As a Corporate Communications major, I had no idea what I wanted to pursue as a career after school. The majority of my friends dreamt of moving to New York City to work for a prestigious public relations firm or become the next best TV newscaster. Neither of these careers appealed to me, so I had no idea what my post-graduation plan would look like.
I had a lot of passions at the time: writing, fashion, helping orphaned children, fitness, and traveling. I had no idea how my array of gifts and interests could all fit together into a legitimate adult career.
Fast forward 7 years and I’ve worked in the fitness industry, started several businesses, worked for nonprofits in Haiti and the States, and became a life coach. While my diverse careers may not fit the typical mold of a communications degree-to-career path, I’ve been able to use the skills I learned from my communications degree in every single role.
If you, too, feel like a wandering communications major, then this blog post is for you.
Here are 6 tips that I learned in college which will help you land on your feet once you’re out of school.
1. Relationships matter
Making and maintaining strong relationships can jumpstart your career in communications. Get to know your professors, network with other college students, attend student events that could help you to connect with someone in a field that you’re interested in, and don’t be afraid to follow up. Stay connected with people even after you move on from a class, campus, or career. LinkedIn and Facebook are both great ways to stay connected to your peers.
2. Don’t ever stop learning
Your degree will give you a strong foundation in the elements of communications. You’ll carry these with you for the rest of your career, but your education shouldn’t stop there.
The communications industry is constantly changing. New technologies can alter the landscape of communications, marketing, and advertising quickly, so you need to be willing and able to adapt.
One of the best ways to continue your education is through online courses and certificates. As the industry changes, stay up to speed. Be willing to invest your time and energy into learning the newest trends in the communications field. Develop a mindset of growth and adaptability.
3. Choose electives that interest you
As I shared in the story of my untraditional communications career path, having many interests can be used to your advantage. If you’re interested in working with children, for example, take a Human Growth & Development course.
When it comes time to apply to jobs, you may land your dream gig because of the tools you learned in your electives.
4. Don’t limit yourself to a typical career path
All companies need a communications specialist in some form or another—whether it’s a storyteller for a nonprofit, social media manager for a startup, or public relations for a major corporation. The opportunities for a communications major are endless.
Do your homework, research careers, ask your parents’ friends what they do, peruse job boards, and keep thinking outside of the box. (If you want a place to get started, check out these awesome interviews from top Communications and Public Relations industry leaders and this list of careers for communications majors.)
5. Pursue internships and make them count!
I had several internships over the course of my college experience. They included handling public relations for an author, interning with a top designer in a major city, and working as a fashion intern at QVC. The biggest takeaway from my various college internships was figuring out what I did and didn’t want in a career.
I was able to get real-life exposure in the careers that I had once idealized, like fashion. I was quickly able to learn that I didn’t want to work in retail, and I didn’t enjoy working for large corporate companies. Check and check. This allowed me to free up more space to find the right career path while I was still in college, rather than waiting until I graduated and choosing a job that wasn’t a great fit.
(Check out this great resource here to find an internship in your area!)
6. Get a mentor
As a communications major, having strong connections can make or break you. Be courageous and reach out to someone in a field that you’re interested in. Ask this person to mentor and guide you as you take steps toward launching your career.
Mentors have a lot of valuable knowledge and experience in their designated fields, and they can use their life and career lessons to give you a head start!
Studying communications can be a truly wise choice, and it's one that I personally have never regretted. The ability to be dynamic, change industries, and find a stable career are a few of my favorite benefits.
If you love meeting new people, have a passion for telling stories, have a gift for writing, and consider yourself to be a creative person, you will most likely thrive in the real world with a communications degree.
I hate to burst your hopeful college student bubble. But it’s for your own good.
What bubble, you ask?
You might know it better as the glimmer of hope that hangs like the North Star over your fact-crammed head. The mantra of positivity you chant to yourself when you have three exams in one week and are running on 4 hours of sleep and a case of Monster. The light at the end of the near-eternal procession of coursework.
You rub your bleary eyes and whisper over your Spotify study playlist, “This is all going to pay off when this degree lands me a job.”
I’m sorry, somebody’s gotta tell you. That degree won’t get you anything.
And here’s why.
1. It’s everywhere.
You aren’t a special snowflake for getting a bachelor’s degree. Over one-third of adults in the United States have one, meaning the job market is flooded with qualified (or overqualified) applicants.
Degrees are still a requirement for most jobs, which makes earning your bachelor's a valuable step in preparing for almost any career. But that degree just doesn’t make your resume jump out at potential employers like it would have 50 years ago.
A bachelor’s degree is not an automatic hall pass into grown-up land.
2. It doesn’t make you an expert.
When you graduate with a degree in, say, accounting, you aren’t going to actually know that much about accounting. You’ll know the basics, and you’ll definitely be ahead of anyone who didn’t suffer through Auditing 101. (If you’re one of these unlucky souls, I am so sorry for what you’ve been through.)
But you’re not going to be an expert in your field of study. You’ll have a good start, but that piece of gold-embossed paper with your name on it says you’re a beginner, not a master.
3. It can’t guarantee experience.
Your degree tells prospective employers a couple of things. First, that you had enough grit to stick with college, and second, that you know some generic stuff about whatever is on your diploma.
It tells them nothing about what you can do or if you have ever worked a job remotely related to your degree. As national statistics show, almost anyone can get a degree. Not everyone can do a job well.
4. It isn’t a measure of your common sense.
A degree says you’re good at taking tests and learning required materials. But a degree tells a potential employer nothing about your good judgment.
The philosopher Voltaire wrote, “Common sense is not so common,” and employers understand this sad fact better than anyone else.
A degree can’t guarantee you a job because it can’t guarantee that you actually have basic human wisdom about how to operate in a workplace. You have to figure out how to demonstrate that yourself in a job market full of highly-educated people who were skipped over by the common sense gene (if you know what I mean).
5. It doesn’t network for you.
One of the best ways to get hired is by knowing the right people. Why is that?
Because while a bachelor’s degree says you’ve spent untold hours isolated, cramming knowledge into your aching head, it doesn’t tell anyone you’re actually a good person to hire.
People, however, know things like that. A network is basically a personalized group of professional character witnesses—people who know your work ethic and worth to a team. A piece of paper can tell employers what you know, but only another person can tell employers if they want you around.
6. It doesn’t make you good at adulting.
Soft skills (like communication, a team mindset, and poise) are not necessarily included in your college coursework. Which means earning a degree doesn’t make you a shoo-in for living life well.
A bachelor’s degree is definitely a rite of passage, but it can’t do your taxes for you, make you stick to a budget, give you confidence speaking to strangers, or get you to work on time.
In an interview, potential employers will most likely look for a degree as a baseline qualification, but believe me, they’re much more interested in learning whether or not you’re a capable human. They’ve seen degrees before.
I’m sorry your hard-earned bachelor’s degree isn’t the magical life kickstart potion that you wanted it to be. Though if I may reinflate that bubble just a little...your bachelor’s degree is a start. It lays the groundwork for constructing a stunning resume.
Instead of focusing only on earning a degree or on only gaining work experience, why not do both? This is the sweet spot of career preparation: pursuing your bachelor’s degree alongside real-life skill development.
As you earn your degree, keep in mind all the credentials it can’t magically create and figure out how to get those another way. No university, degree, or work experience has the power to define you or your skill set. But you do. Crafting the ideal education for your life is totally up to you.
I’d say it’s time to get to it.
Want to earn your bachelor’s degree and work experience at the same time? That’s hard to do on a campus. But it’s not so hard through Accelerated Pathways. Accelerated Pathways allows you to take flexible online coursework which is guaranteed to transfer into the university of your choice. Meaning you have the freedom to work a job, volunteer, or earn practical hands-on experience however you please without giving up your college studies.
My excitement erupted like a pack of Mentos splashing into a river of Diet Coke.
I found Dave sequestered in the lobby of a student conference, using the sign-in table as an impromptu desk. Attending the conference as staff, we were squeezing in work between workshops, sessions, and socialization.
Dave mentioned his most recent project, video scripts to showcase our products, and I was immediately intrigued. I had dreams of building a writing career, so any conversation surrounding the topic often reignited my zeal.
Unfortunately, Dave wasn’t as excited.
I sincerely wished him the best of luck as I claimed a quiet corner for my own impromptu office. As an Admissions Representative, I had calls to make and emails to answer.
Not five minutes later, I saw Dave coming my way.
“Would you like to write these scripts?” He asked. “It would really help me out.”
My heart leapt into my throat. After all the time I had spent learning, practicing, and perfecting my craft, here was my opportunity to shine, handed to me on a silver laptop.
One draft and two revisions later, I was invited to write three more scripts; this time for the marketing department. Before I knew it, I was helping out with minor editing jobs on top of my normal duties as an Admissions Rep.
After 2 months of squeezing two jobs into one 40-hour work week, I was able to transfer into a full-time position position as a writer.
My dream career was finally beginning.
Make the Most of the Waiting Room
Before what turned out to be a life-changing chat with Dave, I didn’t know what future was waiting for me or when it would come. I felt like I was in a waiting room.
But that wasn’t a bad thing.
Do you remember how awesome waiting rooms were as a kid? There was a never ending supply of exciting activities: toys, puzzles, and magazines. (Highlights, anyone?)
But then we grew up and waiting rooms became something to be dreaded and gotten through as quickly as possible.
When did waiting become a passive activity? What if waiting rooms were still the embodiment of freedom, fun, and endless possibilities? A place to use your imagination, to experiment, and to build your chops before your name is called for the next opportunity?
Do you want to be ready to take your shot when it comes? Take a lesson from your inner child and get lost in these 4 activities while you wait.
Activity # 1 - Stop Slacking and Build Skills
What if that initial conversation had gone more like this:
Dave: “I’m working on video scripts to showcase our products.”
Me: “Wow! That’s something I’ve always wanted to do! But instead of working on my craft, I’m working through Friends for the fifth time. Isn’t Netflix autoplay brilliant?”
If you want to take advantage of future opportunities, you need to hone your skills now. Whether it’s directly related to what you want to do or not, there’s always something new to learn. Take initiative and find new ways to expand your skill base.
Activity # 2 - Crush Your Current Job
I was only at that conference because of my job.
Was it my dream career? Not even close! Every day I was challenged to do something that doesn’t come naturally to me: talk to strangers on the phone.
Did I give that position my all anyway? You bet.
Like the imperfect first draft of an essay, your first job (or jobs) may not be particularly exciting. But you keep working hard, because—like that essay—transforming the wrong job into the right one is always easier than jumping into your perfect career at the start.
Activity # 3 - Make Friends in High Places
Opportunities aren’t scarce. Check out LinkedIn. They’re everywhere! But if that’s true, why do good opportunities seem so hard to find?
Because no one knows who you are.
As much as it sucks, the old adage “it’s not what you know, it’s who” is surprisingly on the nose.
My very first job was at a Chick-fil-A in Texas where my sister (who already worked there) put in a good word for me. When my family moved to Florida unexpectedly, I needed a new job. Guess who hired me? Another Chick-fil-A.
When I applied for the Admissions Representative role at Accelerated Pathways, being a student in the program (and also knowing an employee) gave me a connection that set me apart from other applicants.
Don’t underestimate the people who are willing to stick their neck out for you. Invest well, and they’ll pave the way when your time comes. (Of course, this doesn’t mean you can stop working on your skills! Your connections can get you an interview, but your skills get you the job.)
Activity # 4 - Prepare to Jump
“What if I’m not ready?”
I didn’t think I was ready to become a “real writer” when the chance came. Handing my work to an editor for the first time was like buckling up for my driver’s test, just praying I would remember how to parallel park.
No, I didn’t do it perfectly. It took another two revisions before my original draft was brought up to snuff. But I did it.
You might not land gently (or even on your feet), but if you’re serious about changing your situation—be it landing your dream job or tackling another opportunity—you have to jump when the opportunity comes.
Are you “stuck” in a waiting room? Good! This is your personal training ground. Use it. Build a skill, work a job, network...
The college system can be endlessly confusing. Whether attempting a transfer or simply trying to decide how many classes to take this semester, one of the most common questions we get from students is:
How many credits do I need for a bachelor’s degree?
The simple answer: you must complete 120 college credits to earn a bachelor’s degree. That’s about 40 classes, which most people assume you can complete in 4 years.
But it’s more complicated than that.
You can’t just register for 40 random courses and expect to walk away with a bachelor’s degree. The kinds of credit you take is very important. That’s what enables you to actually qualify for graduation. And that’s what we’ll be talking about in this post.
Let’s start with the basics.
What are college credits?
College credit is the standard measurement of a student’s academic competency. Essentially, it represents how much effort you, the student, put into a single course over a semester (15 weeks). This effort is most often represented by hours of work.
1 college credit represents approximately 1 hour spent in a classroom and 2 hours spent on homework each week.
Most single-semester college courses are worth 3 credits, or 9 hours of work per week.
If you’re hoping to graduate in 4 years, you’ll need to average 15 credits (roughly 5 courses) a semester. By this estimate, that’s 45 hours of work per week!
What kinds of courses will get me a bachelor’s degree?
As I mentioned before, you can’t just sign up for whatever course tickles your fancy and expect it to fit into your degree. A bachelor’s degree is a highly-structured form of study. Most colleges want to ensure their students have a good foundation in the liberal arts (your basic math, history, science, and writing courses) while also digging deeply into whatever major you’ve chosen to study. That adds up to a fairly specific arrangement of courses in order to qualify for graduation.
Almost any college you choose will split your bachelor’s degree into 3 basic sections:
To encourage a broad education, your college will require you to take up to 60 credits of low-level courses spanning a variety of general subjects. While you get to choose which choose which specific courses you take, you must pick from within your college’s requirements.
Here’s an example of what you might find in this section:
In this example, your college requires 6 history credits, but they don’t particularly care which particular history course you study. You can study Western Civilization, American History, or History of the Vietnam War. As long as you complete 6 history credits, you’ve fulfilled the requirement.
One way to lower the cost of your degree overall is to take many of your general education courses through a program like Accelerated Pathways. We create custom degree plans that will allow you to take many of your general education courses online (at an average of 36% less than regular college courses) and have those credits transfer to the degree and college of your choice. If you want to learn more, reach out to the Accelerated Pathways team.
2. Free Electives
This may be the most fun section of your degree (and may be the reason so many people get the idea that a bachelor’s degree is a highly customizable type of education). In this section, your college will allow you to complete up to 30 credits of any course you want.
The free electives you choose may have nothing to do with your major, and that’s fine! You can choose from the college’s myriad of available courses, choosing up to 10 that truly are whatever you want to learn. This is a great way to give you, the student, that bit of freedom to try new things, think divergently, and not get too pigeon-holed in whatever major you chose.
3. Area of Study
This final selection of credits will consist of the specific courses required by your major. Generally, many of these courses will be upper-level courses (meaning they’re more specific, more intense, and more time-consuming than the rest of your bachelor’s degree).
For example, if you were pursuing a degree in psychology, your area of study requirements may look like this:
You’ll notice this example includes a 6-credit requirement for “psychology electives.” These electives work very similarly to your free electives. In this case, you may choose two courses (6 credits) from a pre-approved selection of psychology-related courses. This gives you a small way to tailor your degree to your particular interest or goals within the field of psychology. (You’ll also likely have fewer free electives as a result.)
Why should I care how my bachelor’s degree is structured?
If you’re planning to let an over-worked and underpaid college advisor hand you a pre-made plan which tells you exactly what to do, what to take, and how much money to waste by going to college the traditional way, then you really don’t need to know how your bachelor’s degree is structured. Go ahead and sign up and complete your courses. You will walk away with a decent education, but you’ll just have spent a lot more time and money getting it than you otherwise could have.
If, on the other hand, you’re interested in outsmarting the college system (what we do every day here at Pearson), then understanding how your degree is structured is absolutely invaluable.
Why? Because one of the best ways to save money on college is by transferring credit. There’s a myriad of ways to earn college credit that will save you thousands of dollars on your degree. Community college, CLEP, DSST, and affordable online courses are just a few examples. Trust me, if you want to save money on college, the best thing you can do is understand what exactly you need to graduate and find a way to earn that credit somewhere else. Then, once you’ve earned as much credit outside of your chosen college as possible, transfer it all in to complete the degree.
Doing college this way may sound a little unorthodox, and it is. But trust me. We’ve helped thousands of students graduate debt free using this simple method. It works.
But even if you’re not trying to hack the college system or save money on your degree, if you’re simply considering switching colleges (for any reason), understanding how degrees are structured will help you avoid wasting time and money on college credit that overlaps or doesn’t transfer at all.
From author to farmer to marketer, every career path requires an understanding of basic business principles. Of course, while gaining practical hands-on experience is probably the best way to gain this much-needed knowledge, not everyone has the time (or opportunity) for an internship.
Fortunately, books are the next best thing.
After reading over 100 business books in the last few years, I’ll help kickstart your study of this crucial topic with 5 of the best business books your library card can borrow.
This is my personal favorite. While many business books offer the details needed to register a trademark or design a website, Rework stands out by looking at the big picture. Using short, engaging chapters, this book provides crucial advice such as “meetings are toxic” and “planning is guessing.” Although much of this advice in Rework can feel like common sense, you will find yourself returning frequently to review these seemingly obvious ideas.
When it comes to customer service, a small deli in Michigan consistently tops the charts. In this fascinating book, one of the co-founders of the Zingerman’s Deli shares his secrets to providing outstanding customer service. Based on their experience serving 500,000 customers a year, Weinzweig explains the practical steps from how to train your staff to how to measure their success. I challenge anyone to read this book without getting excited about customer service!
One of my favorite business authors, Jeffery Fox has written a dozens of books. But this one particularly stands out in light of our current national unemployment problem. Whether you’re job hunting or hiring, this book deserves a place on your shelf. In Don’t Send a Resume, Mr. Fox explains many ingenious, yet simple methods to landing your dream job. For instance, rather than talking about yourself and your goals during an interview, ask questions and show how you can solve the company’s problems. This book is both a primer for out-of-the-box thinking and a manual for successful job hunting.
Quite possibly the most enjoyable research paper you’ll ever read, this short volume introduces you to 50 ways to be persuasive. Unlike many books of its kind, the claims in Yes are actually proven with scientific studies. As you thumb through its pages, you’ll learn why people who move to Florida are more likely to be named Florence, why using the word “because” could improve your results by as much as 34%, and why being the smartest person in the room can actually hurt your productivity.
The first personal finance book published in America, this 30-page gem is worth its weight in gold. Using Franklin’s signature quotes, this book was originally published as the preface to the 1758 edition of Poor Richard’s Almanack, but it provides great insight today as well. From the classics (“Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy, and wise”) to the currently crucial (“Think what you do when you run into debt; you give another power over your liberty”) this book is well worth the hour of reading time.
Want to further kickstart your future in business? Why not pursue your bachelor’s degree online with a study program that gives you time to earn hands-on experience? Click here to learn more about Accelerated Pathways.
This blog post was originally published in January 2018. It has since been updated to provide the most current and relevent information.
Last week, I thought financial aid was akin to black magic. All I knew for sure was it “helps students pay for college.” I wasn’t sure how or even who qualified for it, and I had a feeling I wasn’t the only one living in ignorance.
So, I called an expert.
Rebecca Decker is an admissions counselor for Pearson Accelerated Pathways and has been using her expertise to help hundreds of college students make good financial decisions for the past seven years (not to mention the four years she spent learning about and managing her own financial aid in college).
After an hour-and-a-half-long conversation with Rebecca, breaking down what financial aid is and how it works, I learned this government-sponsored financial program definitely isn’t black magic…but it isn’t exactly a fairy godmother either.
What is Financial Aid?
Most students don’t have the ability to pay for college out of pocket. Considering tuition, books, room and board, and other related fees, the cost can be substantial. Not surprisingly, most students need to research financial aid options.
Financial aid consists of a variety of components that help students pay for college, such as scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study programs. Although some types of aid do not need to be paid back, others do.
It wasn’t until I talked to Rebecca that I learned that financial aid does not always equate to “free money.”
“It’s absolutely possible to qualify for grants, which are essentially free money,” Rebecca said, “but most of the time, accepting financial aid means taking out federal loans.”
I suddenly felt ripped off. No one—NO ONE—ever told me that financial aid meantstudent loans. Having been raised to live debt free myself, the idea that student debt may be masquerading under a friendlier title didn’t sit well with me.
“If financial aid is just a loan,” I asked, “how is it any better than getting a private loan to pay for college?”
Turns out, there are a few differences between a federal student loan and a private loan:
Most federal loans don’t require a credit check.
Federal loans often have low, fixed interest rates, which vary based on the first disbursement date of the loan. The interest rate for Direct Subsidized Loans, Direct Unsubsidized Loans, and Direct PLUS Loans for undergraduate borrowers first disbursed on or after July 1, 2020, and before July 1, 2021, is 2.75% (A private loan could easily exceed 18%.)
Federal loans are tax-deductible.
Federal loans can also be deferred—most commonly, students will defer their loans for up to 6 months after they graduate (allowing time to get a job).
Lastly, federal loans are eligible for loan forgiveness in some special cases.
While this list may make federal student loans look nicer than what Mr. Local Banker Man would has to offer, it should be noted that student loans are still debt. Taking out a student loan means spending money you don’t have and that you will have to pay back... with interest.
Taking out a multi-thousand dollar loan at 18, with no career or even the guarantee of a good job once you graduate? That’s a financial gamble. For better or worse, it will impact your life long after college.
Given that, let’s talk about the different kinds of federal student loans you could apply for and the impact they can have on your financial future.
What is FAFSA?
The first step toward applying for financial aid involves filling out an application.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (or FAFSA) is exactly what it sounds like—your financial aid application. Completing this form is the only way to learn what kind of federal aid you qualify for. The purpose of the FAFSA is to allow states and colleges to determine which students are eligible to receive financial aid. It also helps them determine how much aid students will get. “The first thing students should know is that completing your FAFSA is not a commitment,” Rebecca said. Applying is not agreeing to accept aid. You’re just finding out how much you qualify for.
How Does FAFSA Work?
What kind of aid you qualify for is based almost solely on your tax information (for minors, that means your parents’ tax information). This is the broad measuring stick the government uses to determine your eligibility for various levels of financial aid. The more you make, the less aid you qualify for, essentially. While your state, school choice, and a few other elements (e.g., how many courses you’re planning to take) are factored in this decision, they’re all secondary to your yearly taxes.
Student loans fall into one of two categories: federal and private. There are two key differences between federal and private loans. The first is that federal loans have lower interest rates. The second is that federal loan repayment programs offer greater flexibility.
Direct Loans: Subsidized and Unsubsidized
Both subsidized and unsubsidized loans are granted at the beginning of a semester, and neither is required to be paid back until after you graduate (or otherwise disenroll from your school). No matter which year the loan covers, once you’re out of school, your payments begin.
The big difference between subsidized and unsubsidized loans is when you start paying interest.
An unsubsidized loan gains interest just like a private loan would: starting the day you take it out. The don’t-pay-until-you-graduate grace period only applies for your loan payments. Interest payments are still required throughout your time in school.
However, if you take out a subsidized loan, the government pays interest for you while you’re in school. Your personal interest payments will begin only after you graduate, along with the rest of your loan payments.
If you’re going to take out a federal student loan, Rebecca recommends pursuing a subsidized one.
“I remember the difference by saying ‘unsubsidized is uncool,’” Rebecca said. “Paying off the interest on an unsubsidized loan can be very stressful for students, especially if they aren’t earning much on the side while they’re in school.”
Plus, she mentioned, if you are earning an income while in school, you would be better served by putting that money toward paying for your next semester upfront and skipping the loans altogether rather than paying down a growing debt.
The fewer loans you take out, the less interest you pay. The less interest you pay, the cheaper college will be.
If you decide to walk the precarious loan path and don’t qualify for subsidized and unsubsidized loans, or if you have taken out as much as you can but still need extra money to cover your final college costs, there is a third type of federal loan to pursue. But in Rebecca’s opinion, it’s a very poor choice and should be avoided at all costs.
Direct PLUS Loans
Direct PLUS Loans work a little differently than both subsidized and unsubsidized loans:
First, PLUS loans require a credit check. So if you don’t have credit, your parents must act as co-signers. This means if you fail to pay it back, the loan burden will default to your parents.
Second, at 5.3%, the interest rate for PLUS loans is higher than that of a subsidized or unsubsidized loan.
Third, not only do PLUS loans gain interest from the day they’re borrowed, just like an unsubsidized loan, but you’re also required to pay an extra fee on top. Currently, the loan fee is equal to a little over 4% of the amount you borrow.
Bottom line: this loan is available, but it’s expensive—and possibly harmful to not just you but also your parents.
“When I was applying for school, my parents wouldn’t co-sign this loan for me simply on principle,” Rebecca said. Her family was one of the many who decided the potential dangers of applying for this type of loan outweighed the benefits of college. That’s serious.
Other Types of Financial Aid
Students should also know that they may qualify for a variety of “free” financial aid options, such as grants and scholarships.
Grants
While the loan portion of financial aid is what most students qualify for, there is a happier side to the process. By completing a FAFSA, you may also qualify for grants.
A grant is a free gift of money that the recipient is not required to pay back except under certain conditions (like if you disenroll early or make a similar change that alters your eligibility). These grants are what every student thinks of when they imagine financial aid, and it’s every bit as good as it sounds.
If you qualify for a grant, we recommend you take it before considering any of the student debt options we mentioned above.
The Federal Pell Grant
“Think of the Federal Pell Grant as a collective pool of money set aside by the government to help students pay for college. Each year, this money is distributed among applicants based on their need.”
For the 2020-21 school year, the maximum amount a student could receive from the Pell Grant was $6,345 per year. That’s a fair chunk, especially for students pursuing community college or another low-cost option. Of course, how much of this money you actually receive depends on your financial need, the cost of your school, whether you’re attending part or full time, and how many semesters you’re paying for.
Your “financial need” is the biggest consideration here. This is determined based on your most recent (or your parents’ most recent) tax return. And, unfortunately, there’s a large swath of individuals who fall into the camp of making too much to qualify for the Pell Grant while not actually making enough to actually pay for college. Curious if you’re eligible for Pell? The U.S. Department of Education provides a handy tool for estimating how much aid you’ll qualify for.
State Grants
Rebecca wanted to go into detail about state grants as well—and what kind of money you may or may not qualify for according to your state. Unfortunately, state grants aren’t standardized, which means the information would be far too complicated and technical to relate in this post.
But it’s worth noting that if your state does have a grant to offer, you’ll find out by filling out a FAFSA. You can also contact your state grant agency to ask about possible grants.
School Grants and Scholarships
Like with state grants, this is another type of grant that isn’t standardized but is available by completing a FAFSA. However, you’ll need to apply to the school in question to gain access to the information.
If you’re accepted to the university in question, it’ll put together a financial aid award letter based on your FAFSA. You’ll receive this letter along with your notification of acceptance to the school. If you qualify for any of the school’s grants or scholarships, this letter will tell you.
Of course, you can also contact the school directly to ask about possible scholarships or grants you may qualify for. You might be able to find out about scholarships offered for specific majors.
Learn More About How to Pay for College
My conversation with Rebecca was more helpful than I could have hoped for, but it left me perturbed. When grant money is so difficult to come by and loans are so easy, it can be tempting to assume student loans are the best way to pay for college.
But that’s just not true.
At Accelerated Pathways, we believe college shouldn’t be a debt sentence. We help students avoid the need for student loans altogether by lowering their college costs through the use of affordable online courses. I’d encourage you to make a smart financial decision and avoid federal student loans. Learn more about how Accelerated Pathways can help you save money on your education and graduate debt free.
Special thanks to Rebecca Decker, one of our amazing admissions counselors, for taking the time to chat with me about this topic.
Earning a college degree is a great way to improve your job prospects. In fact, data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that an advanced level of education can lead to higher wages and lowered unemployment rates. Depending on your career aspirations, you can choose from six different college degrees.
Associate Degree
(Usually 60 credit units)
These degrees usually contain a lot of general education classes, like college math, English, and economics. This is the basic degree that’s most commonly offered at community colleges and that historically takes two years to complete.
Bachelor’s Degree
(Usually 120 credit units)
These degrees are considered the standard college degree and usually take four years to complete at the rate of 15 credits per semester. The first half of the degree usually overlaps with common associate degree courses, called general education electives. Bachelor’s degrees also include more major-related classes and 6 to 27 hours of free electives.
Under the main bachelor’s degree category, you have several two-letter codes (sometimes followed by a specialization) that tell you the degree’s specialty. Here are a few common ones:
BA — Bachelor of Arts
BS — Bachelor of Science
BSBA — Bachelor of Science in Business Administration (or BBA, Bachelor of Business Administration)
BE — Bachelor of Engineering
Master’s Degree
(Usually 30–50 credit units)
Also called a graduate degree, this degree is the next step after a bachelor’s degree. Since a master’s degree is usually more specialized, you can’t get a master’s degree unless you first have a bachelor’s degree. Thus if you have a bachelor’s degree in business, your master’s degree would be in a more detailed topic, like accounting, taxation, or business administration.
The original idea was that people would earn more and more honors as they got more focused and specialized in one area of study. All master’s degrees conveniently start with M. The most common are MBA, MA, MS, and MFA.
Doctoral Degree
(Usually 60 credit units)
PhD stands for Doctor of Philosophy. Almost all schools require a completed master’s degree before you can start a PhD. A PhD. means you have conducted significant original research on a certain topic and have written something academic on it (called a dissertation or thesis).
Before a doctoral degree is awarded, there is usually a review by a group of doctoral peers. In many fields, the PhD is considered a “terminal degree.” That means it’s the end of the academic line, and you can’t get any more training in that field beyond a PhD. A few fields have lower terminal degrees; in law, a Juris Doctor is a terminal degree, and there usually is no PhD.
Professional Degree
(Usually 60–120 credit units)
A professional degree is designed to prepare bachelor’s degree holders for work in a specific field. Professional degrees are offered for various industries, such as architecture, landscape architecture, chiropractic, dentistry, engineering, law, pharmacy, medicine, veterinary medicine, and education. Upon completion of the program, graduates are often eligible to pursue accreditations or sit for licensing exams in their fields. Examples of professional degree licenses include medical licenses, law licenses, and pilot’s licenses.
Joint Degree
(Usually 120 or more credit units)
Joint degree programs (sometimes referred to as a double major) are designed for students interested in graduating with two college diplomas. Coursework for both majors is taken simultaneously, which allows graduates to complete both degrees at the same time, as opposed to one after the other. Students who choose a joint degree often take 40 general education credits, 40 credits for their first major, and 40 credits for their second major; however, each institution has its own credit hour requirements. If you’re considering a joint degree, be sure to ask your college adviser about the specific requirements for your school.
Choose a Degree That Fits Your Career Path
Each college has subtle differences, particularly with bachelor’s degrees and their requirements. Colleges also have different accreditation policies, depending on what system a school uses. Higher education has also changed a lot in the past few years, so take some time to learn how recent college changes impact your education.
As I read those words in one of my students’ cards, all of the struggles and frustrations of the previous semester melted into the warm knowledge that even with all my mistakes, I was making a difference in the lives of my students and teaching them my favorite subject: writing.
The profession of being a teacher is a richly rewarding one, but the path to getting certified as one is often daunting and difficult to navigate. After all, if parents are going to entrust the care and education of their children to a complete stranger, they need some assurance that school teachers are competent in their area--thus state certification.
But for the aspiring teacher, where do you start? You’ll have to do research into your own state’s requirements, degree choices, and teaching opportunities, but this article provides a quick overview of how to become a teacher.
1. Research Your State Requirements
Researching this early on helps ensure you’re on the correct trajectory without wasting valuable time or resources during the preparation phase. While each state’s requirements vary, you can generally expect to need a bachelor’s degree (minimum), a teacher preparation program (including education courses and fieldwork like student teaching or an internship), as well as several tests to demonstrate general and specific knowledge. The best way to find out your state’s specific requirements is to go directly to your state’s Board of Education website. Sites like Teach.org or Teacher Certification Map can help simplify the requirements.
It is possible to find a teaching job in private schools without state licensure, but this is not a dependable plan, since private schools are more likely to prefer the confidence and protection that state certification provides.
2. Find A Mentor
Most teachers are more than happy to help others with their knowledge. All you have to do is ask, which can be as simple as, “Hey, I’m interested in teaching and I was wondering if I could take you out for coffee and pick your brain a little bit.” As you build relationships with teachers who are a few steps ahead of you, they can help you understand what the job is really like on a day-to-day basis and offer their own advice about certification routes, necessary character traits, and even job openings when the time comes.
3. Choose Your Degree:
A bachelor’s degree is the threshold of required education to teach, but deciding which age or grade level you wish to teach will help you determine what level of education you need and what subject to pursue. The best degree you can choose will align with your state’s requirements, but typically you would need:
A bachelor’s degree (usually, but not always, in elementary education) to teach at the elementary level.
A subject-specific bachelor’s degree (e.g. math, English, history, etc.) in the subject you desire to teach for middle/high school.
Master’s and doctorate degrees, if you wish to teach in higher education.
4. Teach Right Now!
Before you spend all that money on an education degree and certificates and licenses, make sure the profession is a good fit for you. The worst feeling is to go through all that trouble and realize you don’t even like teaching all that much, or you should’ve aimed for middle school instead of kindergarten! There are many ways for you to practice teaching, both formal and informal, before you try teaching in a school:
Volunteer with a children's or youth program
Offer your talents to homeschool co-ops and after-school groups
Get involved in teaching English to refugees in your city
Tutor students on the side in a subject that’s easy for you
Make short training videos and post them on YouTube
The path to certification will require practicums like student-teaching or internships, but the more classroom and teaching experience you can get before you start, the better!
5. Find a Job
Projected growth rates vary per region, but the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects 12% growth (as fast as average) for kindergarten/elementary teachers, 12% growth (as fast as average) for middle school teachers, and 6% growth (slower than average) for high school teachers. The world of education is a competitive market, especially as classes grow in size and technology helps teachers do more with less.
All the jobs I’ve had since I was 16 , including the teaching position I have now, were through the recommendations of personal friends. Approach your mentors. Talk with your parents’ friends. Ask people at your church or co-op. The Internet is a helpful tool, but asking around and talking to people is the best way to find out about opportunities that aren’t posted on the web.
Alternative Strategies
With this as background, there are a few power-user strategies to becoming a teacher. You can:
Get a bachelor's degree sooner than your peers and spend an additional year completing a master's that fulfills the requirements.
Do an alternative certification program after your bachelor's. Available programs depend on the state, but there are a variety of options available.
There are a lot of steps involved in becoming a teacher and it will require a lot of hard work and creative networking to get to your goal. But once you do, you won’t even think about it when you’re teaching extra-credit poetry lessons during Monday lunch, or hearing your students cheer you on in a friendly game of basketball against the headmaster!
The cost of teaching is high, but the rewards are equally high. Teaching is one of the hardest and most challenging things you may ever do, but I can attest that it can also be one of the most fulfilling things you ever do.
When I was a student with Accelerated Pathways almost ten years ago, technology for students was almost non-existent. My own study strategies included old fashioned 3x5 cards for quizzing, a spiral bound notebook for note taking, a few colored pens for highlighting, and...well, a Word document.
Back then, we students made do with our limited study helps because we didn’t have anything to compare them to. They were simple, but they did the job decently.
These days, the story couldn’t be more different.
I am continually impressed by how many iPhone, iPad, and Droid apps are available. They may be marketed to students, or they may just be apps that could fit neatly into a student's life. Regardless, technology has certainly made a student's life more interesting and more productive.
As a coach, I’ve kept a running list of my favorite apps for students to increase productivity, time management, and studying. Take a few moments to check them out, and let me know which ones are your new favorites.
This app is hands down one of the best out there for note taking. I know there are others who would disagree, but this is why I think so: You can import other documents or pictures into a new note, add highlights or text in that same document wherever you would like, and then send it on as a PDF to wherever you would like.
You can even take highlighted portions of Kindle books and open them in Notability like a mini notebook of your most important study text. It’s quite organic to use and easy to figure out without investing a ton of time.
I know a good many students who use Evernote for one reason: Synchronization.
With Evernote, you can be logged into several different devices, and all of them will update to the most recent updates you have made. You can also import photo and text. A paid Evernote subscription would also provide other features, including a chat platform for online study dates.
Best Use: Device-driven student with a computer, iPad, and iPhone.
For the artists out there who need to create notes on something other than single-spaced lined paper, this app is a lifesaver. Designed like a digital artist's space, this app allows you to use all sorts of pens and brushes and paints to create textures for drawing in your note taking.
For those who want to plan and organize extensively, both of these apps do a fantastic job of enabling you to log your time and see exactly where you are spending it the most.
The primary difference between Toggl and 30/30, is that Toggl is simple: just press start and go. The 30/30 interface allows you to create a schedule and email out your daily log for the day.
If you need simplicity, go with Toggl, but if you want to create and stick to that schedule once and for all, 30/30 is a great, uncomplicated app to do so.
If you love list-making, your life will become like a dream with these apps. To be honest, the primary difference between Things and Wunderlist is that Things is paid and Wunderlist is free.
Things is $9.99 in the App Store, and allows you to create Projects and Areas of Responsibility to organize all your lists. In Wunderlist, you simply categorize your lists under one heading.
Regardless of which you use, these apps will keep you focused on getting your to-do list checked off!
If you need to make or find digital flashcards, this app is the way to go. It can be hard to find in the app store, but a quick Google search will get you what you need.
Since thousands of students and teachers use Quizlet, you should be able to find a flashcard set for just about any subject by using the search feature. (Do be sure to verify the info on the flashcards though, as they are created by fellow students and may contain discrepancies.)
Although this is a paid app ($3.99), I have to admit that I am a big fan. Coffitivity is for those of us who need to get work done, but the quiet of an isolated bedroom does more to distract than assist. This app creates a lovely little cacophony of noise just like your favorite coffee shop, simulating just enough noise to help you tune into your studies.
Auditory learners can have a tough time with studying independently. My favorite way to study with audio is creating my own playlist based off notecards or books that I am reading. Simply hit record, read out loud, and then you have your own audio for studying!
This app is actually for Chrome or Safari on your computer, and it is fast becoming one of my favorites. If you are an easily-distracted student, Waste No Time will help you get things done by forcibly removing your ability to access the internet for specifically-set times of your choosing.
No more hopping on Facebook in the middle of a practice test, or emailing a friend while watching a video. If you use this app, be prepared for hitting the books and getting more studying done than you ever thought possible!
Honorable Mentions
Many of your school books are available digitally via Amazon Kindle. If you travel a lot and are okay with reading your books on a screen, having the Kindle app can be a lifesaver to lighten your backpack. SparkNotes is also helpful for your General Education classes, with free and paid information you can use to study on the go.
There you have it! Those are some of my favorites for maximizing study time. Technology can be a distraction, but when used properly, it can make learning more fun and productive.
What's your favorite studying or time management app?
