Category Archives: career colleges

career colleges, careers, entreprenuership, gap year

Alternatives to College

alternatives to college
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College has, for quite some time now, been proposed as the desired route for a young person to take before entering the professional world. However, this approach is not without its problems, such as the finite number of graduate jobs waiting for people fresh out of school, as well as the positions that are going unfilled because people aren’t looking at other career paths.

There may be alternatives to college that prepare you for the workforce and a career that doesn’t require a college degree.

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career colleges, careers, college guidance

Is a Military Focused Education Right for Your Student?

military

There are three types of military focused educations: a military college, a service academy and an ROTC program at a college or university. Some students desire the rigors of an education with a military focus along with a career in the military. Still others simply like the discipline and teamwork that come with this type of education.

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career colleges, careers, college majors

Why Should You Care About Your Student’s Earning Potential After College?

earning potential

Inflation, rising gas prices, and higher property taxes are placing burdens on American families. Those of you who are looking at an upcoming college bill are concerned about how to get the most for your money with the best return on your investment and the best earning potential.

The college education is a major purchase for families and as tuition rises, more and more students are vying for financial aid. It stands to reason that parents want to make sure their student is getting a degree in a field that will support them after graduation.

Payscale’s College Salary Report can help you and your student when you are researching colleges. The report is based on a comprehensive database. In 2022, their rankings come from the alumni salary data of 3.5 million respondents, representing more than 4,000 colleges and universities across the U.S. 

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career colleges, careers, college majors

Preparing for a Future Career by Choosing the Right Courses in College

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future career

Some students find that choosing a career can be a complicated process. If your student is about to graduate from high school and heading off to college, they should be armed with the best college courses to take to prepare for a future career. Let’s take a look at some of the options:

1. Biology 

Biology degree programs expose students to the plants, animals, people, and thus the ecosystems in which they thrive. For anyone with a general interest in science, a biology program offers many opportunities. This will help you get into more specific areas of study that you might not have considered before. Biology classes also tend to be very hands-on and attract people with natural problem-solving skills. 

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career colleges, careers, college guidance, community service, parenting, volunteering

What To Do If College Won’t Do

college

This may seem like an odd topic to introduce on a parenting for college blog. But it must be said. Sometimes college just won’t do. If you are one of those parents whose child isn’t thrilled with the prospect of college, I’m here for you. Not every child should go to college—there, I said it.

No college doesn’t necessarily mean your child is stuck in a low-paying job for the rest of their life. They have options. These options can provide your child with a bright future and many who pursue these paths often outpace those who went to college.

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career colleges, careers, parenting

Supporting Your Teen’s Career Aspirations

career

Research shows that parents have a strong influence over their child’s college or career path. That influence may be subtle, and beyond the conscious awareness of the child, or often not so subtle. Parents have been known to push a child into a career path for numerous reasons, most have nothing to do with the child’s interests.

Parents are the number one influence in the career and college major choices made by their children.  

Growing up, my parents had some friends who insisted their children and even their son-in-laws follow the father’s career path as a doctor. They all attended college and medical school following in his footsteps. They all became doctors, but not all were happy in their careers. Most were miserable and floundered around until finally giving up and leaving the medical profession. Not only did they waste years on their education and a medical degree, but they have never recovered from what they perceived to be a failure.

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academics, career colleges, careers, parenting

Supporting Your Teen’s Dreams

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dreams

We all have dreams in life, and these often start when we are young. 

When you were at high school, you may have had visions for your future, of the places you wanted to get to, and of the person you wanted to be. Hopefully, your dreams were realized.

So, let’s think about your teen. What are their dreams? What do they want in the future? And what colleges are they considering to achieve their future ideals?

As the parent, you need to be in a supportive role – the person who encourages their dreams, and not the person who crushes them.

In your role, these are some of the things you need to focus on.

Don’t be dismissive of your teen’s choices

Remember that your teen’s dreams may not necessarily equate with your dreams for them. Too many kids end up in colleges and careers they didn’t want, and that is because their parents have pushed them in directions they didn’t want to go. So, don’t be that parent who forces them down a path they are resistant to. If you catch your teen looking at the preflight checklist for pilots on the pages of an aeronautical university website, or if you hear them talking to their friends about colleges for the performing arts, be supportive. Don’t tell your teen that such career choices are pipe dreams, unrealistic, and not for them. Show them you support their choices, and if the colleges they look at really aren’t beyond the realms of reality for them, encourage them to take the right courses at high school that will meet the requirements of the colleges in question.

Encourage them in their education

As we suggested above, help your teen make the right choices when it comes to high school courses, especially if getting grades in these courses will qualify them for admission into the colleges they like. And when they are taking these courses, encourage your teen to work hard. If they need to study for tests, and if they need to write essays, remind your teen of their college goals every time they slacken off. Help your teen with their courses when they are struggling too. Be there when they need your help to study for tests and exams. Be there when they need your advice on a paper they have written. And be there whenever an obstacle arises that could potentially cause them to fail their course. The more help you can give them at high school, the greater the chances of them getting the grades they need for college.

Make their dreams become a reality

You can do this in all kinds of ways, from helping them find the right colleges for them, to helping them fill out their college applications. Take a look at the advice we gave on our site about what you can do to coach your college-bound teen too, as there is much you can do to prepare them for the next stage of their academic life. You can teach them some of the skills they will need at college, for example, and you can help them prepare for the pre-college tests they might need to take during the application process. The more you can do to support your teen, the better, so while you shouldn’t be overbearing within your responsibilities, you should still steer, gently cajole, and encourage your teen to ensure their dreams can come true.

career colleges, careers

Is Your Student Interested in Pursuing a Skilled Trade?

 

skilled trade

Is your student looking for a hands-on career that pays well but isn’t on your traditional college major radar? With an estimated 31 million skilled trade vacancies by 2020 and a potential oversaturation of IT employees, the following jobs are smart choice for young adults.

HVAC technician. HVAC techs don’t just provide tune-ups to residential heating and cooling systems. Many HVAC professionals work on industrial refrigeration equipment, boilers, heat pumps, and air handling systems. The Advanced Technology Institute reports that HVAC jobs will grow by more than 20% through 2022 and claims the top professionals in the field earn more than $68,900 annually.

Machinist. Creative minds that lean toward problem solving might like a career as a machinist. A machinist repairs or creates large machines and often makes their own tools to get the job done. A high-school diploma and some manufacturing experience can help a budding industrial machinist take home $42,000 each year.

Electrician. Electricians are the men and women who work to ensure that buildings, vehicles, and ships are wired correctly and that that wiring is safe. Earning more than $25 per hour in the early years, an electrician can charge $75 per hour or more as an independent contractor or business owner in less than a decade.

Plumber. Plumbers are the people you call when your toilet, drains, or hot water heater fail to function. But they are also important in construction as these professionals are knowledgeable in everything from drainage to pipefitting and how a building’s design might affect its plumbing system. Plumbers help create blueprints and may work alone or with a team on large projects. With an expected $50,620 salary and 12% job growth through 2024, it’s a career that isn’t going down the drain any time soon.

Brick mason. A brick mason gets to build things with their hands, from mailboxes to courthouses to chimneys. It’s a job that requires heavy lifting, a keen eye for detail, and the ability to follow detailed instructions. There is little room for errors in this job, as a brick mason’s handiwork is literally set in stone.  Although many in the industry work as an apprentice instead of undergoing formal education, there are a number of college programs that offer certification in masonry. Brick masons that work for local governmental agencies can earn more than $93,000; the median salary in the private sector is $46,650.

Civil engineer. A civil engineer works on a large scale to create infrastructure plans in towns, at airports, seaports, and along the highways and byways. There are virtually no areas where civil engineers don’t touch. These construction and architectural experts are the ones responsible for keeping tragedy at bay and must understand natural disasters, such as flooding and tornadoes, in order to minimize their impact on the community. Civil engineers can earn up to $100,000 or more depending on location and expertise.

Industrial engineer. An industrial engineer works to increase operational efficiency. This job offers the best of both worlds: the ability to work on-site as well as time in the office. Industrial engineering jobs are expected to grow at a rate of 10% through 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. And with a median salary of $84,310, it’s a high-paying career with growth opportunities.

Construction and manufacturing industry experts hope to fill these and other open positions with new workers in the coming years. And each of these industries is adding jobs quickly as Baby Boomers begin to age out of the employment pool. This is good news for young adults is that job growth has a positive impact on the economy today and builds the foundation for tomorrow’s homebuyer. More jobs leads to higher wages, which leads to more people buying homes, which ultimately leads to lower interest rates and more favorable loan terms across the board. Getting in the door to these fast-growing careers now is one sure way to pave the way for a bright financial future.

And believe it or not, there are scholarships available to help you pay for this type of training:

2017 Technicians in Residential Plumbing, HVAC or Electrical Scholarship & 2017 Troops to Trades Training Grants and Scholarships

2017 Skilled Labor Shortage Scholarship

Women in Skilled Trades Scholarship Program

National Housing Endowment Student Scholarships

World Plumbing Council Scholarship Program

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating & Air-Conditioning Engineers Scholarships

career colleges, careers

Careers in the Medical Field (other than a doctor or a nurse)

 

medical

Is your college-bound teen interested in the medical field but doesn’t want to become a doctor or nurse? It’s good to know there are other avenues they can pursue, and some are even available online.

Who are medical assistants in the medical field? They are the people usually working under doctors. They work in hospitals and other healthcare facilities. Their work is basically to take care of administrative, clerical and clinical tasks. These may include tasks such as scheduling appointments, blood preparation, recording patient history and information,helping with examinations, and recording vital signs.

There are many different medical assistant programs out there. This makes the decision to enroll in a medical assistant program a difficult one. As a potential student, how do you balance your choices from the different programs? I suggest you compare the costs and the length of the program. Different schools out there offer programs, some even offer online programs. You can tell just by logic the convenience of an online program.  I mean can, students get to save a significant amount of money and still be able to study from anywhere.

I have looked at a couple of medical assistant online programs which have been compiled based on affordability and quality. Do you want to graduate with a certification, a diploma, or an associate’s degree? Keep in mind that a diploma or certification takes less time to complete and can get you into the workforce right away and an associate’s degree takes a longer time and its quite useful when you want to a fast track to the top. Medical assistant online courses, make it possible to keep your current lifestyle while pursuing your medical career.  Here are several choices.0

1.The College of Health Care Professions (CHCP)

This college offers a medical assisting certificate and a Healthcare Management degree for further career advancement. To make it legitimate, this school is accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES). Medical assisting online courses from this school allow students to complete labs and lectures online with the option of in-field clinical experience at local campuses across the U.S. This quality training requires a tuition fee of $24,133.

2.Kaplan University

This is going to impress you. It is very important to note that this program is fully accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. Kaplan University’s online bachelor’s program is known for their quality online medical degrees, and it’s no different for their medical assisting online program either. You can get this quality training for $14,241. If you are not able to fully fund yourself, the school offers financial aid based on the FASFA application.

3.Harrison College

Harrison College is a for-profit college that offers a degree and diploma in medical assisting. Harrison is one of two distance learning CAAHEP accredited medical assisting programs in the nation keeping in mind that CAAHEP is the largest programmatic accreditor in the health sciences field. The online associate of applied science in medical assisting program takes two years, with a medical assistant externship included in the tuition fee which is just $17,100.

4.Liberty University

This is one of the world’s largest online universities. Liberty is a non-profit, Christian school that offers degrees from the certification to the doctoral level. Too good to be true? It is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. This school offers an Associate of Applied Science in Medical Office Assisting program that prepares students to work as assistants in healthcare environments.The tuition fee caps at $20,109 which is fair considering the school’s rep and the quality of training provided.

 

As you can see, these are just but a few options. There are other schools out there that offer such programs. This article has highlighted the best in quality and price to make it easier for your student to make a better decision.

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career colleges, careers

4 Questions to Ask Your Child Before They Decide to Study Medicine

 

study medicine

There is many a student out there with grand ideas of entering the medical profession, with all the prestige, salary, and pride that goes along with doing a job connected with helping others. However, while you’ll understandably be excited that your child is showing an interest to study medicine and join such a worthwhile profession, it’s important to remember that the cost of putting a child through medical school is expensive. As such you’ll need to make sure your child is fully determined to see the course through if you’re going to part with your cash. Below, we take a look at five questions you should be asking your child before they decide to study medicine; it might make them think twice, or give you all the encouragement you need to fund their education.

1. Why?

It’s easy to fall for the image of being a doctor or other medical professional, but the image and the reality are worlds apart. Your child might have a solid understanding of what is driving them towards the medical industry, but you won’t know until you’ve asked them. If they’re especially interested in helping people, understanding how the body works, and working hard, then it might be the right career choice for them. If they have only a vague desire, then try to draw out of them what they want to do – it might not be becoming a doctor, and you’ll be setting them on the right path.

2. Do They Know the Commitment?

Nothing worth having comes overnight, and this is true for becoming a medical professional. It requires a lot of schooling, right through from the time at college, to postgraduate studies, to getting experience in the hospitals. All in all, it’ll be well over a decade until they’re finished with their studies and bringing home a good income. Are they willing to play the long game to get their dream job?

3. Will they be Happy with the Work/Life Balance?

Working in the medical industry isn’t so much about having a job as it is adopting a lifestyle. For instance, asking “how much does a Radiologist make?” is a good question to ask, but it’s important to weigh he potential income (which is high) against the number of hours worked. The good news is that doctors do tend to get more free time as they get more experienced, but the early years can be particularly draining.

4. What Branch of Medicine?

Obviously, the medical field is massive, and as such there are many jobs that a person going down the medical route could end up doing. They could become a surgeon, general hospital doctor, a cardiologist, radiologist, or a whole host of other options. It’s not so important that they pick which discipline they’re most interested in before they start, but it’s good to keep an eye on which jobs will be safe for the future; doctors will always be in demand, but some surgeons might see their procedures automated.

If they can answer all these confidently and positively, then you might have a future doctor on your hands!