Alcorn State University second bachelors degree

Online Courses - MOOCs

The best college for a student isn't necessarily the highest-ranking school in the Forbes or US News listings, but rather the college that offers their students the best career opportunities. If you remain true to your career interests, your overall job earnings will increase as you gain experience. However, if your focus is more on salary alone, there's a higher risk that you'll suffer early signs of burnout, and be forced to change careers later on.

Technical programs are a low-cost alternative to attending a regular four-year university, and you can earn good money as a highly-skilled, technical specialist. By taking some of your required degree courses online, you may be able to graduate a semester early, thus saving money on tuition. If you're currently employed, you can take online technical education classes in your free time to advance your career. Massive Open Online Courses are known as MOOCs, utilizing interactive platforms such as Blackboard, and mobile apps. Udemy is a startup with backing from the founders of Groupon, and Khan Academy offers free lecture videos served through YouTube. Then there's San Francisco State University physical chemistry, with enrolled students from around the world.

Admissions Process

Most colleges accept either the SAT or ACT, and have formulas for converting raw test scores. Colleges use standardized tests because there are substantial differences in course requirements, high school GPA, and grade curve difficulty among US high schools. The SAT test has a separate vocabulary section while the ACT has a separate science reasoning section. On average, over half of students retaking the SAT saw improvements in their scores. Further, Advanced Placement exams are offered in a variety of physical sciences, offering you AP test credit for honors-level classes that you have taken while still in high school. Test yourself with practice exams online, before visiting the College Board website to register to take your actual AP Tests.

Public universities are more likely to evaluate applicants based on grades and test scores alone, while private universities tend to be more holistic. High school grades are the most important factor in gaining admission to the college of your choice, along with letters of recommendation. According to Spalding University hydrology, an ideal academic record consists of a high GPA in courses of progressive difficulty. About half of colleges use placement tests and a waiting list, and many community colleges have agreements with bachelor programs at four-year universities, so that the transfer of college credits is ensured.

Financial Aid Information

Government scholarships and Pell grant applications, combined with academic scholarships, only account for a third of total college aid. Student loans, work-study earnings, and personal savings make up the remaining two-thirds. It costs nothing to use the financial aid calculator online, and see if you qualify for need-based financial aid or a fee waiver. In fact, millions of students that would have qualified for some financial aid were late in submitting required grant application forms. The official FAFSA website is www.fafsa.ed.gov and is free to use. Merit-based aid is a package of scholarships and grants awarded to students with special talents.

According to the US Department of Education, nearly 45 million Americans incurred student debt during their college career. Student loans typically have variable interest rates while federal student loans have fixed rates. Financial aid may be administered through Mt San Antonio College loan disbursement. Alternatively, student credit cards may seem like a good short-term solution, but the interest rates are high, and credit cards often carry an annual fee. FastWeb.com is one of the leading scholarship services online. Both county and city governments have dedicated financial resources allocated for grants and scholarships to qualified students in their areas.