Smart Cookie

You have always been the darling of your parent’s eyes because you are the intelligent one in the family.  The “gifted one” so they say.  You have always gotten good grades in school, and have nice friends surrounding you.  You are one those kids whom the teachers saw as someone who’ll go a long way.  Unfortunately, college was too expensive for your parents.  You didn’t mind at that time because life was good, not that it is bad now.  It is just that you see that you have been missing a lot by not being a college graduate.  You have a good job now, but you know that you can do better.  You see that the world is a big place.  You are hungry to develop your full potential. 

Well, you don’t have to be imprisoned by your circumstances anymore.  Opportunities are all around you!  And as what everyone will tell you, it is never too late.  You have to believe your parents when they told you that you can be anything you wanted to be as long as you put your mind into it.  So your parents didn't have the money to send you to college, now you can pay for your own tuition since you already have a job!  College does not have an age limit!  I think that there are more working students in the world than those who are full time students.  At least, while you are learning from your books, you are also learning about reality at the same time. 

If it is not just money you are concerned about, but your time, then that still is not an excuse to hold yourself back. The best colleges online are offering the most sought after courses for your taking.  And, their programs are designed especially for working students whom they cater to the most.  Taking online courses are not just good for your schedule but for your wardrobe as well.  You don’t have to worry that you’ll run out of clothes to wear at school, because you’ll be working from home.  LoL!

So, now you don’t have to be just a smart cookie, you’ll be a smart cookie with a college degree to prove that nickname.  


                                              

Got The Candy Cane Blues?

The holiday season is a strange combination of hospitality and hostility. What should be cause for celebration is often an excuse for anxiety, depression, or domestic violence. These can be difficult times for anyone, especially for students who aren't taking classes online, and can’t spend time with their families because they're away at school (maybe for the first time).

            If you’re feeling blue over the holidays, or even if you’re excited to start your own holiday traditions, here are five tips for getting into the spirit.

1. Be Active!

      Colder weather is no reason to stay inside. There are plenty of ways to enjoy the outdoors all year round. Go for a walk through a quiet neighborhood or wade through the snow in a park. If you live in warmer climates, get out of town and go for a hike. Of course, if there’s a blizzard outside or the wind is knocking you off your feet, maybe it’s best to watch a movie.

2. Be Creative!

      A big part of the season is decorations. Certain color schemes and objects automatically make people think of Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day... so put a little color in your life! If it’s covering your room in streamers and stickers or just one silly decoration (a Charlie Brown Christmas tree or a leg lamp, perhaps), you can always put your own personal touch on the holidays.

3. Be Crazy!

      If you’re already missing your grandma’s pumpkin pie or your mom’s waffles on Christmas morning, the holidays are the perfect time to try something new. Sing karaoke in a sushi restaurant! Learn how to line dance! Getting drunk with new friends and doing something spontaneous is the perfect way to make new holiday memories.

4. Be Friendly!

      Speaking of friends, everyone could use a few more! No matter what your mood for the holidays, chances are that someone else feels the same way. There’s a million ways these days to connect with people who share your interests. Have a party and invite those classmates you’ve never really met or spend time with the roommate you’ve barely seen this semester. You might accidentally make a lifelong friend.

5. Be Helpful!

      Sometimes the best cure for feeling depressed is to get out of your own head. If partying just isn’t fun right now, or you don’t feel like doing anything at all, try volunteering. Homeless shelters, nursing homes, and hospitals could always use extra help over the holidays. Donating a few hours of your time may lead to new friendships or opportunities. After all, isn’t the holiday season really about giving and sharing?

Staying "In Shape"

            “Staying in shape”... The phrase itself assumes that there is one proper shape that everybody must fit. The truth is more complicated. Even though we all have the same organs, bones, and muscles, everyone’s body is shaped differently. What might be a healthy weight for one person would make another seem dangerously skinny. Nutrition and exercise has to be personalized.

            The Percent Daily Values printed on the back of every packaged food product are based on a diet of 2,000 calories a day. Michael Phelps, famous for his Olympic exploits, eats 12,000 calories a day. His training habits allow him to eat 6 times as much as the average person and still have low body fat. Obviously, just following a generic diet or fitness plan won’t work for everyone.

Come on guys, who doesn't wanna look like that?

            We all have different schedules, priorities, and most importantly, budgets. Students busy studying and writing papers for online classes may have little time or energy for working out. The stress of balancing a personal life, schoolwork, and a job to pay the bills can develop poor sleeping and eating habits that make it difficult to start a regimen of any kind.

            All it takes is some discipline to start making better decisions and building a better body. You don’t need a personal trainer to stay fit and trim. Of course, that doesn’t mean you should do it alone. The best weapon against laziness is accountability. No matter what goals you have, sharing them with a friend and working toward them together will encourage amazing results.

            There are a thousand ways to approach your health and fitness, and finding what works for you is the best way to stay motivated. This blog will focus on easy, thrifty ways to stay in shape. We might not all be supermodels or professional athletes, but we can all have healthy bodies. If you focus on healthy choices, you have no choice but to reap the benefits.

The Weeknd - Initiation

Toronto native Abel Tesfaye is the face of some of the year's most exciting new music. He has a broad vocal range and a knack for writing curlicue melody lines that stick in your head like any great pop hook. His lyrics paint a vivid portrait of the lost souls of our generation; the kids who have attention deficit and probation officers. His voice floats through tracks by Illangelo and "Doc" McKinney, providing a backdrop that resembles what might happen if Massive Attack produced songs for Lil Wayne. The Weeknd has gained considerable acclaim considering the first "mixtape" was just released in March. Maybe it has something to do with landing a spot on Lady Gaga's upcoming Born This Way remix album or Drake promoting The Weeknd's warped blend of R&B (Tesfaye co-wrote 4 songs on Drake's new album, Take Care). Or maybe it has something to do with the fact that The Weeknd has released both of their albums for free: House of Balloons and Thursday, available for download at The Weeknd's website.

If you've already heard their other songs and can't wait for more, don't worry. The Weeknd claim to have a third album, Echoes of Silence, ready for release before the end of the year. They've already released an advance track. It's called "Initiation" and it features the most demented use of Auto-Tune since Cher's "Believe". Check it out at the band's SoundCloud page or just download it directly from their Tumblr page.

The first line on "High for This", the first track from House of Balloons, says, "you don't know what's in store/but you know what you're here for." Abel might be singing to a potential lover, but he may as well be singing to all of his potential fans. Whether or not you like their music depends on what you're there for.

Rock Your Way Up the Corporate Ladder

 

So you are one of those members of the busy corporate world who thinks that you are in the beginning of your life’s career and thinks that the world is at your disposal.  Well, you may be right.  Yes, your dreams can really come true, but not without working hard and playing your part.  Here are some helpful tips which can just make that corporate fantasy of yours come true.

1.    HAVE THE RIGHT MINDSET

In starting anything, you should have the right frame of mind because that would affect your attitude towards your work.  It would show how committed you are in performing your assigned tasks.  Your attitude will reveal how very much determined you are in accomplishing whatever it is expected of you and much more.  It is very beneficial to know what you want and where you want to go so it would be difficult for you to get derailed as you trudge that path, no matter the obstacle you may face.

2.      DRESS THE PART

 

Going up the corporate ladder means that you have to be trustworthy in order to get the higher-ups to believe that you can handle the responsibility.  Aside from actually being reliable, you should appear reliable.  You should bring out the professional in you and let everyone see that.  You should be able to remove all doubts in their minds regarding your proficiency and show them how serious you are in your work.  This means that you have to be presentable in every meeting, and even on casual Fridays.  You should never be seen as a sloppy dresser because like it or not, it will directly reflect on how they see you.

3.       CONTINUE LEARNING

If you want to grow your career, you should never stop yearning for knowledge.  As the saying goes, “when you want something you never had, you have to do something you've never done”.  If you want to be on top, you should let everybody know that you are capable of bringing something new on the table.  You should have a lot of ideas in stock, and how can you do this if you remain stagnant?  If your issue is lack of time considering the tons of work you do to impress your superiors, then worry no more because the best online colleges are just a click away.  In this day and age, you really don’t have an excuse not to be an educated individual.

       MINGLE

As what has been said before, you have to be trustworthy to make people believe that you are capable.  You cannot do this when you are always locked up in your office working your bum off like a nerd.  You have to socialize.  They have to know that you can handle different sorts of people because that is what you’ll be doing once you’re at the top.  You have to constantly impress them with your charm, wit and intellect.  Don’t let them think that you are only book smart.  Show them that you are the whole package!

5.      DELIVER

                

Most importantly, you have to produce results from whatever you are working on.  There should be closure.  Never leave your tasks half baked.  Also, in accomplishing every job, you should always strive to do it perfectly.  Never settle for average because an average result for someone yearning to be at top is mediocre.  Don’t give the people any opportunity to question your competence.

Tips to Stay Politically Active While in College

Want to stay politically active but can't find the time? If you're a college student then you know how precious time is (and how little you have for yourself!). But fear not, even if you can't find the time to make your way to Zucotti park there are plenty of ways you can get politically involved and still have time to crunch for those upcoming midterms. Here are four ways to get involved.

Join a College Club

A club is a great place for you to make new friends and share ideas. Not only will you come up with great ways to get involved in political issues, you'll meet great people and form long term relationships in the process. Not to mention clubs look great on your resume when applying for grad school or law school. Deans of admissions love to see that you made the most of your college years and had the drive to be a part of something. It also shows you work well with others. But don't take my word for it, check out the top universities online. Colleges offer many clubs in many different disciplines. See which ones interest you the most and be a part of something. But what if your college doesn't have a group that interests you? In this case why not...

Start a Club

An even better way to show you have the drive and motivation for success is by starting a club. If your school lacks a club or organization which you think would be beneficial for you and your peers, you should speak to a professor or a department chair about organizing and starting a club. You'll benefit from this in various ways: by taking the initiative to suggest and start a club, you'll show your professors and peers alike that you have a passion for making a difference and the skills needed to organize. You'll also be giving those with similar views an opportunity to join you and your peers to discuss political issues, organize events, and offer ideas on how you and others can contribute in a productive way. Now that we have all these great ideas, let's put them into practice...

Join the Student Government

Though sharing ideas with peers makes for great discussion concerning political issues it becomes idle banter if you don't take the next step, action! Joining the student government is a great way to take the ideas from your club and apply them to school policy and programs. Student government offers many committees revolving around different topics in your school including school policy and student activities. What better way to get your school behind a political issue then becoming part of a committee and expressing your grievances and proposing a course of action? Join a committee and set up an event which involves organizing students to partake in an activity such as a community hearing or a near by project. And finally, one of the best ways you can get involved is...

Volunteering

Joining clubs and student committees are great ways to share ideas and organize activities but if you really want to make a difference and get involved nothing beats volunteering. Not only is volunteering a great way for you to get actively involved, most colleges and volunteer groups offer you college stipends, not to mention volunteering looks great on your resume. When shopping around for volunteer work you should look at organizations such as Habitat for Humanity or Human Rights Watch. You can also look for different volunteering opportunities through your college.

So whether you're a supporter of the current Occupy Wall Street movement or someone who thinks the government should keep its hands off of business, you don't need to leave school or travel to Zucotti park to make your voice heard. If used wisely, your college offers you all the resources you need to get involved.

The Advantages of Majoring in Political Science

Selecting a college major can be a difficult task. You’ll want to choose a major that is not only interesting but also challenging; interesting because what you study is what you hope to one day make a career out of, and challenging because you want to get the most out of your education. Simply choosing a major is not enough. You need to follow through by exhibiting dedication to learning and an aptitude for success. Remember, your choice of major doesn’t just affect your schedule for the next few years; it will also shape the direction of your life, opening doors to a vast array of job opportunities upon graduation and helping you become a specialist in your field of choice.

Today, I would like to discuss a major that could open the door to many interesting and challenging career options: That major is Political Science.

The Benefits of Majoring in Political Science

Political Science is an excellent choice for students who are interested in social issues, government, public policy or law, and for those who want to make a difference in their community. Those who decide to study political science can choose from careers such as executive officer, policy maker, union organizer, etc. This site is a great resource that includes a comprehensive list of the potential careers you can choose from once you have your degree in political science.

Courses in political science expose students to various social problems, and help students come up with solutions to these problems that can have an impact on society for years to come. In this way, political science is an excellent choice for those who are interested in social and political issues – and especially those who want to make a difference in their community, state, or country. Of course, as with any major, you'll have a better chance at a successful career if you choose the right college. Start by doing an Internet search for the best colleges, and then look into whether they have strong political science programs.
Continuing Education

If you’re thinking about heading to law school after your undergraduate studies, political science is an excellent major to consider. This major can help students develop the research and writing, problem-solving (by exposing the student to various social and political problems), and oral communication skills necessary to become a law student, and then consequently an attorney. By honing these skills, a student arms himself with the tools needed to succeed in law school.

So, for a field of study that is both interesting and challenging, why not consider political science? This major will not only help you develop crucial skills you will use for the rest of your life, it will also help you approach different political and social issues which you can use to help solve social problems and develop a stronger community.

Big Fish, Small Pond

What were your biggest dreams when you were a child? Did you want to be a ballerina, astronaut, doctor, lawyer or a hotshot businessman? And may I ask what you are doing now, I mean your job? Are you actually doing whatever you dreamt of doing? 

Most of us outgrow those dreams as we grow up, and what do we do? We settle.  We settle to whatever life gives us.  We let other people and our circumstances define what we are.  There is always an excuse why we couldn’t be what we wanted to be.  And the funny thing is, we just let it happen.  We don’t fight for those dreams.  As we grow up, we just think of them as silly childhood imaginations.  Those dreams are just castles in the sky.  We live our lives on autopilot, and when we wake up, it is usually too late.

After floating through our lives for many years, a realization occurs.  You really wanted to be somebody.  You wanted to be that person you dreamt of when you were in pigtails.  You realize just how you really are not satisfied with your job.  You become conscious that you haven’t developed your character over the last years.  You become aware that you just took what life gave you.  You have been asleep at the steering wheel.  And after all those times, you think again about your childhood dream.  Maybe you wanted to make it happen this time, or you realize that you want to achieve much more than what you’ve been dreaming of.  You are back to square one.

Here’s a little secret.  You are not alone.  A lot of people are like that.  And it is not too late to do something.  It is not too late to be somebody.  Be thankful that you woke up and realize where you are because you now have an opportunity to go somewhere.  Never mind yesterday, what is important is the here and the now.  Opportunities are everywhere.  The best schools are just a click away.  You can take online classes if time and distance are an issue.  

Be aware that you are now capable of achieving your once cherished childhood dream.  You know that you have what it takes to reach it, otherwise you won’t be thinking about it nonstop.  Don’t settle for whatever you have now when you know deep inside what a smart cookie you are!  Deep down you know that you are a big fish in that small pond.  Well, it’s about time to move to the great lake, or even to the endless ocean.  Choice is always yours!

What Should You be Able to do to Become a Policeman

There are many hierarchy levels in the police.

Being a police officer is one of the most dangerous and nerve-requiring jobs in the world. But if you’re a good person it will be twice as much rewarding as well. Being on the run all day and risking your life in order to keep the safety of the community must have its mental rewards.

The decision to become a police officer should be a very hard one, because you never know when you might get back home without a wound, you will have to understand the risks of the profession and devote yourself fully to it. Well, this is also the first step to becoming a police officer. I’ll give you a few more tips on how to become a cop.

Becoming a cop requires lots of strength, both physical in mental. As a policeman you will be coming across all kinds of situations and you need to stay calm all the time, in order to be efficient and not risk anybody’s life or the success of the mission you are on. As for the part that requires lots of force, you’ll need to begin training at least six months before you are going to get tested. Physical shape is a key moment in your training, because you’ll end up more times than not running after a suspect, wrestling or fighting a criminal if he is putting up a resistance or if you’re just on the run because you need to save somebody’s life.

For the physical test, you should run at least a few miles every day and try to increase their number every two or three weeks. Having lots of stamina is very important as you never know how much time you are going to chase a suspect. But having stamina is not all of it, you should also train a 100 yard sprint. Speed is very important, as if your suspect gets away even if you’re more enduring than him, you won’t be able to spot him down if he has gone left or right on the nearing street. Chasing a suspect can be full of all kinds of obstacles so you should also look for a wall to climb on. Remember that speed in chasing criminals is the most important thing. The faster you climb the wall, the lesser the advantage for the guy you’re chasing. Another good idea is to lift weights as they also have an important role in gaining muscle.

Lots of kids nowadays have the impression that the only thing a cop does is chase the bad guys with a gun on his waist, but it’s not like that. There’s also lots of bureaucracy. Having basic computer skills is a must, as you’ll be generating reports for the work you have done. Sometimes you’ll need to communicate with people from different countries and knowing a few languages is always a plus. You never know when you might get called from a foreigner who has lost his luggage. As much as you will be chasing cops, you will be helping victims and a thing that you can’t be a cop without being able to give out first aid. Sometimes the ambulance will be slow and you’ll have to do their job, until they come.

As for salary, you will most probably begin earning as much as $30,000 per year and depending on your seniority, it can go over $100,000. You’ll get holiday bonus and you’ll have as much as 160 work-hours worth of vacation which is about 3 weeks. You are risking your life, but you do get compensated very well for it.

The Things You Should Know About the Software Engineer

A software engineer is a person who designs software which is currently demanded on the market. Becoming a software engineer isn’t as hard as you might think it is, but this doesn’t mean that you’re going to have an easy task all the way through.

In order to become a software engineer, you obviously need to love programming. And programming contains a high percentage of maths in itself.  You might survive without being so good at math but the algorithms that you will need to think of are strongly and logically connected with math, so you almost don’t have a chance. Be sure to solve as many problems as you can, as it develops not only your skills, but a way of thinking. The more problems you solve, the faster your brain is going to recognize the situation and take the necessary path to solving the problem.

Sometimes just having lots of brains and being able to think outside of the box won’t be enough. Most companies will require you to have a 4-year degree even if you have extraordinary problem solving skills. Be sure to do lots of studying and to take all of your exams with high grades as companies also tend to take students that show devotion to what they are studying.

If you’re still in high-school, it might be a good idea to work on some non-class projects that you can include in your resume. The resume is where you present yourself and you need to have nothing but the best of your work included in it. Employers are going to look for students with strong resumes and most students don’t have a single completed project in theirs. Getting a project done might be the doorway to your advancement in the career.  Another good idea is to meet other software engineers and exchange ideas with them, as you will have lots to learn from the people that have more experience than you. You need to ask them questions about everything that you don’t know or you don’t understand. Getting a piece of the experience is like getting another step up in the stairway to your CEO position.

And the last thing is that you need to make a difference between programming and software engineering. Programming tends to be more of a singular activity, whereas software engineering is definitely a team work oriented job. You’ll need to have great understanding for other people and be able to think as one. Also you’ll be facing deadlines and you’ll probably be spending your nerves on thinking why aren’t you finishing the project on time.

Software engineers earn a little more yearly than database administrators. An engineer can earn from $40,000 to $95,000 yearly, or about $3,000-$8,000 per month. For a US citizen, you should consider this as a great pay and you will really be able to get on your feet if you’ve just graduated college.

Get a Clear View of Your Preferred Subject

If you’re thinking about studying to become a database administrator, I suppose that you might want a clear view of what you will be doing. Well, this is both easy and hard. It’s easy, because you’ll be informed and prepared what to await, but it’s hard as you’ll have to study very hard to achieve greatness in your area of studies.

A database administrator is a person who is supposed to look after a database of files or any other kind of valuable information.  If you want to become a really good employee in this job, you need to be a very good logical thinker: you need to analyze the situation and be able to come up with all kinds of solutions that are, first of all, correct and efficient; you need to have great organization skills – planning is a part of your job and you need to plan every single detail of what you are going to do and be able to predict the results of even the slightest of changes. Sometimes the smallest of details will have great impact on the database and you’ll need to be on alert for any kind of wrongly implemented details. Or said in other words – you need to have an eagle’s eye.

As a database manager you’ll have to consider the facts that all of the databases nowadays are working 24/7 and if there is a problem you’ll need to be on call, no matter of the hour or the situation. You are responsible for the database to flow in a smooth and faultless way.  And even if there isn’t such a massive problem in the database, there might be some little problems that are going to make the database not operate very well or operate slowly, and this is why checking for alerts will be one of the first things that you’re going to do in your working day. You need to be able to spot out the problems before they have even occurred.

The typical salary for this job can vary anywhere from $30,000-$90,000 per year in the US, or from about $2,500 to $8,000 monthly. These values greatly depend on the skills that you possess and the company you work in. As you get higher in the hierarchy, logically, you’ll be earning more.

How to Become a Pharmacy Technician While Holding Down A 9 to 5 Job

With a largely aging population of baby-boomers and as part of a medication-reliant culture, pharmacy technicians are ensured a lengthy and lucrative career.  The job-description of a pharmacy technician is chiefly interaction with patients, bottling prescriptions and record keeping.  Although the primary responsibility of advising patients on the proper use of medications does not fall under the responsibilities of a pharmacy technician, the same stimulating environment can be experienced with lesser training.

Most pharmacy technician training programs require only a GED or high school diploma.  Although some pharmacies have been known to take on pharmacy techs and provide them on-the-job-training without any formal degree or diploma, most reputable pharmacies are insistent on pharmacy technician training.  

Would you want a pimply-faced high school graduate counting out your beta-blockers? I don’t think so.  A drug-free background is a major prerequisite to get into any pharmacy tech program, as is understandable.

Pharmacy technician training is offered by both online and campus programs.  Community colleges and vocational schools provide coursework for between 30 and 60-hour programs aimed at basic drug interactions, pharmacy calculations, drug administration and regulation.  Besides the coursework, an intensive on site practicum is offered that tests one’s skills in a clinical setting. 

Once the training is complete, a certification process that involves a 90 question Examination for Certified Pharmacy Technicians (ExCPT) is offered.  This online test stresses on the administrative responsibilities of a pharmacy technician.  Passing this test certifies a pharmacy technician working in conjunction with a licensed pharmacist under state laws and regulations.

If your plans don’t end with pharmacy tech school, pharmacy school is a distinct possibility; be rest assured that the admission committee of accredited colleges prefer pharmacy tech candidates looking to further their careers over others.     

In order to keep pharmacy technicians abreast of changing medically relevant laws, they are required to complete a 10-hour continuing education program every 2 years.  While it is not mandatory that one obtains certification, it is recommended as a large percentage of employers prefer to hire out of the pool of certified techs.  
Furthermore, as a way to entice top certified pharmacy techs, employers are known to reimburse certification costs.  With 333,500 pharmacy technicians employed in this country, with a median salary of $28,400, the prospects for future growth are tremendous.  

Didn't make Wharton or Kellogg? Here's a List of Top 10 MBA programs!

What do the Harvard Business School, Sloan School of Business and Wharton School of Business have in common? They accept only the brightest and the best! Do you know what is common among 90% of candidates that don't get into these elite schools? They all have fantastic grades during their undergraduate tenure. So do you fall in this 90%?  Don't fret; this may have been a blessing in disguise.

Most top MBA programs cost in excess of $150 thousand to complete. These estimates are based on 'modest' living in big cities like Boston, New York and Chicago besides the expense of tuition, books and fees. It is easier to have a 'modest' living if you are simply a graduate student; it is a challenge if you have been earning in the real world and even harder if you have a family depending on you. So how do you get an outstanding education and a valuable MBA program without paying student loans until retirement? The solution is clear - get an online MBA degree. You can keep your current job, pay a lot less, work just as hard and earn the same degree.  

One of the biggest concerns of students seeking online programs is if the University only exists on the World Wide Web.  Because of the flexibility they provide and an ever-increasing cadre of non-traditional students who want to move up in their careers without giving up their current jobs, most traditional universities are starting to offer online programs.  The most in demand program is an online MBA program. 

These  programs have the same rigor as any traditional MBA program with a lot of writing and research.  The top ten online MBA Programs as rated by Economist, Financial Times, U.S. News & World Report  and the Wall Street Journal are listed below with program details.

1. The University of Florida, Hough Graduate School of Business at Gainesville, FL, provides an accelerated 16 month program if the applicant has a bachelor's degree. Each term is four months and requires one weekend visit to campus.

2. EI Business School at Madrid, Spain, offers a Global MBA Online Program offered both in English and Spanish. The program lasts 15 months and requires two week-long visits to campus.

3. Indiana University, Kelley School of Business at Bloomington, IN, offers a two year program and lets the student complete it in up to five years, allowing the student to set the pace. 

4. Thunderbird School of Global Management at Glendale, AZ, offers three versions of the program that can be completed in 19, 28 or 36 months. Three quarters of the program is online and the last quarter is executed through regional business seminars held around the world.

5. The University of North Carolina, Kenan-Flagler School of Business at Chapel Hill, NC offered its first program during the Fall of 2011. The student can finish the program in two to three years. Two-weekend face-to-face meetings are required, though no campus visit is required. 

6. The University of Maastricht, School of Business and Economics at Maastricht, Netherlands, offers the Euro*MBA: the 2-year program is jointly offered by six of the best business schools in Europe. The program, however, requires six weeks of face-to-face interactions at various European cities.

7. Babson College, F.W. Olin Graduate School of Business at Babson Park, MA, offers a Fast Track MBA program that can be completed in two years with a focus on Entrepreneurial leadership. 

8. Duke University, Fuqua School of Business, Durham, NC, offers a Global Executive MBA program that is designed for managers and executives. The program requires residencies at five international locations. 

9. Penn State World Campus at College Township, PA, offers the iMBA program that can be completed in two years. Students are required to attend two one-week residencies on campus.

10. Drexel University, Lebow College of Business at Philadelphia, PA, offers the MBA Anywhere program, which is a two-year degree, with multiple business specializations. 

For a complete list, click Here

Considering Getting Enrolled in an Online College Degree Program? Read on…

Believe it or not, online classes can be more challenging than courses taken in a traditional classroom set up.  This is especially true if you thrive on eyeball-to-eyeball interaction with your instructor, pointers from your classmates, and are easily distracted by your neighbor’s television featuring reruns of “Jerry Springer” ad nauseum! In some ways online courses encourage self-reliance and self-evaluation to a much greater degree than classical campus education.  Employers are aware of this and hence, they give online degree candidates extra credit for this very reason.

Should you decide to pursue an online college degree, the choices can seem daunting.  With the relative newness of the concept, there is not a lengthy track record of online programs to rely on.  How do you navigate this unfamiliar terrain when enough statistics don’t exist?  It squarely falls on your shoulders but here are some important considerations that may make your decision easier.

Make Sure the College is Accredited:  

Accreditation of an online college program is like an insurance policy, that the schools you are applying to are capable of testing and certifying third parties. In this case students, think of it as a quality assurance for you. If an online college is not accredited or credentialed, run like the wind!  You may have an adventurous spirit but being a guinea pig for a college program may not earn you too many points with a prospective employer.

Study Wanted Ads in Your Field: 

All the effort and time that you invested into the online program will be futile if you find out that an online college degree program in your field is not held in the same esteem as a brick-and-mortar degree.  Talk to prospective employers to get a flavor for how responsive they are to online college degrees in your field.  Getting a consensus from employees and employers will better equip you to make this decision.  This varies largely from industry to industry; demographics may also be factored in.  Especially with the baby-boomers retiring, the younger Gen-xers are much more receptive to online degrees.

Consider Leveraging Financial Aid: 

Reputable online degree programs can cost a pretty penny. Online colleges offer competitive financial aid packages with both federal and non-federal grants.  The Pell grant is traditionally thought of as a need-based campus education financial aid program only, but is now increasingly available to online students that qualify academically and financially.

Verify that Credits can be Transferred: 

This may seem inconsequential at this time, but at a later point if you want to continue your education, credit transferability comes in real handy.  Most accredited online colleges have established credit transfer policies, so leave nothing to chance.  In the event that you decide to add to your degree, transferring hard-earned credit hours to a new online degree program will go a long way in satisfying academic prerequisites.

While no road map as such exists that can you help you short-list your online college degreeprogram choices, the four discussed considerations along with a big serving of your gut instinct should land you on a program that will most closely get you to your career goals. 

Diploma vs. Degree

When considering the best colleges, a frequent misconception is that there is no difference between a diploma and a degree program. If you are planning to go to college, and are quite confused whether to take a diploma program or a degree program, here is some information on how to make a distinction between the two:

FOCUS OF STUDY

DIPLOMA: Centers on one specific subject. Students are educated and trained in that one subject only. The course emphasizes more on how to handle job situations. The focus of a diploma program is to train students for a particular sort of industry or skill.

DEGREE: Centers on academics. Degree programs pursue a well thought-out program of study that introduces the student to an array of subjects that relate to the student’s major of study. For example, if one is interested in pursuing a degree in medicine, the course will involve several other subjects that may come in use for a career in medicine such as biology, chemistry, anatomy, and psychology.

TENURE

DIPLOMA: In general, diploma programs are shorter since you are only studying one subject, and you are not obliged to complete certain liberal arts requirements. Scores of diploma programs can be finished in 1 to 2 years.

DEGREE: Degree programs can be completed in 3 to 5 years, depending on your field of study and geographical location.

EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

DIPLOMA: A diploma can be given to a person by any private educational institution, polytechnic school, or vocational foundation.

DEGREE: A degree can only be awarded to a person by certified or accredited universities or colleges.

MASTER'S PROGRAM

DIPLOMA: It is unlikely that you can pursue a master's program with just a diploma.

DEGREE: Most universities have a mandate that candidates interested in pursuing a master’s program should have completed a degree program.

While both a diploma and a degree are conferred to you on the successful completion of an educational course, they have very different connotations. It is imperative to find out your career goals before enrolling in a program.