Every year, thousands of students around the country start pondering their future. Should they go to college, join the military, or go straight to working a full time job? For many, they choose to go to college. This decision leads to many new questions, including two year community college or four year school, online Bible College or Ivy League education, traditional classroom classes or a mix of online and traditional, move onto a campus or commute? The United States alone has over 7,000 institutions so it is no wonder why high school students are so confused about their futures. Here we look at just a few options available to them for college.
Genius level
If you are the next Mark Zuckerberg, you may be lucky enough to attend one of the eight Ivy League campuses in America. All of these are ranked in the top 20 schools in the U.S. News & World Report college and university rankings. These are viewed as the most prestigious schools around and anyone who is lucky enough to attend one should jump on the opportunity.
Traditional Colleges
For those who are not Harvard-bound, there are still great schools out there for you. Some schools offer superb teaching programs, others offer performance arts, and others specialize in business. Almost all colleges offer sports, which are great to play and attend. The NCAA breaks campuses into three divisions (DI, DII, DIII) based on the number of sports programs offered. These rankings depend on how many students are enrolled. It doesn’t matter what division the school is athletic wise, students receive an excellent education at any of the institutions.
Community College
Many people look down on Community Colleges. This shouldn’t happen. Students at this type of college may not have the grades, money, or financial aid to attend a four year university quite yet. Another reason they choose a community college first is because they are undecided what to major in. They can take the required general education classes in the two years at a community college and then transfer to a traditional college where they will start specialized classes. Students can even enter the workforce immediately after earning their Associates Degree.
Online Colleges
Online colleges allow students the convenience of taking classes to fit their hectic schedule. They can tailor their education to their lives, and receive a degree in as little as two years. One thing you have to make sure of when choosing an online college is to make sure it is not a scam. If a site says you can receive a degree in a week, it’s usually too good to be true.
The point of college, no matter what type of college you choose, whether it’s an online bible college, or a traditional brick building campus, you should be challenged. If you aren’t feeling stressed about exams and readings, then you are not at the right university.
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About The Author
For more information on the different types of higher education, contact Jeana Olchowy. Or connect on Twitter @jolchowy25.
