Think going to community college won’t make you successful? You’re wrong!

Here are just five well-known people who have attended community colleges at some point, and they have proven themselves to be successful individuals in our society!

1. Clint Eastwood: Actor, director, producer, and composer

   L.A. City College, California. Studied drama

2. Jackie Robinson: First African American Major League Baseball (MLB) Player

   Pasadena City College, California. Participated in basketball, football, baseball, and track

3. Eileen Collins: First female pilot and first female commander of a Space Shuttle

   Corning Community College, New York. Earned an Associate’s degree in mathematics/science

4. Tom Hanks: Actor, director, producer, and writer

   Chabot Community College, California. Studied acting and theater

5. John Walsh: Host of “America’s Most Wanted”

   Cayuga Community College, New York

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What defines a stressful college? According to an article featured on The Daily Beast, five factors were taken into account when determining whether a school was stressful including acceptance rate, cost, competitiveness, crime on campus, and available engineering programs.

The 50 Most Stressful Colleges:

1. Stanford
2. Columbia
3. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
4. University of Pennsylvania
5. Harvard
6. Princeton
7. Vanderbilt
8. Carnegie Mellon
9. California Institute of Technology
10. Northwestern
11. University of Chicago
12. Yale
13. Washington University in St. Louis
14. Dartmouth
15. Johns Hopkins
16. Duke
17. Cornell
18. University of Southern California
19. Georgetown
20. Brown
21. Tufts
22. Rice
23. University of California, Berkeley
24. New York University
25. Boston College
26. Emory
27. Notre Dame
28. Wake Forest
29. University of Rochester
30. University of California, Los Angeles
31. Brandeis
32. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
33. Lehigh
34. Tulane
35. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor
36. University of Virginia
37. University of California, San Diego
38. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
39. Case Western Reserve
40. Georgia Institute of Technology
41. University of California, Santa Barbara
42. University of California, Davis
43. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
44. College of William and Mary
45. University of Wisconsin, Madison
46. Penn State
47. University of Texas at Austin
48. University of Washington
49. University of California, Irvine
50. University of Florida

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There will always be misconceptions about community colleges. Here are some Top Myths About Community Colleges:

A degree from a community college is not as good as a degree from a four-year college or university.

A community college degree will either prepare you to directly enter the workforce, or prepare you to start an education at a four-year school. Attending community colleges for the first year or two may even help students to figure out what or where they want to study, if they are undecided.

Community college degrees cost less, so the education is not as high quality as degrees from four-year colleges or universities.

Just because tuition at community colleges is less expensive than four-year schools doesn’t mean that the quality of the education is lower. Classes at community colleges are often smaller so the curriculum is more in-depth, and students engage more and feel more comfortable speaking to their professors. There are classes in honors programs at community colleges as well.

Academic standards at community colleges are low.

Community colleges have a sense of open admission, meaning that anyone is welcome to sign up. However, students usually have to take placement tests in order to qualify for college level work. Other technical and advanced programs will have higher enrollment standards. Community colleges also help breed diversity, as students of different ages, backgrounds, ethnicities, and financial standings come together to learn in an unique classroom enviroment.

Students only attend community colleges because they can’t get into a four-year college or university.

This is not entirely true. Some students attend community college if their grades, SAT, or ACT scores were not up to par for certain four-year schools. However, other students may attend community college since they are convenient and close to their jobs and families, they are more financially affordable, or if the student is undecided about their college plans. Undecided students often go to community college for a year or two to take classes and decide what major they want to study, and which four-year school they then want to attend. By starting off at a community college, students can save money which can later be put towards their degree at four-year school.

Community colleges don’t offer financial aid.

Although tuition is less at community colleges, financial aid is still available. Federal Pell Grants are open to any students attending accredited post-secondary schools.

Community colleges are for students who work full-time jobs, or are older.

Community colleges do attract an older crowd and working students, due to the flexibility of class schedules. However many students ages 18-24 go to community college after graduating high school, and are able to benefit from the flexibility of community colleges as well since classes are available day and night, and enrollment is part-time or full-time. These options sometimes aren’t available at four-year colleges or universities.

Community colleges are for those people who want a vo-tech (vocational or technical) career.

This is not entirely true. You can start at a community college and pursue any career you like. Community colleges are not vocational schools – there are strictly vocational schools, and there are community colleges that offer vocational education through classes.

It’s hard to transfer credits from a community colleges to a four-year college or university.

Transferring credits from any school requires serious planning. If your plan is to attend community college and then transfer to a four-year college or university, you need to meet with your academic advisor to ensure you are taking the right classes to prepare you for your intended major at the four-year school, to make sure you have all the needed documents and transcripts, and to work out any other issues that may come up while transferring credits.

To recap, community colleges provide students with options. For those individuals who have graduated high school and don’t know what they want to study or do with their lives, starting off at a community college is a smart money-saving option. Community colleges also set the educational groundwork for students who want to jump into the workforce, or who want to transfer or continue their education at a four-year school.

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Warmer weather means summer is right around the corner. Most local colleges and universities begin their summer session in May, so if you are interested in taking online classes during the summer to advance your education - sign up now! Many graduate students use the summer to catch up on classes they never got to take, need to retake, or take additional classes to get ahead.

Although attending college classes and/or taking them online may not be how you wish to spend your summer days, some students have found it extremely valuable in advancing their degrees. Alexandra Leonard, a Salem State graduate student, took four classes last summer to speed up getting her master’s in elementary education. Her hard work will allow her to graduate earlier than planned. She started her summer session last May while she was still working as a full-time teaching assistant. Since a lot of her classes required doing things with kids, she was able to do a lot of her graduate school work while she worked.

That’s not to say that balancing online classes and work is easy. In fact, online classes required more, if not the same amount of time and dedication than traditional colleges classes. Dedicated students are willing to sacrifice their summers and time off to advance their degrees. By doing so, they hope to earn higher salaries and more advanced and respected career positions. Living in this tough economy has left people with few options. Many students have decided to reach their full potential and earn higher levels of education to hopefully better their lives.

And although everyone enjoys the summertime, what better time to start pursing a career or go back to school?!

Browse accredited online degree programs today!

Source: BostonHerald.com

Online certificate programs are ideal for those individuals who have recently been laid off, want to learn a new skill set, or who are returning to the workforce after an extended period of time. Online certificate programs are short-term, but highly career-oriented programs that will get you ready to rejoin the job market.

Certificate programs are marketed towards two types of people:

• Those who are employed and looking to advance in a current career
• Those looking to change careers (and learn a new trade, set of skills, etc)

Carol Aslanian of EducationDynamics said, “Certificates can be geared to the highly educated who need a sellable skill, or the less educated who are not ready or [do not] want to enter a degree program but who want a credential to get a quick-fix job.”

Online certificate programs are more affordable and less time consuming than bachelor’s or master’s programs. Usually they range from $2,000 to $4,000 in tuition, and take one to two years to complete. Most online certificate programs can be taken for academic credit, where the credits are used toward a bachelor’s or master’s degree program in the future through the online school.

Certificate programs are also valuable to working adults, when not used for academic credit. People who have already earned a bachelor’s or master’s degree may take online certificate programs to get short-term training for their jobs, or at the request of their employers.

Earning an online certificate provides you the flexibility to study on your own schedule, while still working full or part-time. They also provide a fast way to learn the newest skills and technology in your career field.

If you are interested in taking your current career to the next level, or need training to earn a degree or certification for a new job, check out the available online degree and certificate programs available!

Source: US News

Students who take online classes for the first time sometimes get in over their heads. Here are some common mistakes that online students make:

1. Taking on too much. Some students who switch from traditional classes to online schooling may sign up for too many classes at first, and not realize that online courses require time, commitment, and lots of work. Students may become overwhelmed with their workload and the additional technology and features (blogs, forums, interactive discussions, etc) used to take their classes.

2. Budget your time. Online classes require a lot of reading and writing, and usually require students to post comments daily or weekly on discussion boards. The workloads are often more than traditional classes, as well as being more time consuming. Make sure that your current schedule can include the additional work online classes will have.

3. Not participating with the rest of the class. Many online classes require students to interact with others in discussions, forums, blogs, or for joint projects. Your grade depends on your participation, so putting things off till the last minute or not contributing with have a negative effect on your grade.

4. Your teacher. Teaching online courses is very different from teach traditional courses in a classroom, so if the teacher has never taught online classes before it may be a challenge.

5. Check out the school. Make sure the online school you are pursuing is accredited. Also make sure that the credits you have earned from your traditional school will transfer over to your online school.

6. Make sure your technology is up to date. Taking online courses requires students to access a computer and the Internet. Students without computers or with limited access to them, or dial-up or slow Internet connections will have a hard time accessing the course material and doing their assignments. Most online schools also require students to turn in assignments using Microsoft Excel or Word.

7. Plagiarism. Just because you are taking classes online, and submitting essays, papers and other work electronically, does not mean it is okay to copy and paste work that is not yours. If you are using other people’s work as reference, you must cite it appropriately. Most reputable online schools and teachers use anti-cheating software like TurnItIn.com to catch cheaters and plagiarism.

   To find an accredited degree program, and start your online education today click here.

   Source: U.S. News

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According to GreenReportCard.org, here is a list of the overall Top 26 Green Colleges in America:

1. Amherst College, Amherst, MA
2. Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ
3. Brown University, Providence, RI
4. University of California - San Diego, San Diego, CA
5. Carleton College, Northfield, MN
6. College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, ME
7. University of Colorado, Boulder, CO
8. Dickinson College, Carlisle, PA
9. Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
10. Luther College, Decorah, IA
11. Macalester College, St Paul, MN
12. Middlebury College, Middlebury, VT
13. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN
14. University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH
15. University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
16. Oberlin College, Oberlin, OH
17. Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA
18. University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA
19. Pomona College, Claremont, CA
20. Smith College, Northampton, MA
21. Stanford University, Stanford, CA
22. University of Vermont, Burlington, VT
23. University of Washington, Seattle, WA
24. Wesleyan University, Middletown, CT
25. Williams College, Williamstown, MA
26. Yale University, New Haven, CT

If you are interested in a green career, earn your sustainability degree today!

The 2009 Sloan Survey of Online Learning reports that enrollment of students in online courses rose by nearly 17 percent from the previous year. That means that one in four college students are taking at least one online course. Here are top 5 myths about online degree programs:

1. Online credits won’t transfer

   Each school will have its own policy for transferring credits from online courses. It’s the student’s responsibility to research these policies before starting their online or campus courses, to make sure the classes they have already completed is transferable. Usually schools except credits from accredited programs or colleges.

2. Employers don’t recognize online degrees

   Employers realize that online courses require students to be committed, focused, and devoted to online schooling – which are traits that they respect and assume will transfer over to the workplace. Make sure you research the online degree program to make sure it is in fact from an accredited school. Many employers even offer educational incentives like tuition reimbursement or funding for textbooks to take online courses.

3. Online students are isolated

   Students must actively participate in their online courses by interacting in discussion boards, chat-room collaboration, video conferencing, emails back and forth between professors and students, in order to receive credit. Many students are more comfortable participating in online courses rather than in the classroom, as there is a sense of ambiguity.

4. Online courses are easy

   Online courses require a greater motivation and self-discipline from students than traditional campus courses. There are undergraduate and graduate-level courses available, along with associates, bachelors or master’s degrees which are offered from accredited colleges or trade schools. Students are responsible for getting their assignments in on time, and if they miss any coursework, they have a better chance in failing the course.

5. Online degrees are worth less than campus degrees

   Employers are most concerned with the quality of your degree and training, and your job-specific skills. Online degrees programs require lots of reading, online tests, research, discussions, and essays, which may be the same, if not more than what traditional campus courses require. Many campus professors are starting to teach online courses, along with advising their students to take online classes to further their education.

   Online degree programs are becoming more popular, as many people are going back to school to learn a new trade or gain a new skill set to further their careers. More nontraditional students are earning their college degrees from accredited online schools.

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Many colleges across the United States have started to offer three-year bachelor’s degrees, as a way to better serve students and reduce college costs. According to an article from USA TODAY, Arcadia University, University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Holy Family University have all introduced formal three-year bachelor’s programs that will begin in the fall of 2010. Within the last year or so, University of Houston-Victoria, the University of Washington, Lipscomb University, and a few others have already introduced three-year degrees to their students.

Although there seems to be more and more three year programs, some people are against them arguing that students won’t be able to handle the coursework and finish their degree programs in three years. Some colleges have provided opportunities already for students to graduate in less than four years. For example, Bates College and Judson College had provided heavier course loads, summer classes, or advanced placement credits so their students can earn their bachelor’s degree early - although few students usually take advantage of this option.

Some people are concerned that the heavier course load will make students give up other extracurricular programs and sports, since they may not have time to balance both academics and activities. Students’ social lives and time spent hanging out with roommates and friends may also become limited. Colleges and universities also offer study abroad programs, and many students may not take advantage of these life-changing opportunities if they have too much schoolwork to handle.

Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee, the former U.S. secretary of education from 1991 to 1993, supports three-year degrees. At the February 2009 meeting of the American Council on Education, he compared shorter degrees as a fuel-efficient car, to a “gas guzzling four-year course”. Basically if a three-year degree can provide the same experience and education that would normally take four-years to complete, then strive to complete it in three years. You will save an entire year of tuition, room, board, textbooks, and other college expenses.

Interested in finding an accredited degree program that meets your needs and interests? Answer a few simple questions now!

If you are pursuing an online MBA, at some point you will need to take the GMAT, the Graduate Management Admission Test. How well you perform on the GMAT will help determine your acceptance into certain business schools.

Here are three books to help you prepare for the GMAT exam:

Cracking the GMAT, 2010 Edition (by Princeton Review)

This book is an essential resource and is filled with tips, techniques, and strategies to do well on the GMAT. It also contains sample tests, questions, and information about how to be accepted into the best business schools.

Master the GMAT, 2010 (Peterson’s, by Mark Allen Stewart)

This guide to the GMAT includes a companion CD, with 9 full-length practice tests and essay-writing analysis.

Kaplan GMAT 2010: Strategies, Practice, and Review

This book includes hundreds of test practice questions, detailed answers with explanations, score-raising strategies, and 2 full length practice tests.