Many people in today’s society do not have the time they want in order to attend a college or university in order to further their education. So, there is an easier way to get a college degree and that is by taking online courses.

Online coursesare offered in a wide range of subjects from accounting to engineering. These courses are deemed to be the easier way to getting a college degree by doing it online. A college education online will give you the same degree level that you would get if you attended a traditional university or college.

The newest way to get a degree is attending the University of Phoenix online. The University of Phoenix online offers their students a list of courses, a personal admissions counselor, and classes that are fit around your already hectic schedule and lifestyle.

With almost sixty online courses and approximately thirteen campuses spread throughout the country, the University of Phoenix is the leading site for getting a college education online. They offer everything from a Bachelor’s degree to a Master’s degree and even offer single classes instead of an entire degree’s worth. They also offer financial assistance for those who are not able to afford an online education. The financial assistance plans that they offer range from helping out a little bit, to making the payments affordable for those that have families and large monthly bills.

There are other web sites that offer the ability to obtain an education degree online. Most sites are affiliated with accredited universities and colleges. However, these sites require that you go to the university or college in order to take the exams issued regularly, as well as the mid-terms and final exams.

The internet sites that are linked to accredited universities tend not to offer an affordable education degree online. Sometimes their courses can cost just as much as if you were to attend the classes in person. Be sure to check out as many sites as possible when deciding to get your education degree online and definitely make sure to check out the University of Phoenix online or call one of their toll free numbers. This will ensure an easier way to getting a college degree online.

Mark Kessler - his website College Education 411 is a free education, online degree, online courses, college and university resource guide. Providing links and comprehensive financial aid information

Many children, for many reasons, are unable or unwilling to attend a traditional bricks and mortar high school, college or University. They cannot attend for reasons including poor health, financial reasons or even bullying. An inability to attend school or college in the past has frequently meant that our children have lost out in their education.

Online education was pioneered in the UK by The Open University (http://www.open.ac.uk/) but is now offered by many colleges and universities around the world. Online education or distance learning was initially seen by many as just a supplement to the brick-and-mortar classroom with traditional teaching and learning methods and materials. Over the last few years however, improved technology and educational techniques have made online high school classes and online college courses viable alternatives to traditional methods of learning. Today the student does not have to set foot in a classroom to obtain good academic qualifications up to Masters Degree level.

Today’s students, can benefit in a number of ways that previously they could not. They can get their qualifications despite having no way to get to the school of their choice, or they may have children, a home, and one or more jobs that keeps them from physically attending classes at a campus that might be too far away.

These students can make use of online college courses that feature lectures via Internet meetings, video, audio, email, instant messages, bulletin boards and chat rooms, and online study and research sources.

For the home-schooled, or the advanced high school student, the benefits of access and choice are great. For students, who for religious or personal reasons, do not wish to mix at school segregation or integration are available. Equally those who prefer a religiously oriented curriculum can also be accommodated.

Online college courses are equal opportunity courses. Students of any age, race, creed, color, religion, location, learning ability, disability, or mindset can find the materials, sources, and lessons he or she needs or wants from fully accredited courses.

If you choose an online course you need to be aware of a few caveats. Before applying check that the online college courses is genuine and the accreditation is in place. There are some online college courses that are not qualified offer the qualifications quoted in that they are not "accredited". If you are looking to use the online learning experience as credited coursework (to transfer, to get a job or a degree), be sure that the online college is one which meets the standards set by the state’s, province’s, or country’s accreditation body, agency, or board.

In the U.S. the Department of Education (the DOE) oversees and regulates American universities, though each state is responsible for its own higher learning authorization standards. Checking the course credentials can be a difficult task particularly if the institution is located overseas. In some countries unscrupulous and greedy "colleges" have been quick to claim to be "licensed" to run a college but their business is, in effect, a bogus degree mill, a fake college whos qualifications are worthless.

In the US, States have different ways of regulating their colleges. Even in the US con artists and scammers, claiming to be legitimate e-universities, have been known to link their pages to the real sites of DOE or of the Council of Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). Always check accreditation directly with the relevant body and do not assume that because of a link an institution is properly accredited.

When looking into online college courses there are online resources offering a range of studies at accredited colleges. You can also also ask state or federal education authorities for a list of accredited colleges. Contact the examination board for the qualification you desire and verify that your choice of college is accredited and finally check with potential employers or industry bodies which qualifications they recognise. Most of the time this just takes a few emails but could save you a great deal of expense and grief.

John is 51 and recently completed a degree in Creative Writing. He now writes on education at http://www.In-Education where there is a selection of articles on education for all ages. For more information on course selection go to Choosing the Right Course.

I first enrolled for college classes at age twenty-four. I returned to school because I realized to achieve what I wanted in life, I would need a college education. I was so very excited my first day of class; I was just the second person in my family to attend college. But I was extremely nervous also. I had not graduated from high school but had obtained a GED. Fears raged inside me. What if I couldn’t handle the course work? What if the instructors viewed my work as highly unsatisfactory? What if some comment of mine made the whole class burst into laughter? I was a single parent at this time, working full-time. I was afraid I was taking on more than I could handle. I soon found out that I was not alone; many others were facing the same disadvantages of being an older college student that I was.

Many older students are married whereas younger ones usually are not. Also older students often have young children. These family obligations, in addition to college course work and working a job, create a very hectic and stressful situation for the older student. Taking care of a family is not part-time; rather it is a full-time responsibility for the older student. Parents have to give up time that they could use to study to pick up their children from athletic practice or attend their children’s games. Also the children’s homework has to be completed before the parent can work on his or hers. After making sure the kids have gotten their baths and brushed their teeth, parents have to have story time.

After all the daily tasks of managing a family are completed and the kids are in bed, the older college student is usually exhausted. But he or she cannot go to sleep right; now is the time for him or her to do their studying. Usually it is past midnight before the older college student can finally fall into bed. All too soon, the alarm goes off to start the routine all over again. Family obligations are the primary disadvantage of being an older student.

Besides not having enough time in the day, older students sometimes don’t have enough money either. Paying tuition and buying course books is a heavy financial drain on the older college student. Younger college students generally have their parents provide for these college expenses. Younger students also have access to scholarships that older students are not eligible to receive, such as athletic scholarships, which usually cover all college-related expenses. Older students can receive grants but these are usually for people below poverty level. The only alternative is to apply for a college loan that has to be repaid with interest. In a sense, these students are mortgaging their future.

A third disadvantage of being an older college student is the amount of time that elapsed between high school and college. Many times the older student has not retained the knowledge from high school and, in a way, has to start back from the beginning. This can be very frustrating to the student who has to play catch-up, while trying to keep up with the hectic pace of the college classroom.

Although there are many disadvantages of being an older college student, the rewards of achieving his or her dream are worth it. Older college students tend to be more determined to succeed, perhaps because of all their disadvantages.

Mary Arnold is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writers.

Her writing portfolio may be viewed at http://www.Writing.com/authors/ja77521

An eternity ago, back when I was just thinking about what college to attend, I was given a piece of advice by my guidance counselors.

Decide what school you want to attend first and foremost, think about how you’re going to get into that school, and then and only then, worry about how you’re going to pay for it. That part will work itself out

It sounded like good advice to me at the time. After all, they told me, student loans are the solution. They have low interest rates, and with the small payments you’ll have to make on them each month, you’ll hardly even notice they’re there.

Perfect.

Okay, what I want to tell you is the truth…

I chose to attend a private school — a fairly expensive private school. Now, I was a very good student, so I came away with a fair amount in scholarship money. I also did the whole work-study thing. What my scholarships didn’t cover, my student loans did. Above and beyond that, my very generous grandparents helped me out.

With all that, I still came away from my four years of college with nearly twenty thousand dollars in student loans.

I had two sets of loans. One set was through New York State, and one set was a federally guaranteed student loan. That meant two separate sets of payments.

As for those miniscule payments, well the smaller loan I only had to make a payment on once every three months. It wasn’t much either. $150.00 every three months fits into most budgets reasonably. The second, much larger loan was the real difficulty. I had a payment of over $150.00 ever month. Now that’s not such a small payment.

And when I saw that my payments would run until the year 2002, I nearly fell over. Mind you, that was back in 1991. Of course, that’s if you’re able to make the monthly payment. It’s well beyond 2002 now, and my loans still have a long way to go.

In today’s world, a college degree, though I wholly recommend getting one, is no guarantee of a well-paying job. Unfortunately, paying off those student loans is far from easy, especially if you choose to try to make it on your own right away instead of moving back home. Rent comes first, if you want to have a roof over your head. So does gas, groceries, and car insurance.

In other words, life doesn’t wait for you to pay off your student loans.

When you’re in high school, looking into colleges, paying off student loans is probably the last thing on your mind. I know it was the last thing on my mind. But I suggest that you look into all of your options before you and your parents sign on the dotted line.

Check out whether or not your college has a work-study program. If so, don’t keep your entire paycheck for spending money. Use it towards your tuition.

Check out scholarship money — and not just the scholarship applications you receive in the mail. Search for them. The internet is a wonderful tool when searching for scholarships. Try Fastweb.com. It’s a great scholarship matching service, and there are plenty of others.

Is one of your parents a veteran? There are scholarships available for the children of veterans. Does one of your parents work at Wal-Mart? Wal-Mart has scholarships. Check out large corporations in your hometown. Many offer scholarships to local students. There are scholarships for left-handers, redheads, etc. You name it — there’s a scholarship out there for it. Apply even for ones you don’t think you’ll get. It’s well worth it.

Save money before and during college. Paychecks from those summer jobs add up. If you can fit in a part-time job during the school year, do so. Are you a good student? Consider tutoring. For a few hours a week, you will still have a small paycheck to take home.

This way, when you start paying off your student loans, you have a cushion.

The bottom line is that you do need to consider how you’re going to pay for your college education. It’s all too easy to say you’ll worry about it later.

And, if like me, you went ahead and took out those student loans and are having difficulty paying them off, there are options. Talk to your lender. Some lenders offer payments based on income, or payments that increase proportionally as time passes, which is perfect for those starting out in a lower paying job. There are consolidation loans if you have more than one loan after college.

There is also the option of deferment, which is a very useful option. Just remember, if you choose to defer, the interest continues to accrue on your loans. They aren’t frozen in time.

I’m writing this because I wish someone had told me these things before I signed for my student loan. Although I wouldn’t trade my education for anything, my student loans have held me back from getting a bigger apartment, a nicer car (until recently at least), and from having greater financial freedom. If I could turn back the clock, I would be a little more thorough in checking out my options before I signed for those loans.

I’m not trying to say don’t take out a student loan. What I’m trying to say is think about it. Like a car or a house, a student loan is a big investment, and you should thoroughly check out the alternatives before committing.

Sure you won’t have to pay those loans off until your four years (or more) of school are done, but four years isn’t such a long time in the scheme of things. Ten years, the normal duration for a student loan, is a long time, however. Choose wisely.

Lisa Koosis is an author on http://www.Writing.Com/ which is a site for Creative Writing. She keeps an online portfolio there.

According to official statistics almost 64% of high school students enroll in colleges or universities each year. Costs of education escalate each year and just tuition fees, room and board would be US$10,000 and more per year in a public institution, and US$25,000 and more in a private one.

So, even before applying for a scholarship, you will need to sit down and think out the finances and what the rules are in the colleges you are considering. While calculating your needs, the factors that need consideration are: the cost of education in totality, your family contribution, and the earnings in your family. The difference between the cost of education and your family contribution is your “demonstrated need.”

How much of a scholarship you will require depends on the package worked out by the financial aid department. Once you know the amount, you can apply for different scholarships based on what your college accepts. For example, if your college qualifies to receive grants from federal programs, you can fill in an application at FAFSA, http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/. Other options are scholarships offered by the college, private institutions, Athletic scholarships, and academic ones. In case you are planning to seek private funding, find out if your college accepts this.

Find out what the eligibility criterion for each scholarship is, and assess whether you are eligible to apply. The general criteria would be academic performance, talents, community efforts, and ACT or SAT scores. Specific criteria could be religion, ethnic group, subjects being studied, or where you live.

Sources for finding out about scholarships are the high school guidance office, the Internet, the college aid office, you local library or town hall, local newspapers, and scholarship directories.

The ideal strategy is to begin the process well in advance, say September of your high school junior year. This is when you should begin research, reviewing your academic goals and schedule, attending college fairs, and exploring financial options. Seek the help of senior students who have managed to get scholarships, and also ask guidance counselors and college admission cells.

Scholarships provides detailed information on Scholarships, College Scholarships, Grant Scholarships, Scholarship Searches and more. Scholarships is affiliated with College Scholarship Grants.

College interviews are another chance for you to tell the admissions officers more about yourself. You will want to take the interview seriously, because it helps paint a better picture of you as a student.

Although it’s not a good idea to over-prepare yourself for a college interview, you should always anticipate certain questions that interviewers are prone to ask. These questions are designed to find out about your interests and passions. Following are some of interviewers’ favorite questions:

“Why do you want to come to this college?”

This question is to gauge how well you know about the school; i.e your level of interest. Some schools track interest and use it as a criteria for admission, so you’d do well to do research on the school you’re applying to. Read up the college’s literature and website, and tie it with your interests. Mix those with some reasons of your own, like the fact that it has a close-knit student community. If you can give some specific examples, the interviewer is likely to be impressed with your research.

“How would you contribute to this community?”

Colleges want givers. They want people who are able to add life to their campus. So make sure you let them know how you are going to do it. Talk about your skills, your experiences and your contributions. A good tip is to tell them how you plan to give back to the community; whether it’s tutoring fellow classmates in a subject you are strong at, chartering a new community chapter in the campus or sharing your ideas with fellow students.

“Which activities are most meaningful to you?”

Like the essay, you would want to mention activities that are your passions. You want the interviewer to know what makes you tick. But unlike the essay, you can discuss your activities at length without word limits. Resist the temptation to brag though. Talk with a natural style, and if you’re passionate about what you do, it’ll show. Talk about specific anecdotes; interviewers like hearing about personal stories. For example, if you are a music enthusiast, you can talk about your first performance and how you nearly fumbled on stage because you were too nervous. Don’t make up stories though.

“What books have you read lately?”

A lot of applicants think that this is a ‘trap’ question that they must give a book that is either intellectual or have good values. It doesn’t have to be. Just talk about a book you did read. Avoid the usual cliché titles that you read in English class though. Sicne part of the purpost is to gauge your initiative and creactivity, it’s better to pcik a book you found rather than the one assigned to you. Don’t lie about the books you read though; if the interviewer happens to be familiar with a particular book you fabricated, you’ll be in trouble.

In the end, the interviewer wants to know more about you, so just be yourself.

Devin is a college applicant who has researched the complexity of the college admissions process for two years. His acceptances include the honors program at the University of Michigan and Cambridge University in the UK. He runs an admissions website at http://www.admissions-guide.info dedicated to helping students in the college admissions process.

When April comes, fat packages and thin envelopes find their ways to many homes. But what happens if you are one of the ones who were waitlisted by your college(s)?

If you are one of the unfortunate ones who get a waitlist, you have to first think about whether pursuing the waitlist is worth the wait and the agony. Always bear in mind that the waitlist is a volatile list; in some years colleges may take in as many as 100 from the list, and the next year no one gets off the waitlist.

Personally, I feel you should continue to pursue the waitlist. You’ve applied to the colleges, you’ve spend time crafting a well-written essay and you’ve paid the application fee. So don’t leave a half-job done. After sending the deposit to one of your colleges, send in the card and request that you be put on the waitlist.

From here, the strategy is all about interest and persuasion. You want the college to know why they should take you in. Don’t be afraid to show your stuff. Write a letter specifically addressed to the admissions director telling him/her how much you would love to attend. Consider the following statement:

“Dear Director, I write to express my utmost disappointment at being put on the waitlist. I have fallen in love with X College, and I wish to tell you that I will definitely attend if offered admission…“

Don’t worry about sounding desperate. Just don’t make it lean towards begging or insulting. Next you’ll want to send it whatever new information about yourself and your achievements. I advise you to just send them in whether or not they are significant. If you recently been selected to represent your school in debate, tell them that. If your club President has nominated you for a community service award, let them know that too. You want to keep the colleges informed about your progress.

It will be a good idea to get your guidance counselor and teachers to help you too. Request that your counselor give a call to the admissions office and speak on your behalf. Most counselors will be glad to help you. A new recommendation letter from a teacher will help tremendously too. Ask your teacher if he or she can write about your desire to attend the college, and offer a new perspective about you.

It is also highly recommended that you pay a visit to the college (unless you live too far away). Drop by the admissions office and talk to a rep there. If you can get in touch with the director, all the better. Make sure you let him or her know about your status, and again reiterate your interest in the college and why they should take you in. If there’s no one to entertain you, leave a note, or your letter, at the office and inform the office that you dropped by.

Unfortunately financial need will play a big role in determining whether you get off the waitlist (common especially among international applicants). Those with little or no need will have a higher chance of getting off the waitlist, so if you can afford it, make sure you let the colleges know that you will be attending whether or not you receive aid.

Keep in mind that despite doing all you can, you might not be able to get off the waitlist. But if you’ve done everything to let the colleges know that they should take you, then you will have greatly improved your chances of getting admitted in June.

Devin is a college applicant who has researched the complexity of the college admissions process for two years. His acceptances include the honors program at the University of Michigan and Cambridge University in the UK. He runs an admissions website at http://www.admissions-guide.info dedicated to helping students in the college admissions process.

If you’re an international college applicant, you are probably unfamiliar with the format of the SAT exam.

The SAT is normally required for all applicants at most schools. Internationals are required to write the SAT as well as Americans. However, colleges do understand that international students may not be familiar with the SAT (with the exception of internationals studying in American schools abroad) and thus may not do as well as their American counterparts. This is especially true for applicants whose native language is not English.

Do colleges give some leniency to international students with regard to the SAT? The answer depends on which college is in question. Some colleges may have a policy whereby if an international applicant scores 2000 or higher, then SATs are out of the way. Many others have no clear policies though. At highly selective institutions, the difference in weightage for Americans and internationals may be small.

In my opinion, even as an international, you should strive to do as well as you can on the SAT. There’re many books that are dedicated to SAT preparation on the market; just browse the shelves of any well-stocked bookstore. College Board itself has produced several excellent preparation materials that you should use as your preparation materials. If you can afford it, you can even join one of the many prep courses available.

Why is it important? First of all, international students with high critical reading scores have considerable advantages (hook) over other international applicants. As there will be many internationals who willl probably not have scores in the high 700s in the critical reading section, scoring well earns you some advantage over the others. It shows your willingness to learn something totally new to you.

Besides, some universities such as Northwestern and Virginia will waive the TOEFL requirement if your criticial reading score is above a certain threshold, as an acknowledgment of your English proficiency. Therefore, doing well on the SAT can only work in your favor.

Devin is a high school graduate who has 2 years experience in college admissions. He runs a website at http://www.admissions-guide.info dedicated to help college applicant in the admissions process.

The University of Michigan in Ann Arbor is top ranked among the world’s top universities academically. The "U of M" has the largest number of living alumni at 420,000 as well as having one of the largest research expenditures of any American university. In addition to having the largest living alumni, it is the oldest university in the state of Michigan.

Originally founded in 1817 in Detroit while Michigan was still a territory, the campus was moved to the city of Ann Arbor in 1837. In 2006, "U.S. World & News Report" ranked the undergraduate division 25th in the United States and has placed a number of its graduate and professional programs within the nation’s top ten. Those programs include; engineering, education, law, business, library science, political science, medicine and sociology. In addition to the great academics, the university also excels at athletics. Michigan’s most notable teams are for football, ice hockey and basketball.

The first classes in Ann Arbor were held in 1841, with six freshmen and a sophomore, taught by two professors. Eleven students graduated in the first commencement in 1845. By 1866, the enrolment had increased to 1205 students. Women were not admitted into the university until 1870. Even though it had been so many years until the first females were admitted, the University of Michigan was only the third school to do so. During the time period of 1900 to 1920, many new facilities were constructed on campus. Those facilities include buildings for dental and pharmacy programs, Hill Auditorium, a chemistry building, a large hospital and library complexes, a building for the natural sciences and two residential halls. The University of Michigan became a major recipient of government grants for strategic research during the Cold War. During the 1970s, budget constraints hindered the university’s physical development and academic standing. When the 1980s rolled around, increased funds were devoted to research in the social and physical sciences. For some the 1980s and most of the 1990s, "U of M" devoted large amounts of resources to renovating its massive hospital complex and improving the academic facilities on the North Campus.

The University of Michigan’s library system is one of the largest in the United States. It comprises 19 individual libraries with 24 separate collections, which roughly calculates to 7.96 million volumes. The growing at the rate of volumes is about 150,000 each year. A skywalk on Central Campus connects the two prominent libraries( Harlan Hatcher Graduate Library and Shapiro Undergraduate Library).

The Ann Arbor campus is divided into a Central Campus, North Campus and South Campus. Together, the three campuses include more than 300 major buildings, with a combined area of more than 29 million square feet. Ann Arbor’s Unversity of Michigan is truly a magnificent school to visit or attend. The athletics alone attact countless people a year, whether it be at a live game or on television. This university attracts many students worldwide every year, but only accepts the brightest high-school students. The requirements to attent the University of Michigan are high, but that is why it has been one of the most sucessful schools in the county for well over 100 years.

Michael Russell Your Independent guide to Schools.

Preventive medicine education is a perfect compliment to healthcare providers who work in the public health sector. Part of a fellowship program, preventive medicine education offers the most up-to-date knowledge and training by leading experts of the field.

Medical students who successfully graduate from medical school or medical residents may apply for a fellowship in preventive medicine education; however, qualification requisites vary depending on individual educational aspirations.

Preventive medicine education curriculums may encompass a broad spectrum of training and academic programs, which may include disease prevention and health promotion; control and prevention of infectious disease; observation, immunization and children’s health; community health; quality improvement of healthcare and patient protection; responsiveness to bioterrorism and disasters; local, federal and state public health practices; and occupational and environmental health medicine.

Furthermore, preventive medicine education programs and courses may vary in duration and cost; and are usually offered at traditional medical universities and colleges.

As an added note, preventive medicine education in the alternative medicine field integrates wellness programs and training to naturopaths, holistic practitioners, and other related medical specialists as well.

DISCLAIMER: Above is a GENERAL OVERVIEW and may or may not reflect specific practices, courses and/or services associated with ANY ONE particular school(s) that is or is not advertised on SchoolsGalore.com

Copyright 2006 - All Rights Reserved

C. Bailey-Lloyd in association with Media Positive Communications, Inc. for SchoolsGalore.com

C. Bailey-Lloyd is the Public Relations’ Director for Media Positive Communications, Inc. in association with SchoolsGalore.com. Find Preventive Medicine at SchoolsGalore.com; meeting your needs as your educational resource to locate schools.