Many times, it makes sense for a single mother to get a college degree, but each case is different. Before making a decision, a woman must know the answers to several questions: "What are the hot jobs in my area?" "What kind of degree do I need for that job?" and "How will I pay for school?"
Hot Jobs in USA
No divorced woman wants to waste time and money hitting her head against the wall by getting a worthless degree. So, smart cookies should find out where the good jobs are before committing to several years of work.
In an article on CBSnews.com, “The Five Fastest-Growing Jobs,” career expert Laurence Shatkin explains that the in-demand jobs are:
How to Pay for College
Anyone who goes online will find resources for Obama Money and offers of $10,000 for school tuition (or whatever the current ads say.) While this sounds like a good opportunity, and it may well be, a woman needs to consider other variables that may apply to her situation, such as:
There are no guarantees that any degree will get anyone a job. And, this is the same whether one attends a public school or a private school. There are many good reasons to go to college to get an education. However, the offer of “free” money should not be the compelling reason.
Hot Jobs in USA
No divorced woman wants to waste time and money hitting her head against the wall by getting a worthless degree. So, smart cookies should find out where the good jobs are before committing to several years of work.
In an article on CBSnews.com, “The Five Fastest-Growing Jobs,” career expert Laurence Shatkin explains that the in-demand jobs are:
- home health aides/personal and home care aides (a low-paying job, having different requirements in each state)
- computer network, systems, and database administrators (bachelor’s degree required)
- registered nurses (2-year degree, 4-year degree, or 3-year diploma program from a hospital)
- medical assistants (sometimes requires a technical degree, though on-the-job training is possible)
- accountants and auditors (bachelor’s degree in accounting, usually requiring CPA certification given by the state, as well)
Do I Need a Degree?
States usually have different requirements for many jobs. It’s okay to look into online colleges, but some degrees always require classroom attendance and hands-on training. One example: Online schools do not have accredited RN (Registered Nurse) programs.
To be clear, some online colleges have advanced nursing classes for people who already have their RN certification. And, some online colleges also have regular “classroom” colleges. For example, Kaplan University in San Diego offers RN training and many of its other campuses have vocational nurse programs. Large cities often have something similar.
What is a Good Degree?
What is the best way to find out about careers and training requirements? Talk to a career counselor at a community college. Do not be afraid to go in to talk to an advisor. These men and women know more about job outlooks and opportunities than almost anyone. To talk to a counselor, a person:
Should I Earn a Degree Online?
There is nothing wrong with considering online colleges like University of Phoenix, Kaplan University, DeVry University, and others, but women should never let anyone pressure them into signing up for classes. Many schools have recruiters who work on commission.
On the other hand, some of these schools are worthwhile. In a speech warning about some shady “for-profit” colleges, Senator Dick Durbin acknowledged, “There are many good trade schools and for-profit colleges, and they serve a vital purpose, supplying job training that helps people take the next step up the economic ladder.” (See Resources.) In other words, some online programs are good.
Congressmen, Senators, and for-profit college recruiters have their own agendas. Most of the time, the best, unbiased information about job-training opportunities will come from a good community college career specialist. It may take a while to get in for a session, but it is worth the wait. Career advisors will give their opinions on various online and trade-school courses (with a slight bias in favor of public colleges and community colleges.)
States usually have different requirements for many jobs. It’s okay to look into online colleges, but some degrees always require classroom attendance and hands-on training. One example: Online schools do not have accredited RN (Registered Nurse) programs.
To be clear, some online colleges have advanced nursing classes for people who already have their RN certification. And, some online colleges also have regular “classroom” colleges. For example, Kaplan University in San Diego offers RN training and many of its other campuses have vocational nurse programs. Large cities often have something similar.
What is a Good Degree?
What is the best way to find out about careers and training requirements? Talk to a career counselor at a community college. Do not be afraid to go in to talk to an advisor. These men and women know more about job outlooks and opportunities than almost anyone. To talk to a counselor, a person:
- does not need to be a high school graduate
- does not need to be a citizen
- does not need to be enrolled in college
- does not need to know what she wants to study
Should I Earn a Degree Online?
There is nothing wrong with considering online colleges like University of Phoenix, Kaplan University, DeVry University, and others, but women should never let anyone pressure them into signing up for classes. Many schools have recruiters who work on commission.
On the other hand, some of these schools are worthwhile. In a speech warning about some shady “for-profit” colleges, Senator Dick Durbin acknowledged, “There are many good trade schools and for-profit colleges, and they serve a vital purpose, supplying job training that helps people take the next step up the economic ladder.” (See Resources.) In other words, some online programs are good.
Congressmen, Senators, and for-profit college recruiters have their own agendas. Most of the time, the best, unbiased information about job-training opportunities will come from a good community college career specialist. It may take a while to get in for a session, but it is worth the wait. Career advisors will give their opinions on various online and trade-school courses (with a slight bias in favor of public colleges and community colleges.)
How to Pay for College
Anyone who goes online will find resources for Obama Money and offers of $10,000 for school tuition (or whatever the current ads say.) While this sounds like a good opportunity, and it may well be, a woman needs to consider other variables that may apply to her situation, such as:
- "Will I need to take out loans to cover the rest of my tuition? Federal Pell Grants (and other grants or scholarships) do not need to be repaid, but they will not cover everything."
- "Unlike scholarships and grants, loans must be repaid. What are the terms of my student loans?"
- "What happens if I default on my loan?"
- "Am I better off at a private college or technical school where I have convenient scheduling, online classes, and faster completion time?"
- "Am I better off getting on a waiting list at a cheaper public school?"
- "Will I be able to get a job when I complete my degree?"
There are no guarantees that any degree will get anyone a job. And, this is the same whether one attends a public school or a private school. There are many good reasons to go to college to get an education. However, the offer of “free” money should not be the compelling reason.
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