One of the colleges near me just announced that it is considering nearly a 10 percent tuition hike. That’s a substantial hike — and they’re not the only ones, either. Colleges across the U.S. are having to raise tuition in order to make up for lagging budgets.

The end result is of course that bachelor’s degrees are pricing themselves out of many students’ reach. Students that can no longer afford four-year degrees turn to two-year degrees and licenses, such as mortgage training.

Shorter programs like these have many advantages over longer programs. Obviously, it costs less to go to school for a year or two as opposed to four years. Another advantage is that you finish your education sooner, and can get into the work force and start earning money sooner, too.

Besides, if tuition has priced itself out of your budget, and your choice is between a shorter program and NO program, I definitely think you should go with the shorter program. Some training or education is always better than no education, as it makes you qualified for more skilled jobs that you wouldn’t be able to get otherwise.

So I’m curious — what are tuition rates doing in your area? Are they going up there as quickly as they are in Colorado? What alternatives have you considered if you can no longer afford the tuition for a four-year program?

Technorati Tags: four-year degrees, mortgage training, tuition hike, two-year degrees

The Golf Academy of America has four campuses across the US that students can attend to earn a degree for a career in golf course management. These campuses are located in Florida, Arizona, South Carolina, and Carolina where nearly year-round golf play are possible because of the mild climates. Careers in golf course management are much easier to launch with a degree in the field because these courses teach students what they will need to work in the complex area of golf course jobs.

These seem like dream jobs, but actually, the career of a golf course manager is complex and varied. The job runs the gamut from human relations to understanding soil and water dynamics, so students in the curriculum learn a broad range of topics that will be part of the everyday job of a golf professional. The educational process is as interesting as the jobs are, and all the coursework that students take is can be applied to the real world work of a golf course manager. This is a career with a good future in a fun and exciting field. Golf courses are beautiful places, and for people who enjoy an eclectic job, getting a degree in this field promises many rewards, both professional and financial.

Technorati Tags: careers in golf, Golf academy of America, golf course jobs, golf professional

Last year I began working as a writing consultant at the college I attend. As a tutor, I help students with transfer their ideas from thoughts to paper. Sometimes I help freshmen who have been referred by their professor. Other times I assist students who are writing personal statements for master degree programs online.  The writing center is a free service to the students.

My college is a small liberal arts college and a lot of the students are non-traditional age. Returning to school for a working adult with a family can be very challenging. I’ve found for most students the hardest part of writing is simply getting started. First steps are always difficult. I remember when I visited the college marketing and enrollment services to inquire about night school; I shook throughout the entire interview. Coming from a working class family I never saw college as an option for me.

Luckily though I used the amazing resources my college had to offer and soon will be graduating. Now I’m considering a masters in business information systems. Since I’ve been on both ends of the tutoring experience, I know, for me, tutoring works. Knowledge is a gift when it’s shared.

Technorati Tags: college marketing and enrollment services, master degree programs online, masters in business information systems