how to earn a degree - find and review the best schools

A college degree can be one of the best ways to advance your career. Once you decide you would like to pursue a degree you will need to research how to earn a degree- find and review the best schools. This can be a daunting and confusing process.  Breaking it down into systematic steps for how to choose a college will make it much more fun and rewarding. 

There are a few ways to earn a degree, and this is the first decision you will have to make.  

One Option
One option is the traditional campus classroom degree.  With this type of degree, you will have a structured schedule with in classroom instruction.  The positive of this type of degree is it holds you accountable to your studies; you also have face-to-face instruction and interaction with other students.  The downside to a traditional classroom setting is flexibility, you will have set class times each week so scheduling class, work, and social activities can be a challenge.  

Second Option
Another option for you to earn a degree is through an online university, or online program at a traditional university.  With this option, you have the flexibility of logging on and working on your academics during the time you choose.  The set backs to an online university are lack of face-to-face interaction with instructors or other students, and a lack of structure.  You need to have strong work ethic and self-discipline to log on and complete assignments in a structured manner.   If you do not have this type of discipline this will not be the best option. 

Third option
The third option for earning your degree would be hybrid classes.  This hybrid class structure has a combination of benefits and downfalls from in class learning and online classes.  It does give more structure than online, while offering more flexibility than a traditional classroom setting.

When you have looked at the options on how to earn a degree- find and review the best schools is your next step.  There are many deciding factors in how to choose a college.  You may want to stay near home, or move away.  There are options of private and public universities.   

If you want to earn a degree in a specific subject, it may influence your choice.  There are many universities and colleges that are know for certain subject matter, be it science, language, or engineering.  Looking at college reviews should be one of the first and most important tools you use to narrow down the choices.

College reviews are done in a number of areas including academic life, student life, and financial factors.   Academic areas can include ranking in admission rate, freshman retention, graduation rate, student to teacher ratio, and how successful graduates are at obtaining work in their field.  College reviews in the area of student life includes items such as extra curricular activities, party life, sports, food options and spirituality.   

Financial factors can have the largest pull in what college you choose, some of these factors include cost, financial aid, and graduate in debt ness.  Typically, private schools will have a higher cost. How to choose a college comes down to how these factors rank for you.  When you have decided the most important factors for your needs, you can begin to narrow down your list.

When you break down the process of how to earn a degree- find and review the best schools systematically it becomes a much more manageable and comprehensive process