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Choosing A Program Based On Your Goals
By Kate Leas, Sat Dec 10th
When I left for college I had no idea how to evaluate a schoolor a degree program. I based my decisions on what other peoplethought I should do and what was easy instead of sitting downand asking myself some simple questions. I'd like to offer somequestions I should have asked myself about my goals and theprograms I was evaluating. First, something everyone should answer before going to school:Why are you going to school and what do you hope to achieve?Even if you are undecided about your major or future careerplans, you should know why you are going to school. Are yougoing to school merely for the sake of learning? Are you hopingto improve your skills for a current job? Are you going toschool to prepare for the career you desire? What sort of degree do you need in order to accomplish yourgoal? Do you need a technical or professional certification? Doyou need an associate's, bachelor's, or master's degree? If youare unsure, try researching the fields that interest you. TheOccupational Outlook Guide on the Bureau of Labor Statisticswebsite not only provides statistical data on job growth and payrates, but detailed job descriptions and training requirements.Some fields such as automotive technicians and massage therapists may require a technical schooleducation that focuses on hands-on training as opposed to theclassic 4-year college education.
What are your interests and aptitudes? Are you good withnumbers, working with your hands, words, animals or people? TheMyers Briggs and the Keirsey Temperament Sorter are goodresources on the web that can help you figure out what sort ofcareers you might be best suited for based on your personalitytype. (For example I am an INFJ, so I'm suited to careersdealing with counseling and writing.) How much time and money are you willing to invest? Are youwilling to take out loans or
work full time while you are inschool? Have you applied for federal aid, grants andscholarships? It's as simple as filling out a FAFSA (FreeApplication for Federal Student Aid) form. Student loans areamong the loans with the lowest interest rates and recent yearshave seen them the lowest they have ever been. When it comes totime, are you willing to sacrifice leisure time, family time orwork time? Consider technical training as an alternative to the traditional4-year college. Inventory the benefits and disadvantages of acareer college versus the traditional college. Scheduling may bemore flexible and programs may be shorter meaning you will beout in the workforce sooner. (watch out for my next articlewhich will cover the differences between the two types ofschools) Choosing a program is just as important if not moreso thanchoosing a school. Some people choose a school first, allowingtime to explore the options of that one school. Others may knowexactly what they are looking for and will choose a school basedon the programs offered. Hopefully, you will now be betterprepared to make that important decision to benefit your mindand your future. For a complete list of links to websites mentioned in thisarticle (and more) please visit my blog athttp://exuberant-creation.blogspot.com/2005/11/useful-links-for-collegebound.html About the author:Kate Leas is a freelance writer living in Kansas City, Missouri.Her current fields involve education and the Internet.
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