Now
that you have identified your career choice, you may have
to attend a post-secondary school to attain the appropriate
certificate, license, or degree required for that career.
Your next step is to start creating a plan to help you reach
your educational and career goals. This section will help
you understand and select a school that matches your needs.
There
are many questions to ask yourself before applying to
a school. Consider the following:
•
What
kind of education will I need: vocational, two-year,
four-year, graduate level?
•
What
schools offer programs specific to my career choice?
•
Which
school do I really want to attend?
•
What
matters most to me in choosing a school: location, cost,
reputation, and class size?
Types of Post-secondary Schools
It is important that you attend a school that matches your
educational and career goals. There are a variety of post-secondary
schools that offer different programs, and certificates and/or
degrees. Below are descriptions of various types of post-secondary
schools for you to choose from.
Vocational, Technical, Business, and Trade Schools
Vocational, technical, business, and trade schools are typically
open to students with or without a high school diploma and
to all that apply. Some schools are privately owned and operated,
and others are public schools. These schools offer a wide
variety of specialized training courses and programs, which
is ideal for students who know exactly what they want to do
and have chosen certain specialized occupations. Some schools
specialize in only one area, while others provide a wide variety
of programs. The length of a program will vary between a few
weeks, months, or couple of years.
After completing the programs, students will usually learn
a particular skill or trade, and receive a diploma, a certificate,
a license, or an Associate’s degree. Some of the credits
earned at these schools may transfer to four-year colleges
or universities. The main appeal of these programs are their
concentrated curriculum, job training focus, and short course
length, which prepares students to enter the job market.
Two-Year Community/Junior Colleges
Two-Year
Community/Junior Colleges are open to anyone with a high school
diploma or GED. Community/Junior colleges are public institutions
that offer two-year liberal arts programs and/or specialized
job training programs in certain areas. Most programs are
designed to prepare students for employment after graduating.
Most community colleges also have extracurricular activities
such as athletic programs, as well as theater, music, and
art activities.
Some students will attend a community/junior college to enhance
their current skills and abilities through general education,
vocational, and developmental courses. Students will receive
a certificate or an Associate’s degree upon completion
of a program. After graduating from a community/junior college,
many students then transfer to a four-year college or university
to continue their education. Some credits from many of the
programs are transferable to four-year colleges and universities.
Four-Year Colleges and Universities
Colleges and universities are more selective in accepting
students than the previous two types of schools. These institutions
typically require that students have completed a certain amount
and quality of high school coursework. Colleges and universities
may be public, private nonprofit, or private for –profit.
Some are affiliated with a religious denomination.
A wide variety of courses and programs are offered at these
institutions that leads to a Bachelor’s degree, typically
within four-years. Many also offer graduate programs (following
completion of a Bachelor's degree) with opportunities to earn
a Master's degree, Doctorate, or Professional degree. Some
institutions also offer a two-year Associates degree.
Understanding
the difference between a college and
university:
•
Colleges
Colleges are smaller than universities and usually offer
four-year Bachelor’s degrees. Some also offer
a two-year Associate’s and Master’s degrees.
Colleges can be specialized (for example, in nursing)
or they can offer a broad curriculum.
•
Universities
Universities can be quite large and consist of several
under-graduate and graduate schools, colleges, departments
or faculties (School of Engineering, College of Business,
College of Liberal Arts, Faculty of Science). Universities
offer several types of degrees (such as Associate, Bachelor,
Master, Doctoral, and /or Professional Degrees). These
institutions offer a huge course selection and may have
extensive resources. Class size varies, depending on
the size of the university, the subject area, and the
course level.
Colleges
and universities are either public or private institutions.
•
Public
Institutions
Public institutions are funded by their state through
tax dollars, and are generally less expensive than private
institutions. Public institutions are required to accept
all eligible students. Tuition for in-state students
(residents of the state) is much lower than tuition
for out-of-state students (residents from another state).
•
Private
Institutions
Private institutions are funded through tuition, endowments,
and donations; they are not tax-supported. The tuition
at private institutions tends to be more expensive than
public schools. Although, private institutions’
tuition is higher, don’t rule them out. Private
colleges can often offer enough financial aid to make
their school affordable for students to attend.
Professional Schools
Professional schools are special departments (colleges, departments,
schools) within a university, in which students may study
to be a lawyer (Law School), doctor (Medical School), veterinarian
(Veterinary School), dentist (Dental School) or business person
(Business School). Students are admitted to a professional
school after completing a Bachelor's degree.
Choosing a School
It is important that you choose the characteristics of a school
that are important to you. The first step in selecting a school
is to know what you are looking for. Pick five to ten characteristics
that you consider important in your search for a school from
the list below, and then start gathering information about
schools that match your characteristics.
Consider the following characteristics:
• Type of School (i.e. Public or Private School, college,
university, etc.)
• Graduation and Retention Rates
• School and Class Size
• Location (i.e. urban, suburban, small town, or rural)
• Distance from Home
• Religious Affiliation
• Ethnic Composition
• Single Gender or Coed (i.e. women's/men's/coed)
• Curriculums and Programs
• Certificates, licenses, and degrees
• Quality of education
• Facilities (i.e. computer labs, libraries, restaurants,
shops, and health clubs, etc.)
• Campus Environment and security
• Housing and transportation
• Social Activities and Clubs (i.e. special interest
groups, activities, fraternities/sororities)
• Faculty
• Admission requirements
• Athletics (i.e. intramural and varsity sports)
• Cost
• Financial Aid
• Job Placement (i.e. internships, co-operative education
programs, etc.)
• Other
Costs
The cost of attending a school will consist of several factors
such as tuition, fees, program, type of school, room &
board, books and supplies, laboratory fees, etc. A very important
consideration when choosing a school is cost. As you consider
cost, keep in mind that public schools are usually less expensive
than private schools. Provided below is a comparison between
public and private schools:
•
Public
Schools
Public schools are funded by their state through tax
dollars, and are generally less expensive than private
institutions. Public schools are required to accept
all eligible students. Tuition for in-state students
(residents of the state) is much lower than tuition
for out-of-state students (residents from another state).
•
Private
Schools
Private schools are funded through tuition, endowments,
and donations; they are not tax-supported. The tuition
at private schools tends to be more expensive than public
schools. Although, private schools’ tuition is
higher, don’t rule them out. Private school can
often offer enough financial aid to make their schools
affordable for students to attend.
Financial Aid
Most students apply for financial aid each year. Financial
aid makes a higher education possible for almost every student.
Its purpose is to help you and your parent(s) pay for your
tuition (i.e. tuition, room & board, books and supplies,
laboratory fees, etc).
There are various types of financial aid offered:
• Scholarships
• Grants
• Education Loans
• Student Employment (Work-Study)
Financial aid is available from many sources:
• Federal Government
• State Governments
• Colleges/Universities
• Businesses
• Private Organizations
• Individuals
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