send resumes and pray the phone rings.” She cautions that job seekers can’t expect a resume to be discovered in that “big black online hole.” “Hustle to follow up,” she says.

7. Setting expectations too high
Johnson says new graduates too often focus on looking for the perfect job, instead of a first job: “Especially in this economy, the first job should be about finding a position where you’ll learn a great deal, you’ll be super busy, and you’ll be surrounded by lots of people.”

8. Appearing unprofessional
Make sure you’re ready for employers’ scrutiny, says Tim McIntyre, president and CEO of The Executive Search Group. That means you should “sanitize your MySpace page–right now. It will be checked,” he says. He notes that many college students will need to change off-color voicemail greetings. Ryan adds, “Don’t assume that Facebook’s privacy settings will keep your youthful antics away from curious eyes. Rid your profile page of any photos of the ‘three Bs’ (beer, bongs, and bikinis).”

9. Not taking the job interview seriously
Even when you’re applying for an unpaid internship, you need to adhere to common standards of professionalism. McIntyre says those standards include demonstrating you’ve done your research on the company and dressing appropriately. Block adds that new grads are often unprepared for tough (but standard) interview questions, such as “Where do you see yourself in three years?” and “What are your weaknesses?” (Read more Yahoo! HotJobs articles about effective interview tactics.)

10. Not using the college’s career office
“A career office can help [students] identify networking contacts, learn important job-search skills, and significantly improve their resume and cover letter,” says Wake Forest University’s Chan. Ryan agrees, but adds that this is just a first step. The career office’s job is to “to prepare you for your job search, not to conduct it for you,” she says. “Use LinkedIn, reach out to everyone you can, and begin researching employers who’d be likely targets for your job-search.” (Start your job search now.)

by Charles Purdy, Yahoo! HotJobs senior editor

There’s no denying the value of a college education: According to recent U.S. Census surveys, the median salary for college grads is more than $20,000 higher than that of people with only a high school diploma. And the unemployment rate for people with bachelor’s degrees is almost half the rate for people without.But some degrees are worth more than others, as PayScale.com shows in its 2010 report on the earning power of bachelor’s degrees.

No surprise, engineering degrees continue to be top earners–and (also no big shocker) you have to go pretty far down the list before you see the liberal arts well represented.

But there’s more to choosing a major than comparing dollar amounts. We salute and congratulate the graduates whose interests (and hard work) have led them to the following degrees–the lowest-earning degrees on PayScale’s list.

10. Drama (starting annual salary: $35,600; mid-career annual salary: $56,600)
Some mega-millionaire movie stars with drama degrees (Denzel Washington and Meryl Streep, for instance) may be skewing these numbers upward–for every Denzel and Meryl, there are thousands of thespians struggling to make ends meet. But you don’t study drama because you want to get rich–you study drama because you love the theater. (And an ability to act comes in handy in many professions.)

9. Fine arts (starting annual salary: $35,800; mid-career annual salary: $56,300)
Well, it takes an artist to make a thrift-store wardrobe look like a million bucks.

8. Hospitality and tourism (starting annual salary: $37,000; mid-career annual salary: $54,300)
Jobs that include tips may be skewing these numbers downward–and this is an industry that looks to be on the rebound as the economy improves. Plus, the perks associated with jobs in hospitality and tourism may compensate for the comparatively low salaries–many jobs in the industry allow extensive travel (or provide considerable travel discounts).

7. Education (starting annual salary: $36,200; mid-career annual salary: $54,100)
For the right people, teaching is an immensely rewarding career–and it’s truly a noble one. The good news is, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the employment opportunities for primary, secondary, and special education teachers are expected to grow by 14 percent in the coming decade. And there will be plenty of new opportunities in continuing education for adults, as professional skill requirements change ever more rapidly.

6. Horticulture (starting annual salary: $37,200; mid-career annual salary: $53,400)
It seems that a green thumb doesn’t necessarily bring in the greenbacks. But when you work among flowers and plants in a nursery or garden, who needs ‘em?

5. Spanish (starting annual salary: $35,600; mid-career annual salary: $52,600)
As an old proverb puts it, when you learn a new language, you “gain a new soul.” Who could put a price on that? And certainly, knowing Spanish–the language with the second-highest number of native speakers (after Mandarin)–in addition to English opens up a world of job opportunities beyond Spanish teacher or translator (as a plus, you can better enjoy a world of fantastic Spanish-language music, movies, and literature).

4. Music (starting annual salary: $34,000; mid-career annual salary: $52,000)
Hey, if being a musician were easy, everyone would do it. Some of us are guitar heroes; most of us just play the video game.

3. Theology (starting annual salary: $34,800; mid-career annual salary: $51,500)
This is the perfect example of a degree earned by someone who’s “not in it for the money”: people who choose to study theology often feel they’re pursuing a higher calling (and often feel a strong desire to do good in the world, no matter the cost).

2. Elementary education (starting annual salary: $33,000; mid-career annual salary: $42,400)
Specializing in elementary education means a lower median salary than an education degree (number 7).

1. Social work (starting annual salary: $33,400; mid-career annual salary: $41,600)
They say that crime doesn’t pay. As this list seems to point out, neither does helping people. So it’s a good thing that many college students seem to believe that helping others is its own reward–social workers are an indispensable safety net for people who’ve fallen on difficult times. And the BLS reports that the outlook for opportunities in this field are favorable–particularly for social workers who work in rural areas or with senior citizens.

(Source: PayScale salary survey. Methodology: Annual pay is for bachelor’s graduates without higher degrees. Typical starting salaries are for graduates with two years of experience; mid-career salaries are for graduates with 15 years of experience. PayScale also provides salary information by college; for more information, check out PayScale’s Best Colleges Report.)

There is no question that as technology improves and becomes more readily available, so too will distance education. In addition, the current economic downturn has left many consumers jobless and looking for higher education. Several states have introduced No Worker Left Behind programs, encouraging the post-collegiate bunch to hit the books once again. With this, students from both past and present are looking for the most accessible education possible. In order to find the “right” school, a student must likely do endless searches in an effort to maybe discover that “right” place of higher education. But what if this process were easier? academies.com has arrived to improve this process. academies.com offers the world’s most comprehensive listing of academies, universities and online education programs. As stated previously, 97% of the 1000 public, 2-year universities (better known as academies) offer online education as well. By providing a portal to not only distance education, but also other institutions, students are able to quickly find and submit information to colleges of all types. As the nature of learning changes (whether online or otherwise), academies.com is designed to provide the greatest amount of information to the greatest number of people.

The difference is knowledge!

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