Choosing a college is a big deal, not the least because there are SO many choices to complicate your decision. What should you look for in a school? Here are a few suggestions to help get you started.
- Affordability: Really, the first thing you need to look at is the cost. Have an idea of how much you can afford, based on what you’ll be getting in financial aid and how much you can afford to pay yourself. The less you have to take out in loans, the better — otherwise you may find yourself saddled with impossible amounts of debt by the time you graduate.
- Curriculum: Be sure not only that the school has a degree in the subject you want, but that the specifics fit your interests, too. For instance, if you want to pursue a career in the pastry arts, you will need to narrow down your list of culinary arts institutes to those that offer a curriculum you are interested in.
- Student life: Sure, your education is the most important part to consider, but you also need to think about how other things will impact that education. For example, having access to a good college library can make a big difference. Student lounges with wifi can also make a big difference. A good career counseling department will help you stay on track, and job placement services help you with one of the most difficult parts — finding a job after graduation.
This is by no means a comprehensive list, but it should give you some things to think about when you are looking for the right college!
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College planning strategies: Save, save, save!
College is expensive, so most students will have to make a concerted effort to save up for their college costs. If you are trying to save money for college, here are some tips to help you out.
- Start saving NOW. It’s never to early to start a college savings account. Even if you don’t plan on going for several years, start putting money aside so that you have some saved when you are ready to hit the books.
- Find little ways to save money. For instance, make your own coffee and put your daily Starbucks allowance into savings, or eat in more often. Every time you cut back where you would normally spend, put the savings into your college account!
- Automatically deposit some of every paycheck into savings. If you’re no good at cutting back on the spot, set up your direct deposit or your account to automatically move a certain amount into savings with every paycheck. That way if the money isn’t there, you just won’t spend it.
- Get a second job or do some side work, and put the extra money into savings. Babysitting, selling on eBay, or working a part-time job on the weekends are all ways that you can earn some additional money to put towards your college costs.
Saving can be difficult and frustrating, so don’t expect too much of yourself. Remember that your college savings should increase slowly over time, not overnight. Trying to save everything at once is like going on a crash diet: You’re likely to get withdrawals and binge!
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Homeschooling has been in practice for many years and holds a strong place in the history of education, being the primary form of education before public education was introduced to the masses. Even then, home education continued to be prevalent, in the form of tutors who catered to those who could afford their services, as well as those who wished to reach beyond the confines of one room school houses and budding public schools. There are a number of different methods used in the practice of at-home education, including but not limited to: unit studies, all-in-one curricula, student paced learning, online education, community resources and natural learning. Motivations to school children at home range from political to religious to social. Some parents don’t care for the environments of public schools and opt to teach their children at home. Opponents of at-home education point out the inability to accurately measure results due to the lack of standardized tests, and also because not all states require parents or tutors to undergo certification programs in order to teach. Proponents of these programs remind others that public school is not mandatory, so long as a child is provided some sort of education, and the choice remains in the hands of that child’s parents or legal guardians.
Technorati Tags: history of education, homeschooling, online education