BackToLearn.com: going back to college, adults returning to school, college degrees and MBA programs

Do you need to attend a brand-name college to be successful?
March 9, 2010 at 8:55 am — by Laura | No Comments
Category: Blog, Choosing a College

Most of the staff here at BackToLearn.com attended state schools for college. None of us have an advanced degree. And yet, we’re all pretty successful!

So when you’re looking at colleges, don’t fixate on the prestige of the college name.

High school students particularly focus on the brand name of the college. They don’t want to have to explain to family and friends why they’ve chosen a particular school or major, or what they’re going to do with their degree afterwards.

They just want people to “get it.”

As an adult learner, you, too, want people to just “get it.” You don’t want to have to explain why you chose a particular program, nor why you chose a particular college.

But that doesn’t mean you must attend a national university or prestigious college.

Take a minute and think of the people you meet on a regular basis. How many of them went to an Ivy League college? How many of them went to a college you’ve even heard of? Better yet, how many people do you meet and never even learn which college they attended?

Exactly.

Instead of focusing on the name of a college, consider these other questions:
- Will the credential help you further your career?
- How will you manage childcare while attending classes?
- What kind of online course or degree programs are available in the field?
- How will you pay back the debt you might incur?
- What is your ultimate goal in earning a degree?
- What is the best college choice for you?

Remember, it’s not where you get your degree that counts; it’s what you do with it. And that goes for high school students and adult learners alike!

Get a FREE Must-Have Adult College Guide!
March 5, 2010 at 8:32 am — by Laura | No Comments
Category: Blog, Inspiration

If you’re thinking about heading back to college, here’s one thing you don’t want to miss!

Download the new, FREE Must-Have Adult College Guide PDF from BackToLearn.com!

In it, you’ll find tips on how to manage your cash, time and future in college. You’ll hear from successful adults who have already gone back to learn. And it’s free, so you’ve got nothing to lose!

Want to share YOUR Back To Learn story? Leave a comment!

10 great-paying jobs for newbies
March 4, 2010 at 8:14 am — by Laura | No Comments
Category: Blog, Careers

We all know that you have to work your way up in a job—both for career promotions and salary increases.

But if you want to earn a lot of money right out of college, check out this list from Laurence Shatkin’s recently released book, 250 Best-Paying Jobs, Second Edition.

“Within these occupations the workers who earn at the 10th percentile—meaning that 90 percent of the workers in the occupation earn more than they do—still earn at least $51,540. This means they earn more than 75 percent of all American wage-earners,” explains Shatkin.

Here are 10 careers that pay newbies well:
Orthodontists
Beginning Wage: $100,980
Median Earnings: $166,400+

Prosthodontists
Beginning Wage: $72,710
Median Earnings: $166,400+

Nuclear Engineers
Beginning Wage: $68,300
Median Earnings: $97,080

Computer and Information Scientists, Research
Beginning Wage: $57,480
Median Earnings: $97,970

Education Administrators, Elementary and Secondary School
Beginning Wage: $55,580
Median Earnings: $83,880

Airline Pilots, Copilots and Flight Engineers
Beginning Wage: $55,330
Median Earnings: $111,680

Lawyers
Beginning Wage: $54,460
Median Earnings: $110,590

Financial Managers
Beginning Wage: $53,860
Median Earnings: $99,330

Chemical Engineers
Beginning Wage: $53,730
Median Earnings: $84,680

Mathematicians
Beginning Wage: $53,570
Median Earnings: $95,150

How are you paying for life while in school?
February 25, 2010 at 10:26 am — by Laura | No Comments
Category: Blog, Financial Aid

We want to know: How are you handling your bills and other responsibilities while going back to college? Are you working while attending college? Relying on a spouse’s income? Using unemployment or other income stream? Let us know!

Will an employer recognize your online degree?
February 23, 2010 at 8:37 am — by Laura | No Comments
Category: Blog, Choosing a College

If you’re considering completing your college degree over the Internet, you’re probably wondering how a future employer will regard an online degree.

“Now, they’re regarded in much the same way of degrees that are earned in a more traditional way,” says Don DeVito, Campus Director for Rasmussen College Online.
“Most recent surveys indicate that, if anything, online education is starting to get as much acceptance—if not more in some cases, in terms of the academic rigor—as a more traditional path.”

“A lot of employers don’t make a distinction between the two.”

Here are some more tips from DeVito:
* Be prepared to participate as an online student. Typically, online classes require students to contribute to online discussions. There’s no hiding in the back of a classroom.

* Determine if you can motivate yourself to stay on task, or if you need the drive of being around other students and the structure of an on-campus experience.

* Get support from others around you, such as your spouse and children. You’re going to need those people to be actively supportive and understanding of your goals and responsibilities.

* Have a clear idea of what you want to get out of whatever program you choose.

Ready to learn more? Search for a program at BackToLearn.com.

Back To Learn tips from an actual adult learner
February 17, 2010 at 8:12 am — by Laura | No Comments
Category: Blog, Inspiration, Uncategorized

Thinking about going back to learn but don’t know anyone in your same boat? Here’s one adult learner, Michelle Y., who wanted to share her tips on going back to college.

Michelle left a career in journalism to train for a new career in occupational therapy. Here’s her advice:

* A larger college might be able to accommodate adult learners better by offering more classes at different times. I can’t accelerate with online and summer classes because they don’t offer them for my (and most other) program(s).

* Most professors appreciate adult learners and are understanding when family issues come up. But not all. One of my professors could have cared less when my 2-year-old (and then I) had the swine flu last November and I missed an exam. He gave me a much harder makeup exam. And he also wouldn’t let me switch labs to meet my baby-sitting needs. He just said “everyone has something—a job or kids or a personal situation, and I can’t accommodate everyone.”

* I spend more time in the lab because it takes me longer to get things into my brain—which I attribute to fewer brain cells. I have a hard time finding any time for myself at all. And I worry that my student loans are going to force me to retire later. But I do think it’s really worth it.

How many people pursue online degrees?
February 9, 2010 at 9:11 am — by Laura | No Comments
Category: Blog, Choosing a College

Think you’re the only one who’s thinking about attending college online?

Think again.

According to one researcher, in 2006, 1.5 million students pursued a degrees completely online in 2006. And that number’s only expected to grow!

Are you a good candidate for an online degree? Take our quiz here.

How can you be a better communicator?
February 4, 2010 at 9:03 am — by Laura | No Comments
Category: Blog, Careers

Whether we’re asking our employer for tuition reimbursement or presenting a proposal to a class, adult learners can be sure they need good communication skills.

Stacey Hanke, author of the new book Yes You Can,
offers these tips to improve your communication skils:

· Increase your awareness. We don’t know what we don’t know. We have this mystery of not knowing what others see and hear when we communicate: over the phone or face-to-face. If you don’t know how you and your message are perceived, you will never make improvements for greater results. Pay attention to your listener. Watch and listen for their reactions and responses. Learn how what you say affects people.

· Pause more often! A mistake most of us make is saying more than our listeners want and need to hear. Slow down your speech! Deliberately introduce more PAUSES. What perception do you create when you hear a speaker speaking quickly? PAUSE Or when they clutter their sentences with non-words such as; um, uh, you know, like, but and so on. PAUSE If you want to show you can think on your feet and allow your listeners to understand your message, replace your non-words with a PAUSE. Less is more.

· Connect or contact. Who are you talking to? Look and listen for the clues they get what you are saying. With eye connection you gain trust and connect with your listeners. If you talk you must listen more and really hear what the other person is saying. Without the meaningful connection, your listener will lose interest, question your message and have doubts about you.

· Confident entrance. Do you walk into a room like you belong there? Within seven seconds others determine if you’re confident or uncertain. Your posture will communicate how you’re feeling without you saying a word. It’s the easiest way to immediately convey confidence yet the quickest way to lose confidence if not done effectively. Stand straight! Recognize your listeners individually by connecting with their eyes. Look people in the eye. Recognize them individually with your face and smile.

· Use technology power wisely. Face-to-face communication should not be a lost art. Ask yourself what communication medium to use to best influence action? Choose the most personal form of communication that allows for the most meaningful communication for the situation. Don’t rely on technology, especially with complex or deeply personal communications of importance.

· Gesture to create a positive visual impression. When your gestures and speech convey the same information, they’re easier to understand. Confident speakers use their gestures to add emphasis to their words. Avoid fidgeting with your rings, fingers, pen, etc. by expanding your arms from your sides, make the gesture consistent with your message and then bring your arms back to your sides.

· Speak to be heard! Your voice is your greatest asset. Do you sound like you mean what you’re saying? The sound of your voice shapes the attitude of your listeners even more than the words you speak. If you want to be perceived as confident, use the 1 – 10 scale. When speaking to a group of 15 or more, you must be at a 7 – 8 on the volume scale. From here, you adjust your volume based on the group and room size. Don’t whisper or talk too low for whatever occasion. Adjust your volume for maximum effect.

· Use fear as your motivator. Allow your fear of presenting to propel you forward. Channel you fear into your work. Doubt is good as it raises your awareness so you pay more attention and focus your mind on what is right before you. Fear is the greatest motivator you have. Realize that whatever you focus on becomes more real to you. You therefore can channel and use your capabilities better and do your best to help the people you can help the most.

· Speak less and listen more! Pay more attention to your audience. Listening reveals what’s important to your listeners. Talk directly to them and look them in the eyes when you do. YOU are the message. STOP talking to your visual aids; PowerPoint, notes, handouts, etc. Instead, allow your listeners to communicate directly to YOU so that you confirm that they understand your message.

· Make discipline your new habit. You need to want it bad enough to begin TODAY making face-to-face communication your priority. Practice doesn’t only make things perfect—practice makes things permanent. Even if all you can do is practice in real time, on the job, on the firing line, ask for constructive feedback on a specific behavior before and after your conversations and presentations.

“Even tiny little changes and improvements in how you communicate can be crucial and extremely beneficial,” says Stacey. “That’s because in most cases, the incremental changes people make can result in instantaneous and dramatic improvements in behavior, communications, performance, customer services, relationships, branding, and profits. They can see it right away and the outcomes of the changes they make are tangibly documented based on what happens.”

“If it works, do it again. If it doesn’t stop and do something better,” she says. “That’s the essence of continuous improvement”.