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Online Degree Programs

With the never ending number of online colleges and programs available out there, it can be very difficult to narrow down which program is right for you. From accounting to criminal justice, there are so many programs to choose from. So, no matter what your interest is, there’s a program out there to suit your needs.

Look at all the Degree Options

One thing to keep in mind when choosing an online college and degree program is that not every school offers the same degrees. One college may offer a criminal justice degree online, another may only have those classes on campus, and a third may have nothing at all related to the program. So, before you enroll in a specific online college, think about what degree you may want, and make sure they offer it. You should also keep an open mind about your degree choices. Sure, you may have had your heart set on becoming an accountant, but you may end up liking criminal justice or business finance even better. Since there are so many different programs out there, you could possibly find one out there that you never even considered.

Education for Everyone

Another great benefit to all these online colleges is the fact that so many people have access to a college education. If you have family you don’t want to leave, but there aren’t any colleges in your area, you can still get a great education without the trouble of moving. Also, people will have access to all the programs they could ever want. For example, if you don’t want to move across the country, but none of the colleges within commuting distance have the program you want, you can still get all the education you need from the comfort of your own home.

The main thing to remember is to do your research. Check out the college and the programs before you actually commit to anything.

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Full-time Schooling vs. Full-time Work: Which is the Better Option?

As a recent high school grad, you generally have two options: go to school full-time or secure a full-time job. Going to school full-time helps you secure a Bachelor’s degree within four to five years, depending on how many classes you take per semester. In order to be eligible for some grants, federal aid, and scholarships, you are required to attend at a full-time status. Full-time means at least nine credit hours, or about three classes a semester.

However, what if you cannot afford to attend full-time? Many students are stuck in this situation. Most do secure some form of financial aid, but it is not enough to cover all the costs of attending college, including living expenses. In such a case, you might consider working full-time first, then going back to school for your degree.

Although working first might seem the most financially sound plan, you are not likely to go back to school once entering the work force full-time. Life catches up to you. You might enjoy your job so much or not have the means to quit it to attend to school. Or, you may have settle down and start a family. You can always go back to school later in life, but it is much more challenging than starting fresh out of high school.

So what is the solution? Should you strive to be a starving student or a hard-working employee that cannot get a promotion because you don’t have a degree? The best median is to try a little bit of both. If you do not have enough money to live off of while in school, try working at least part-time. There are many jobs available on campus so you can even work in-between classes. Some students even manage to work full-time while attending school full-time. This does not leave you with much time to do anything else, but it is an option. Just first consider the impacts of working full-time on your study time and quality of class work. If you take too many classes, try dropping to the nine-credit hour minimum.

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Preparing Yourself to do More

Have you ever taken a look around yourself, at the people bopping around in this world of ours?  If you have, you’ve probably noticed that a lot of people will work at improving their lots in life for a certain amount of time, and really gunning it.  But after that “ambitious” phase ends, a person pretty much just settles in for whatever life tosses their way – and most people get downright passive about things like their careers by the time they reach their early 30s.  When you get to that stage, it’s time to do one of two things: either you hang it up and go raise guinea pigs, or you get back into your ambitious mode before you start to gather dust.

This article isn’t about raising guinea pigs, as fun as that may be.  It’s about what you can do if you keep on with the ambitions that drove you to the point where you are right now.  What has carried you this far?  Nothing!  You’ve carried yourself, because you’ve had goals to move beyond where you’ve been, and the “same old, same old.”  You need to push yourself, and it may even involve going back to school.  Have you ever considered getting an MBA, and kicking your career into the next gear?

Maybe you’ve never given it any thought before.  But everybody knows that people who have an advanced business degree have more opportunities to make more money.  And the worst case scenario is that you might go and check out a GMAT class online, and find out that an MBA isn’t the best thing for you. Failing at that might of course be a great thing, if only to show you that one avenue wouldn’t be such a grand idea.  After all, the most successful people in life are the ones who fail the most often at it.

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Stay in Control of Your Finances With Prepaid Credit Cards

Credit cards
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The biggest mistake young adults make is taking out dozens of credit cards. The giddy sense of financial freedom and the temptation to spend is overpowering.

The solution is a prepaid debit card.  When my son got into trouble this way, I baled him out by paying off his substantial debt and cutting up his credit cards.  All he had to do was to promise never ever to get another credit card.   We then got him a vision prepaid card and within months he had paid me back the debt he had owed and was in financial control of money.

It was a hard lesson to be sure, with with his prepaid card he learned the joy of financial flexibility and control.  There were no more hidden fees and he could do all his banking online and see exactly what his balance was. If he needed a credit card he would load the card up from his bank account online and make the payments he needed  with the debit card.  When he wanted to make a purchase and did not have the money on hand, he learned to wait a while and save until he had the cash.  This way he avoided all the late payment fees and interest charges that sneak up on you with a credit card.

He learned that credit cards own you, but with a prepaid card you own yourself.  He now enjoys a healthy bank balance (for a student) and has no financial worries.  He was able to avoid getting into bad credit and when his student days are done he will be able to start life as a financially savvy adult.

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