THECOLLEGEDEGREES.COM BLOG

Each day, the newspapers, radios, television, and Internet offers more dismal news about today’s economy. Job cutbacks, 401ks and stocks with continued losses posted each day, and well-respected companies filing bankruptcy.

Where is all of this going to end? Is your job safe? You hope so, but increasing numbers of people are returning to finish college degree programs. Just in case the economy continues in its downturn, people want more options available for employment, and university degree programs offer this flexibility and job security.

Distance degree programs look convenient and flexible, but university education is expensive, and most people cannot afford to shell out thousands of dollars each year. If you want to be able to finish your degree program without taking out more college loans or working two jobs, take the time to look at the scholarship options that are open to you.

The federal government, as well as most banks and many scholarship programs, now recognize distance learning as just as viable an alternative as a traditional college degree program. For this reason, many people are looking for scholarships to help with their education. Scores of minority scholarships, teaching scholarships, and many other unique and unusual scholarships are available to students who are motivated to apply for them.

What are you waiting for? Start looking today for scholarship that will help you complete your online degree university program. The money you can receive is well worth the time you will invest!

If you want to earn a degree online, you are probably concerned about the cost and the amount of time you are going to spend. What kind of a return can you expect to get with a distance associate degree program? Read here to find which two-year degrees offer the best return for your money!

If you are strictly going for the money and job availability, an online degree in computer science will help you most. Another popular online university degree program is fashion designing, another financially attractive degree in which the demand for professionals continues to grow.

Persons with paralegal or legal assisting degree continue to earn a salary higher than 50 percent of the population, and considerable job growth is expected in that field. Likewise, professionals who specialize in computer support careers probably aren’t likely to find themselves short of a job.

Some associate’s degrees, such as nursing, occupational therapy, and radiology technician programs, aren’t available through online degree universities. These still offer an excellent income, and a good job market. Even though you may have to attend a traditional university, don’t rule them out!

Recently, statistics were released showing that 50% of the people in the United States earn an average salaray of less than 32,000 yearly. This means that people who earn more than $32,000 each year are in the top half of wage-earners in the United States. People who earn more than $64,000 rank in the top 24 percent. But how much does having a college degree really help them reach this goal?

The answer will surprise you. In fact, the average starting salary for a college graduate in any degree program, from any accredited university, is more than $30,000. Understanding this, it’s easy to see how much a university degree program can affect a person’s income.

Furthermore, on average, college graduates earn $60,000 a year. Therefore, a sizable percentage of college graduates earn incomes at or nearly at the top 25% of earned incomes in the United States. Clearly, financial security is directly related to a person’s ability to earn a college degree.

Whether you choose to attend an online degree university, or opt instead for a traditional college degree program, this research makes the importance of a university degree very clear. In today’s economy, you just can’t afford not to get a degree. Don’t make a mistake - choose your degree program today!

When you graduated, all you knew was that you wanted to help people. You enjoyed learning new procedures, and found all sorts of continuing education programs fascinating. For the first few years, your highest goal and greatest aspiration was to become like the nurse who’d oriented you, and spent all of her career - and most of her working life - at the bedside taking care of patients.

At some point in your working career, reality set in. Taking care of patients is often hard, frustrating, and the rewards are few and sometimes far between. Employers aren’t always appreciative of a nurse’s efforts, and sometimes it’s hard to find enthusiasm or enjoyment in your job.

Most employers do, however, encourage nurses to return to school and earn a Bachelor Degree or enroll in graduate degree programs. This is because nurses with advanced degrees improve their organizational reputation. This trend is becoming more pronounced each year, a fact evidenced by the increasing number of employers who offer substantial reimbursement and increased pay to nurses who finish either traditional college degree programs or graduate from online degree universities.

Distance learning degrees for nurses are very popular and offered by a number of online university degree programs. Most of these programs are accredited, but a few are not, so make sure that if you do choose a program, you know that the university is accredited and not a diploma mill. All of the colleges listed on this site are accredited.

Nurses have the highest rate of back injury and an incredible rate of burnout. Most bedside nurses remain in their profession for an average of ten years or less. Before this happens to you, take some thought for your future. Earn a degree online or through a traditional college - and earn a chance for a change!

Finding an appealing online degree program isn’t difficult. More colleges and universities are offering distance learning degrees in an ever-increasing variety of fields. Sometimes, though, knowing which programs offer the degree that will most benefit you can be difficult.

One of the issues concerning distance degree programs involves accreditation versus state licensure. Some online university degree programs seek regional accreditation from organizations that were established specifically to accredit institutions of higher learning. These agencies are ultimately administered by the U.S. Department of Education. A degree from a regionally accredited college holds the same validity anywhere in the U.S.

Some associations, however, have refused to recognize the degrees held by graduates from certain distance learning degree programs. For example, the American Bar Association refuses to recognize certain Juris Doctorate (J.D.) programs, and refuse to allow graduates to take state bar exams. In these cases, some states have stepped forward and offered licensure to these individuals.

The problem with state licensure, however, is that it’s only recognized by certain states. This doesn’t affect degree holders unless they decide to move to a state that does not recognize the education previously obtained. Then, graduates are left with a meaningless degree.

Ultimately the choice is yours. Stay informed, and decide what type of degree and program will best meet your needs. Then look for the university degree program that will meet these needs. Now good luck, and get back to school!

Online university degree programs face challenges that are unique to distance learning universities. Most people don’t take time to consider the unique difficulties faced by professors teaching online degree courses. These problems, however, are real, and often play a significant role in the design of university online courses.

First, academic honesty can be a problem. Because students log in from home and complete their homework assignments online, it is impossible to ensure that the person who is enrolled in the course is actually completing the assignment. Occasionally, a student who is pressured to complete a distance degree course for employment or professional reasons may not be strongly motivated to do so on his or her own accord.

Often, online degree universities try to solve this problem by having the student take examinations at a testing center, in the presence of a proctor. A proctor is someone who verifies the identity of the test taker and watches to ensure that the person taking the test does not cheat.

Another issue faced by professors at many top online schools is how to offer learning opportunities using a variety of teaching styles. Each person learns differently. Some learn primarily through visual methods, while others learn mainly through listening. A number of people learn through hands-on activities. 

Because most people learn best using a combination of these approaches, the professor must learn to utilize technologies that incorporate all of these methods. Although rapidly evolving technological advances can make this difficult, being able to do this is critical for many students to the successful completion of an online college degree program. Even the best professors will find themselves constantly challenged to meet the wide variety of educational needs experienced by students who want to earn a degree at home.

You and all your friends are out of the starting gate. High school is over, and it’s time to get your college degree. Who will graduate first? Who will attend university longest? Who will make the most money?

After graduation, many college freshmen see college as a race to get the career of their choice, and to make the most money as quickly as possible. They enroll in a college degree program and choose a major long before they know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. Many end up changing majors multiple times, and some get discouraged and quit altogether.

Choosing a major is difficult, and depends on a variety of factors. One way to avoid the problem is to stay away from choosing a major too soon. Concentrate instead on completing core classes or general studies requirements, such as English, Psychology, and Sociology. If you know you are definitely not going to major in mathematics, don’t take the higher level math courses unless you really enjoy the subject.

If you have completed all the core courses and still aren’t sure, consider taking a year off from your studies to work, study abroad, or join the Peace Corps. Take some online degree courses to keep your study skills sharp. You may find that you really enjoy attending an online degree university and and find your niche in the major that interests you most.

It’s your future, and you will never have those college years again after you graduate and begin raising a family, so take the time to experience all those things you really want and need to do. Earning a college degree isn’t a race - it’s one of the most important times in your life!

Have you been debating about whether you would rather earn a college degree at home or get a degree online? If you can’t make up your mind, read this and decide for yourself whether distance learning degree programs are right for you - or whether you want the traditional college campus experience. These top ten reasons for choosing to get a distance education degree can help you make up your mind quickly.

10. You have no interest in pledging to a sorority/fraternity, and could care less about playing college sports.

9. You prefer reading and answering emails to lengthy in-class discussion or hour-long waits outside a university professor’s office for course-related questions.

8.  You cannot imagine sitting in a lecture hall four to eight hours a day.

7. You’re computer-friendly and technologically savvy.

6. You learn best when studying by yourself, and have the discipline necessary to finish a college degree program without extensive peer support.

5. The price of gasoline gives you nightmares.

4. Your children have started calling your childcare providers “Mommy.”

3. You work 40 hours a week and don’t want to spend 20 more hours weekly on a college campus.

2. You can’t afford to stop working for four years and go back to school to earn a college degree. 

1. You are motivated and determined enough to earn a degree that offers convenience and flexibility. 

With your skills and talents, you could have played the lead role in the 1980s movie “War Games” - without learning how to act. Your teachers and parents probably spent considerable time wondering whether you would earn a college degree or a cellblock number, because you knew just a little too much about configurations, bypassing settings, and password encryption.

While you probably could earn your keep on the black market, wouldn’t it be a lot less dangerous not to live on the wrong side of the law? Enroll in a college degree program instead and maximize your earnings - without maximizing your sentence!

Chances are, you don’t have the time or inclination to spend several hours each day with the latest copy of PC  tucked under your books while the professor lectures endlessly about Maslow’s hierarchy of education. Why not optimize your output and get a college degree online instead? At least then you can spend your free time focused on things that are actually important  to you!

Distance Associate Degree programs offer students an excellent opportunity to maximize their skills and manage their time. With the convenience and flexibility that characterize online learning, you will have plenty of extra time to educate your friends about trojans, firewalls, and worms. And, with a network security degree, your skills and experience will be in high demand.

Stop wasting time wondering how to avoid spending more time in a classroom. Instead, get an online computer degree and put your skills to the test as you learn. While dreaming of being  a computer hacker may sound as exciting and dangerous as a pirate’s life, don’t fool yourself. It’s as much a dead end as Davy Jones’s locker.

For years, online degree schools have been warning people against diploma mills and fake degrees from online universities. Educators and site sponsors such as www.thecollegedegrees.com have been warning people to check to make sure the colleges are accredited. Now, however, these fake college degree programs have added a new twist to their masquerade.

Some of these schools are now urging students to get an accredited graduate degree online. Others are claiming to offer accredited undergraduate programs. They proudly post accreditations on their websites or offer information about their accreditation with their brochures and advertisement mailings.

The only problem with these online degree schools, however, is that they are NOT ACCREDITED AT ALL! They are posting false information about the status of their programs. Furthermore, some schools are failing to list the fact that not all of their online degree course offerings are accredited.

If you are considering a distance degree, check reputable websites such as www.degree.com, wwwthedegree.com, or www.thecollegedegrees.com to find schools that are actually accredited. Don’t waste your money and your time falling for someone else’s scam.

Because this is a relatively new phenomenon, it remains to be seen how the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) will handle complaints concerning this problem. Fake accreditation does constitute false advertising, and these diploma mills may find out that they have bit off considerably more than they can chew with their latest ploy.