Jennifer Cartwright worked for a Fortune 100 company for seven years. She loved her job. While many of her co-workers burned out in the high-pressure environment, Jennifer thrived. She was on her way up, and it looked like nothing could stop her. Then she got pregnant.

“I hated to give up my job,” Jennifer says. “But there was no way to scale back my time at the office—it was all or nothing. And even though I loved it, I ultimately decided my baby needed me more than I needed to stay at work.”

Fast-forward a few years. Jennifer’s son, Alan, was now old enough to go to pre-school, and Jennifer wants to go back to work. But she still had a hard time finding a high-profile, high-pressure position like the one she left. Most of the employers who asked for interviews were offering considerably scaled-back positions at much lower pay scales, with little opportunity for advancement. (more…)

PRESS RELEASE Spellings Announces Academic Competitiveness and National SMART Grants Data Results Over 360,000 students nation-wide benefiting from these new grants U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today announced the first year national data results from the Academic Competitiveness (AC) and National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent (National SMART) Grants.

Results show that in the first year, $233,038,410 in Academic Competitiveness Grants were awarded to 299,089 students nation-wide, and $195,544,735 in National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grants were awarded to 60,976 students.

“Math, science and critical foreign language skills are the new currencies in our global economy, and we must continue to work hard to inform students about the money available for them if they take classes in these fields,” said Secretary Spellings. “These grant programs will not only enable more students to attend college but also better prepare our students for a globally competitive workforce.” (more…)

There are many reasons to pursue your education as an adult. You might feel motivated to do so for the simple desire to continue learning throughout your life. Perhaps you never went to college, or you started college and weren’t able to finish.

Maybe you are required to receive additional training for your current job, or you are looking for additional training and education in order to get a promotion or another job altogether. As an adult, there are many reasons to continue your education, and there are just as many issues and obstacles that might arise in striving to do so. In continuing your education as an adult, you might consider taking courses online in order to offset some of those issues.

Going through the process of earning a college degree can be a long-term commitment of 4 or more years. If you are employed and/or have a family, this commitment can be very stressful. But, continuing your education as an adult might be necessary for you to advance in your career. If this is the case, you will need to have a plan of attack before you begin your new adventure in college. First and foremost is communicating with those important to you in your life. This includes family, friends, and even your employer. Make sure that they understand the time commitment that returning to school will require, both in class and out. Make sure you speak to your employer regarding work issues, as well. Discuss flexible work hours or working from home so that you are able to meet both the needs of school and work. (more…)

There are many reasons why you might want to consider taking a college course online. By far the greatest advantage of taking a college course online is convenience. You can take a college course online from anywhere that has an internet connection. These days, with many wireless notebooks you can connect to the internet from almost anywhere which makes taking an online college course even more accessible. No more sitting in classes or being cooped up indoors. You can access your college course online from anywhere you want to.

Many people don’t think that they can find the time to fit in getting a college qualification with their other commitments. Taking a college course online can be the answer to this problem. You don’t have the same fixed schedule to attend classes when you take a college course online. You get to study at your own pace and at a time that suits you. It doesn’t matter if you want to do all of your college work in the evenings or at weekends, with a college course online you can do exactly what you want.

Many of the institutes that offer a college course online do not set any time limits for you to complete the course in. This means that you can take as long as you need. If you find that you are unable to study for a few days, weeks or even months there is no problem when you are studying your college course online. You simply start studying again whenever you are ready. (more…)

Obtaining an online bachelors degree can be a swift and easy way to further your career,prospects and life in general. But before you enroll, there are a few important points you need to know get your head around.

Number one, you’ll want to make ensure that the college that offers you a degree online is accredited. School and universities are accredited on a national or state level. This accreditation means that a relevant board of education has researched and approved the schools curriculum and course.

Secondly, you will want to make sure that the school is highly recognized and that the bachelors degree can be transfered. This will help because someday you might need to further enhance your education by completing your masters degree and you might be required to transfer your bachelors credits. (more…)

The saying “You’ve come a long way, baby” could not be more true than in the world of distance learning. From the early days of correspondence courses and mail-order degrees to the explosive growth of classes offered by traditional academic institutions via the Internet, the face of education has changed dramatically.

Even the most prestigious traditional universities now offer some form of distance learning opportunity. As the popularity of online education and enrollment in distance learning courses has grown exponentially, so has its reputation as a viable learning method. Acceptance of online degree programs is on the rise, and many businesses now hire applicants with online degrees or provide tuition reimbursement to current employees pursuing online degrees.

Today’s employers are concerned with results. What you learned and how you can apply your knowledge to a career in your chosen field is far more important than how you acquired the knowledge. Employers also value innovation and flexibility – key traits for distance learners. (more…)

A survey of working adults conducted by Opinion Research Corporation shows that many people see education as their top priority, but busy schedule and family commitments may keep them from continuing their education. Busy schedule is the biggest barrier for those working individual who are interested in continuing their education. Online education has gained it popularity as it has overcome this barrier by fitting the degree programs into the busy schedule of working adults.

Once you have started your working life, you will have more commitments such as family, house and car installment. Your job or career is important to you as you need it to fulfill your commitments. Without the online education, if you would like to pursue a degree either for career advancement or job promotion, you will need to on hold your job in order for you to go back to school to accomplish your goal. Unfortunately, many were given up their intention to hitting the books as their busy schedule and on-holding their career is nearing impossible. (more…)

Some people mistakenly assume that a traditional IT program with on-campus classes is somehow more marketable or accepted in the working world. Nothing could be further from the truth. Online educational programs have come a long way in the last ten years and today some of the top schools in the country offer distance education programs through the Internet. In fact, getting an online IT degree can give you some hidden advantages when you actually get out to search for a job.

One hidden advantage of an online IT degree is that it is very job-focused. Many traditional in-classroom degrees are simply not that transferable to the working world. Degrees may take a long time and may focus on theoretical, abstract ideas rather than skills that are readily transferable to an actual job.

An online IT educational program, on the other hand, is specifically designed to give you the skills and knowledge you will need in a career. Many faculty members in these degree programs have real-life experience in the field rather than just academic credentials. (more…)

In simple language, online distance education enable you to get a degree or certificate from the comfort of your home without actually seeing your fellow students or the teacher. Of all the common types of distance learning programs out there, the prominent one is the online distance education.The main difference between a correspondence program and its online counterpart is the medium of getting the course materials; while one is sent through the normal mail, you get the other through the internet.

Certain academic standards must be met by interested students before they can be permitted to join an online course. There has been a remarkable growth in the number of online college degree programs in existence in the last few years. The translation of this for you is that it is now possible these days to get a degree right from your home and choose a particular online degree without seeing the campus. (more…)

Earning your college diploma is worth it! If you have ever wondered if it is worth the effort to earn your college degree, be assured. It is!

The last census showed that college graduates earned almost twice the annual salary of those with only a high school diploma. And those with Advance degrees (M.A., M.S, Ph.D etc.) earned more than a third more than those who had their B.A or B.S. degree.
From an economic stand point, it is more than worth the time and money to advance your education. (more…)