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Taking the first steps
Exploring Your Options
Credit or non-credit courses
Non-credit Ease into studying by taking a non-credit course or two.
- Facilitates re-entry for those who've been away from school a long time.
- Fewer admissions requirements.
- Less pressure to perform, since grades are not on your permanent record.
- A reminder that learning can be fun. You can take whatever interests you, not just what's required.
- Helps you review for various entry exams.
- But non-credit courses don't always count toward your degree.
Credit Take a few classes that you know you'll like and get credit, too.
- Good way to explore a new subject.
- OK for basic courses, but the most interesting credit courses have prerequisites (courses that must be completed prior to taking this one).
- Credits will probably be accepted toward a degree program at the same school, but may not be accepted elsewhere.
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Certificate and Associate Programs
Certificate If your objectives include specific skill training or re-training, a certificate rather than a full degree may be the answer.
- Fewer entry restrictions.
- Highly focused.
- Shorter duration program.
- If you decide later to go for a degree, especially at another school, some credits may not be transferable.
- On its own, most often used for specific professional training.
- Often also combined with degree program studies, to strengthen credentials in a professional area.
Associate Degree Slice off a more manageable chunk with a "2-year" (or however long it takes to earn approximately 60 credits) program.
- Designed to be more accessible.
- Usually offered at Community Colleges.
- Often less stringent entry requirements.
- Takes care of most of the basic required classes for a Bachelor's degree program.
- Completion gives a degree and a sense of accomplishment.
- Credits can be applied to Bachelor's program, if taken at same college.
- Most credits will be transferable to other Bachelor's programs.
- Provides evidence to admissions counselors, employers, family and friends that you're able and willing to dedicate serious effort and time to completing further studies.
- Often used as a stepping stone to further education, as well as to gain credentials for specific vocations.
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Online, On campus or both?
Online With the advent of the internet, online learning is more widely available and increasingly popular.
- There are currently many courses, credit and non-credit offered on the internet.
- There are still few complete degree programs available entirely on the internet, but expect to see more soon.
- Excellent option for adults who need to juggle work and family responsibilities.
- No travel time.
- Much more flexible.
- Many online degree programs are not yet accredited. This will change over the next few years.
Online and off You just might get the best of both worlds with a combination of physical and virtual classes.
- While the range of fully online degree programs is still quite limited, many more schools are now offering some combination of online study with classroom attendance.
- This is arguably the best possible educational option. Although some subjects are particularly suited to independent study, others are more readily absorbed in a social environment.
- You'll just want to make sure you know exactly the extent of the campus requirement so you can adequately plan your schedule.
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Night classes or day classes
Night and Day Most adult classes are held at night. Since students take only one, two or three classes each semester, colleges offer only a limited number per semester.
- If you can take day classes, you'll get through sooner.
- Day classes are especially helpful towards the end of your studies, when the few courses you have yet to take may not be offered for another year or more.
- Day classes can be more difficult for adults. The majority of the students are younger, so the course curricula and the professors may not be as appropriate for adults.
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Saturdays and weekends
Saturdays and Weekends Weekend classes have become increasingly popular for adults.
- Good use of time, if you can get away from Saturday chores!
- Good in combination with evening classes. One Saturday class doesn't kill your whole weekend, but can help you get through faster.
- Great for "morning" people, who don't perform well late in the day, especially after a long day's work.
- Intensive all-weekend study programs are good for students whose work schedules are unpredictable, who work shift hours or have to be on call during the week.
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Accelerated classes
Accelerated Some colleges offer truly committed (or crazy!) students the option of taking classes every night, as well as some weekends.
- You'll get through faster. Classes meet more often, sometimes for longer periods of time, but over fewer weeks.
- Since you'll usually only take one (at most, two) courses at a time, it's easier to stay focused.
- There's often more camaraderie within an accelerated program than is typical in other adult programs, because you tend to stay with the same classmates through the program.
- But you must consider when you'll have time to study!
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>>>Plan your attack
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