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Stepping up Network Security: Campus and Online Degree Programs

Tuesday, November 2nd, 2010

College students, especially those majoring in computer science and information technology, often enjoy demonstrating their computer skills. Unfortunately, one of the ways students in these degree programs enjoy showing their expertise is in hacking into university network systems and making their presence known. As a result, campus based and online universities are ramping up security.

Many computer experts also recommend a layered approach to network security. By using firewalls, routers, and VPNS, or virtual private networks, colleges and universities hope to minimize the dangers posed by unwanted attacks. Protection, of course, is made even more challenging because of the many devices used by students and professors to enter the university network system. Smart phones, laptops, PCs, and iPads are all potential sources of electronic attack.

Both students and professors, as well as university adminstrators, should scan their computer systems regularly and monitor for potential threats. The majority of students trying to earn a degree online search regularly on the Internet for resources and information for their university degree programs. Unfortunately, in the process of doing this, they may leave their computer systems open to attack by visiting unsecured or potentially malicious websites.

If you are a student trying to earn a college degree at a campus-based university or through an online degree program, schedule your computer for a daily virus check. Don’t open emails from unfamiliar senders, even if they look official. Report any suspicious emails that purport to originate from your university or professor immediately. If possible, use an email program that scans attachments before you open them. And always, always, keep your virus protection software up-to-date.

College Degree Programs Offer Job Opportunity

Tuesday, September 28th, 2010

Education and employment experts continue to debate about whether or not college pays. They also cannot agree on just exactly how much education does pay. Those who argue that college degree programs don’t pay well point to incomes earned by a few skilled workers without college degrees as evidence that it isn’t necessary to earn a college degree online or attend a traditional degree program in order to get a decent paycheck.

Those who stress the importance of university degree programs, in contrast, argue that skilled work is becoming less and less available to high school graduates. As the income gap between skilled and unskilled workers continues to widen, the number of jobs that fall in between continues to shrink rapidly. Fewer people are employed in clerical or mechanical job positions, and the recession hasn’t helped.

Even with the end of the recession, the number of jobs available in most professions has stayed the same or declined slightly. Furthermore, even those who have jobs requiring college degrees aren’t enjoying salary increases; wages have stayed the same or risen only slightly. This isn’t contributing to the widening income gap between skilled and unskilled workers, but many other factors are doing exactly this.

For example, the pay rate for unskilled workers, in many jobs, continues to decrease. The number of union jobs is declining, and more and more companies are moving out of the US – and taking jobs with them. Finally, computer technologies have made companies able to accomplish the same level of productivity with fewer workers. For the most part, unless people earn a college degree, they have less opportunity than ever before to bring home a good paycheck.

Does Earning a College Degree Pay Off?

Saturday, September 25th, 2010

The recession is officially over, according to economists. Except for the seven million or so people who lost their job – the job market isn’t likely to grow significantly over the next several months. So, before you decide that you’ll be able to start looking for work again without that college degree, think again. It probably doesn’t surprise you to learn that recent data from the College Board shows that college still pays.

Today’s college graduates, according to the Board’s projected figures, will make 66 percent more than high school graduates. This figure goes up even more if you include graduate degree program figures, and the comparative wage earnings of GED holders are even less than that of college graduates.

While some argued that the longer a student is enrolled in a university degree program, the more money he or she is likely to make, the example of people like Bill Gates (think Microsoft) makes this comparison a little less believable. And the continuously rising cost of tuition increases the likelihood that college graduates will be facing higher loan repayments and other education expenses after graduation.

Despite this drawback, though, one trend can be easily established. Statistically, people with college educations are more likely to have jobs than people who don’t have college educations. People who complete graduate degree programs are the least likely to be unemployed, while people who don’t earn a college degree or complete high school are most likely to be unemployed.

Interestingly, some figures also indicate that people with college degrees are more likely to enjoy better health than those who do not get a college degree. While a college degree may not guarantee a job or good health, there does seem to be some correlation. So if you’ve been thinking about enrolling in a college degree program but haven’t done it yet, there’s no time like the present!

For more information about the statistics in this article, visit http://chronicle.com/article/Education-Pays-but-How-Much-/124552/?sid=at&utm_source=at&utm_medium=en

I Doubt That I Am Eligible For Financial Help. Should I Apply?

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Sure, of course you should apply! Don’t assume that you are not qualified for financial assistance. A number of adult students suppose they do not qualify and fail to benefit from a lot of sources of assistance, consisting of grants as well as low interest loans which are provided regardless of financial need, credit history or grade point average. A number of state and federal assistance programs do not impose age limits, though a few scholarship programs may. For financial assistance based upon low income, it is essential is to show financial need, plus that a number of the most qualified students are parents who are single.

Moreover, it is not essential to be enrolled in a university or college before applying for financial assistance. Submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form after 1st January (do not wait till you complete tax return, however utilize estimates of salary.) Errors can be checked and corrected afterward, and a number of states require receiving the FAFSA by 1st March to be eligible for state assistance. Complete any Admissions and Testing as well as Financial Assistance Applications.

After identifying schools providing programs of your interest, go to their website or you can get in touch with the admissions office to obtain a course catalog as well as admissions application. The financial assistance office can provide you a financial assistance application. Complete the essential admissions and testing as well as financial assistance applications (consisting the Free Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA), then send an official copy of your previous transcripts to the institute.  In order to ask for a copy, get in touch with the previous college(s) or high school attended and request to send an official copy to the new university or college’s admissions office.) In case you want your General Educational Development (GED) transcript, the Council on Education of America provides help.

Usually, adult students are not needed to take admissions exams (i.e., the Standardized Admissions Test SAT or American College Test ACT), though they do require to take graduate admission exams like the Graduate Record Examination GRE or Graduate Management Admission Test GMAT if going to graduate school. A lot of colleges provide a placement test rather than admission test results for adult students, plus do not think about your performance at high-school or test scores, particularly with students who are transferred from community colleges.

Time It Takes To Complete A Degree

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

It depends upon your academic objectives. Generally, a certificate course for a particular career or field (credit or non-college credit) takes around a year. Certificate programs are offered in culinary arts, childhood education, computer technology, emergency medical technicians, pharmacy technician, office administration, real estate, tourism, teacher’s aide, travel.

It takes around sixty credits and two years for a full-time student to obtain an associate’s degree. And, in case of a bachelor’s degree, one hundred and twenty credits and four years are required; however the degree can be attained through various academic options.

Need for a College Degree

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Need for a college degree depends upon personal career objectives, however generally if you have a higher education, your salary will be higher, and you will have better career choices as well as security. Recently, a report from the Census Bureau of America shows that the median annual salary for employees holding a high school diploma was $27,915; whereas for a  four years bachelor’s degree, it was $51,206. People holding just a high-school diploma were more likely to be jobless compared to those with bachelor’s degrees. People not holding a high-school diploma had an average yearly salary of only $18,734. People earning a master’s/doctoral degree got a yearly average salary of $74,602 or even more.

According to statistics project 75 % of  positions in the future are likely to necessitate at least some kind of licensure or certification, and professions which necessitate a bachelor’s degree are likely to increase almost twice as speedily as the nation’s average. So, investing to obtain a college degree is undoubtedly a wise decision. A number of adults come across the need of a college degree to step in their career of their interest or to obtain an increased salary. Rest of the people find themselves as workforce due to economic conditions or divorce or career transition. With the advancement in technology plus changing economic as well as employment circumstances, a lot of adults are coming across a growing demand to build or update their skills and knowledge.

Remember that not every adult needs to obtain a college degree. Vocational training and certificate programs can usually offer the essential expertise and professional training.

Adult Student or Re-entry

Tuesday, August 31st, 2010

Adult student or re-entry (also known as non-traditional students) are usually age 25 or above, with ages varying from 25-69 at a lot of universities and colleges.  Usually, the adult students are female; however men are going back to college to update their professional skills as well as further advancement in career. Some might never have gone to college or begun college and then caesed due to financial, personal, or other grounds. A lot of them have spent their time as workforce, in raising family or the military, and need to return to make their lifelong dreams come true. Some are single parents whereas others are retired but all are in search of a better and happier life. (According to the Dept of Education, 13 % of students who are currently attending college are single parents, the figure increasing up from 7.6 % in 1993.)

A powerful factor why students wish for changing their careers or updating their professional credentials is the economic instability. A number of re-entry students continue working while going back to school whereas others go to part-time. It’s never very late to return to school. You might be opting for a degree program, going back to complete a degree, looking for a specialized degree or a second degree, or obtaining courses for personal or occupational enrichment.

Do Tuition Guarantees Really Save Students Money?

Wednesday, June 23rd, 2010

In past years, many traditional college degree programs featured guaranteed tuition rates to freshmen entering four-year degree programs. Of course, costs often continued to rise in other ways, such as higher dormitory charges, meal plan rate increases, more expensive book costs, etc. As a result, many universities began dropping these guaranteed rates, leaving students at the mercy of the economy and the universities’ financial situations.

Unlike these colleges and universities, however, online degree programs charge students only for the classes they take. Students enrolled in distance learning degree programs pay only for the number of credit hours in which they are actually enrolled, plus any applicable fees.

At first glance, you might think that this doesn’t really benefit the student as much as guaranteed tuition programs do. After all, students enrolled in degree programs that offer this guarantee pay only a set rate for each credit hour, and this rate won’t increase over the next four years.

The rate at which tuition increases, however, is much higher for incoming freshmen from year to year among degree programs that with those that do offer guaranteed tuition rates. Add this to increased meal plan charges, room costs, and other not-so-obvious fees, and students at these college often end up paying more for their college degrees than students who enroll in distance learning degree programs.

Many online universities today are offering college degree programs that can be require less money for completion than traditional degree programs. In fact, the average cost of a Bachelor Degree program at a distance learning degree program in 2010 is around $50,000. This may seem expensive, until you start comparing the cost of a college education at private colleges, which can average between $20-$40,000 a year.

College Degree Programs: A Cost-Benefit Ratio Analysis

Thursday, June 17th, 2010

According to the latest Jobs Forecast news, published at http://www.youthtoday.org/publication/article.cfm?article_id=4091 , nearly two-thirds of American job positions will require some college education or post-secondary training. Furthermore, these jobs will typically pay significantly more than jobs that don’t require post-secondary education.  Fewer jobs will also be available to high school graduates and high school dropouts, according to author Jamaal Abdul-Alim.

Today, many students still see themselves entering four-year college degree programs and graduating within four to six years. In reality, however, less than two-thirds of the students who begin a four-year degree program will graduate within six years. Many students leave college saddled with high student loan debts and living expenses, and without the degree or skills necessary to land a good job.

The number of students enrolling in associate degree programs and distance learning programs is on the rise, however. Last year, nearly ten percent of high school graduates opted for two-year degrees, and more than four million students were enrolled in distance learning programs. Many graduates with limited financial resources, and especially those who have families to support, find these degree programs especially attractive.

Distance learning programs, for example, allow students to attend classes online during evenings and weekends. Students with families can meet course requirements on a more flexible schedule, and even maintain full-time jobs while going to college. While online degree programs are often slightly more expensive than traditional college degree programs, the flexibility and ability to earn a wage while furthering an education is often enormously beneficial to students with families to support.

Today, the US ranks 10th in the list of industrialized nations whose citizens hold college degrees. Technical degrees and two-year degree programs, which are widely accepted in many other countries, including those in Europe, represent an optimal way for the US to reverse this decline and regain its prominence with regard to education. These degree programs also offer students an excellent way to start earning a living while minimizing college debt.

Earn Six Figure Jobs in Six Simple Ways

Wednesday, March 31st, 2010

Earning six figure jobs can be done in six easy and simple ways. All you need to do is to find a college degree and complete the following steps.
1.     The first step involves matching your skills and interests to a college degree. See if you are interested in computers, movies, art, books or love to socialize. Are you an outgoing person? Or do you like facts and figures well? By matching your skills and interests with the perfect four year college degree, you can find a college degree in the field of your interest which will help you be successful in your job in the future. Moreover, it even assists to consider jobs that you did not like; for instance, if your love to talk to people while working retail, you may fit well in the position of business management.
2.    The second step requires specializing in a field with the potential of growth. Well, if you are interested in web and graphic design, consider digital and web design over print. According to BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), while three hundred fresh jobs are projected to open up in the print-heavy desktop publishing from 2006 to 2016, around twenty-six thousand people are expected to be accessible for graphic designer. A four year degree in graphic designing would meet the requirements for each of the 26,000. However, additional web design training will add to your career. Find a bachelor’s degree in a field that has growth potential.
3.    This step involves earning an online bachelor’s degree. For beginners, obtaining your online bachelor’s degree provides you the opportunity to keep full-time career along with your study. Now, you can attend school and earn valuable experience in the industry both at the same time. For the fields like IT, attending school online allows you to develop skills as you learn. Looking at the brighter side of the picture, you can get training to work well with confidence in the industry.
4. Always mention your degree objectives when finding a job while you are in school. Once you get the degree, do not throw your time away in a position undervaluing your education. Although, you may not be paid a six figure salary at the first day of your work, you can get there by proving your value to your employers.
5. This step requires you to make smart moves for your career. The starting wages for computer engineers in 2008, averaged $56,201, however, according to the BLS, the annual salaries for computer engineers averaged $100,180. What you need to do is to work hard for getting from point A to point B. Find the right organization to work with and do not be afraid to ask for a pay raise. While obtaining your bachelor’s degree, taking some courses of business administration would be wise to improve your business know-how.
6. Finally, it is the time to climb up the ladder. It involves further education.  For instance, if you are finding a management position, obtaining a master’s degree would be the best. Earn a Master’s in Business Administration to make your career successful.
Starting with a Bachelor’s Degree
Earning a bachelor’s degree will make it easier for you to get a six figure career. There are colleges that allow you to step in a program even if you don’t declare a major. Because of the degree programs online, obtaining a bachelor’s degree has become easier than it ever was.