If you’re headed back to the classroom and haven’t had the time for Facebook and Twitter or only use it to check up on your child or connect occasionally with old high school friends, now’s the time to learn how social networking can help you in school.

Social media can help college students make vital education and career connections, a recent Associated Press-Viacom poll found.

Seven out of 10 students reported that the social media sites are good for creating study groups, working with peers on assignments, and getting information about school activities or assignments.

We see it all the time. On Facebook, students discuss upcoming tests, what they missed if absent, and schedule times to meet up to quick study sessions or all-nighters. That way, you don’t have to try to call classmates to arrange a study group while your kids are wanting a snack or needing you to help them with their homework. Virtual connections are essential during a fast-paced semester!

Students also are using Twitter to keep connected with each other and their professors, some of whom use Twitter to fuel class discussions, too.

If you are unfamiliar with how to use those social media sites, you’ll want to brush up on using social media wisely. If you’re on Facebook, you may want to create a secure group that only your classmates can see to discuss a project or test. If you want to keep your schedule private, message a classmate to plan a study group instead of posting it on their wall. Also, realize that what you’re writing about a certain class could be seen by others (including possible employers), so watch what you’re sharing with all of your Facebook friends.

At the same time, 74 percent of students who responded to the poll say social media is a “good way to distract themselves,” the AP reported.

Keep watch of how much time you spend time on those sites. Jumping onto Facebook or Twitter could be a brief reward you earn after writing a paper or studying a couple of hours. But if you can’t resist checking out the sites every few minutes, you’ll need to come up with a plan for keeping in touch with classmates via social media without harming your GPA.

Applying to college is not a one-size-fits-all-experience… and when you don’t fit the mold of the traditional 18-year-old college student, that’s a good thing. Whether you’re in your 20s or you’re approaching centenarian status, chances are that traditional college admissions policies and procedures don’t apply to you. Before you get started on your back-to-school journey, check out our cheat sheet of top nontraditional student application to-knows.

1. You can apply on a roll…
If you haven’t had the luxury of planning your college applications for years, you’ll be happy to learn that many programs for nontraditional students accept applications up to and even after the semester start date. Don’t hesitate to take advantage of rolling admissions policies or even “one-stop” admissions events that allow you to apply and enroll on the same day.

2. Entrance exams may be extinct.
Many colleges do not require adult students to take traditional entrance exams like the SAT or ACT, says Shawn O’Riley, executive director of University College at Adelphi University. “Those exams are meant for high school students and don’t always reflect adults’ academic ability after they have been away from school for a long time.” Some adult degree programs measure college preparedness through computer-adaptive college placement tests (e.g., COMPASS by ACT; ACCUPLACER by the College Board) that are geared specifically toward nontraditional students.

3. You can get $$$ from Uncle Sam.
Even if you’re going back to school less than half time, you may still qualify for a Pell Grant or Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant, or for the Federal Work Study or Federal Perkins Loan programs. You may also be able to benefit from employer tuition assistance if you’re working full time. Tip: If you’re married or over 24 years old, parental income won’t be a factor on your FAFSA.

4. Start dates may be flexible.
“Adult degree programs often offer schedules that better fit an adult student’s lifestyle,” says O’Riley. Nontraditional students at Adelphi who are unable to enroll in August can take advantage of the university’s late-start semester, which begins in October. Community colleges across the country offer similar kinds of late-start courses.

5. The Ivies are not out of reach.
Take the Eli Whitney Students Program at Yale, for example. Eli Whitney (i.e., nontraditional) students have virtually the same opportunities as all other undergrads at Yale but, unlike other Yalies, nontraditional students can choose to school part time. And Columbia University’s School of General Studies is designed specifically for nontraditional students seeking a rigorous Ivy League degree full or part time.

6. You can get credit for what you already know.
Plenty of schools that cater to adult students offer prior learning assessment programs that award college credit for what students have learned outside the classroom, whether through corporate training, work experience, civic activity, or independent study. “[Prior learning assessment] allows students to reduce the overall cost of their degree program and accelerate their degree completion,” says O’Riley. In addition, your school may have special policies in place to assist nontraditional students in transferring previously earned college credit.

7. You might be more traditional than you think.
Colleges and universities may differ in their definition of what constitutes a “nontraditional student,” though most require that you be out of high school or college for at least five years to apply for nontraditional student admission. The University of Utah considers “nontraditional students” those who have been out of high school seven years or more and have no previous college experience. Some schools, like Trinity University in Texas, recommend that nontraditional students apply after completing at least two semesters of full-time studies at another college. Make sure you meet the specific “nontraditional” definition before applying to a particular school.

Enjoy your academic adventure!

–Robyn Tellefsen

Donning that cap and gown soon? Here’s another reason to smile: Your chance of getting hired is greater than those who earned their degrees last year.

The good news comes from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, whose recent survey found that employers plan to hire 21 percent more recent college graduates this year than they did in spring 2010. That’s up from a 13.5 percent increase in college hiring that employers said back in August they expected.

Maybe you’re seeing more recruiters on campus, a sign of hiring activity. And if you get an offer, it might be more than your friends were being offered last year. Pay is rising, with the average salary for all 2011 graduates at $50,462, up 5.9 percent from last year, according to NACE’s Spring 2011 Salary Survey.

Engineering majors are going to have a better chance of finding a high-paying job upon graduation. The National Association of Colleges and Employers’ Spring 2011 Salary Survey reported that the 10 top-paid majors for the class of 2011 were:

Chemical engineering
Average salary offer: $66,886

Computer science
Average salary offer: $63,017

Mechanical engineering
Average salary offer: $60,739

Electrical/electronics & communications engineering
Average salary offer: $60,646

Computer engineering
Average salary offer: $60,112

Industrial/manufacturing engineering
Average salary offer: $58,549

Systems engineering
Average salary offer: $57,497

Engineering technology
Average salary offer: $57,176

Information sciences & systems
Average salary offer: $56,868

Business systems networking/telecommunications
Average salary offer: $56,808

Now that you’ve gotten the encouraging news, do something about it! Pursue jobs and network with potential employees knowing that many are on the lookout for well-educated workers to help their companies grow.

-Lori Johnston

Today is Equal Pay Day — the date in 2011 to which women have to work to equal men’s 2010 earnings. No matter the strides made by women, the fact is there’s still a long way to go. Perhaps The Institute for Women’s Policy Research’s Gender Wage Gap by Occupation study says it best:

Women’s median earnings are lower than men’s in nearly all occupations, whether they work in occupations predominantly done by women, occupations predominantly done by men, or occupations with a more even mix of men and women.

Yikes! In other words, even male nurses and male receptionists make more than their female counterparts, too, despite those being predominantly female professions. The worst job to have if you have an x chromosome, however, is personal financial advisors, in which the pay gap is a whopping 41.6%. Talk about a miscalculation!

Although Penelope Trunk, the infamous career blogger, will argue that the glass ceiling is a myth — it’s not about gender per se, but because women pause careers to focus on family, and they’re inherently less aggressive negotiators — the numbers don’t lie. Women make less in all categories, and in both the highest paying careers and the lowest paying jobs. There’s got to be something to it. And society has to do something about it.

-Dawn Papandrea

Week after week, I hear my son’s karate instructor preach an interesting message: “Good manners open doors in life.” I like that mantra, how about you?

He goes on to explain that if a plumber he hires is rude to him or a family member, he’ll figuratively karate-chop that guy right out of his home — his business lost forever! When he is treated the right way, however, he’ll go out of his way to recommend that professional to everyone he knows. Which makes me wonder: Do companies factor in the use of manners — or in more corporate terms, professionalism — when they make hiring decisions? When one considers the lost revenue and lost productivity potential, perhaps they should.

What I’m driving at is that although we hear about cutthroat office politics, sucking up, and “playing the game” as ways to get ahead (and depending on some corporate cultures, that may very well be the case), doing these things aren’t necessarily good long-term strategies for success. At least not my definition of success. Instead, being genuinely kind, making connections with others, keeping your skills up to date, and being the proverbial team player who goes above and beyond the job description — those are the qualities that will get you noticed. People will be more willing to go to bat for you, remember you when a job opportunity comes up, or be loyal to you and/or your place of business (no matter if you’re a hair stylist or a tax accountant!).

Perhaps somewhere in some business school, this idea is being taught, because it really is so basic, yet so overlooked. I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve been impressed by superior customer service in the last year. So listen up career educators: Aspiring professionals would benefit greatly from a lesson in Workplace Manners 101.

A girl could hope, right? After all, there was a time when no one cared about ethics, but huge corporate scandals influenced a whole new curriculum. Not too long ago, students were taught how to climb the corporate ladder… today, they are learning about personal branding. And social media is reinforcing the concept of marketing and the powerful voice of the people.

So here’s the challenge: Thank someone at your job today. Walk over to a co-worker and ask if you can assist on a project he or she is working on. Tell someone in a higher position that you admire his or her work. Send someone on your Facebook a birthday wish, even if you haven’t spoken in a long time. Type up a reference for a LinkedIn connection without being asked. In other words, make it your mission to stay on people’s radar — in a good way — and hopefully, the door to your next career journey will open.

-Dawn Papandrea

Here’s the funny thing about the nursing profession: with three very different education paths to take, you’ll end up with the same job no matter which one you choose. Whether you earn a diploma in nursing, an associate degree in nursing (ADN), or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), once you pass the National Certification Licensing Examination (NCLEX), you can become an RN. Are all nursing education paths equal?

“The BSN is better.”
The American Nurses Association, the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, the American Organization of Nurse Executives, and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching say no. In line with its latest nursing education study, the Carnegie Foundation recommends that the BSN become the entry-level qualification for nurses – no nursing diploma or ADN program options in sight. And, similar to teachers, RNs should be required to earn a master’s degree within 10 years of licensure.

With more than 60 percent of new nurses being educated at community colleges, pro-BSN professionals say this translates into the lion’s share of nurses being less qualified for advanced education opportunities. All of the advanced practice nursing specialties – clinical nurse specialists, nurse anesthetists, nurse-midwives, and nurse practitioners – require a master of science in nursing (MSN) for entry. And perhaps more to the point, without an MSN, a nurse cannot move into a faculty position – a key issue, given that nursing school applicants are being turned away because of the nursing faculty shortage, which in turn perpetuates the nursing shortage.

In addition, these nursing organizations cite research that shows that lower patient mortality rates, fewer medication errors, and positive care outcomes are linked to nurses trained at the BSN and MSN levels.

“The ADN is essential.”
The American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) and the National Organization for Associate Degree Nursing take a decidedly different stance. In a recent policy brief, the AACC contends that both ADN and BSN programs teach students the competencies necessary to become an RN, as demonstrated by comparable pass rates on the NCLEX as well as hiring statistics. Plus, ADN programs educate the majority of RNs in rural settings, and they also provide the greatest number of minority RNs. Minorities in nursing are instrumental when it comes to understanding and addressing the care needs of our diverse population.

These nursing organizations also point out the lack of a valid correlation between nursing education level and patient outcomes. In other words, a bigger degree does not necessarily make a better nurse.

What’s a nurse to do?
Is advanced nursing education valuable for its own sake? Will you be a better nurse if you get a bachelor’s degree instead of an associate degree?

Obviously, there are no easy answers, but whichever nursing education program you’re leaning toward, there are a few key considerations to factor into your decision. Make sure the program is accredited, and that the NCLEX pass rate is high. If you choose an ADN program, look for a community college that has an articulation agreement with a four-year nursing school so that you can seamlessly transition into a BSN program if you choose. Look into RN-to-BSN programs… or bypass the BSN altogether by enrolling in an RN-to-MSN program. You might even be able to get tuition assistance if you continue your nursing education after you become an RN.

For now, you can still choose your own nursing education adventure – so choose wisely!

-Robyn Tellefsen