Site Offers its First Discount on College Tuition

Groupon keeps reminding me about two purchases I’ve made – two-for-one movie tickets from Fandango and a half-off deal for a photo album that I haven’t gotten around to creating. It’s also helped me take part in unique events, such as a barbecue lunch with the Neelys from Food Network and a symphony performance under the stars.

The other day, a Groupon deal showed me that the trendy site has the potential to remind some folks of their dream to finish their degree or go back to school to pursue a new career or get advanced education.

Groupon was offering more than 50 percent off a $2,232 graduate-level introductory teaching course at National Louis University in Chicago (the Groupon price was $950).

Surprise – a school actually lowered a price for students! In these days of bargain hunting and discount seeking, it seems that a college education is one of the few places where individuals seem resigned to pay higher and higher prices. I’ve seen friends invest in starting a master’s degree, only to find they can’t afford to continue the program or can’t juggle it with jobs and family (and refunds aren’t available for those courses).

The idea of purchasing something like education on Groupon may be a bit “out there,” and maybe the school only did it for publicity, but it is refreshing to see a school willing and able to lower its price on a course.

It got a lot of attention because it’s the first time the “deal is on” coupon site has offered a deal on tuition that counts for academic credit. The school says 18 individuals purchased the Groupon.

Dr. Nivine Megahed, president of National Louis University, said in a press release: “This deal will give participating students a chance to take one course and see if they are ready to make the time and financial commitment to follow through with the entire graduate program.”

Students need an undergraduate degree to be involved in the 10-week course, which counts toward three credit hours, of a 36-hour master’s degree from the school.

University officials told the AP that many of its students – the average age is 34 – are part of Groupon’s target demographics. So adult learners could be seeing more of this, via Groupon, or from other coupon sites. It could be a bonus for students already in pursuit of a certain degree, or it could be just the thing, even if you don’t get that deal, to make you reconsider college.

What do you think? Would you ever buy a Groupon for school?

-Lori Johnston

With the “Twilight” and “The Hunger Games” series over, let’s face it, we all know enough about vampires and postapocalyptic worlds and can focus on some career reading this summer.

Slip one of these books into your beach bag this long holiday weekend, and get inspired about your career or furthering your education.

These authors make it easy to soak up both the rays and important information about earning a first-time degree or advanced degree to move up the ladder professionally. Just imagine what were to happen if Katniss was to combine her Hunger Games experience with a college education – she would be even more unstoppable!

How to Get Any Job: Life Launch and Re-Launch for Everyone Under 30 (Or How to Avoid Living in Your Parents’ Basement) by Donald Asher (Ten Speed Press)

Asher, a career consultant who is author of several books, encourages people to think about their “top five issues in this world” as part of considering a career path and gives the low-down on education options, recognizing that career paths can change over time. Plus, there’s a special chapter on summer jobs.

Bossypants by Tina Fey (Reagan Arthur Books)

It’s your typical career book, but Fey’s hilarious memoir shows what it’s like to succeed in a male-dominated industry, working at SNL and having her own Emmy Award-winning show, “30 Rock,” and how she balances being a mom in show business. You get all that, and be prepared to hide under your oversized beach hat because you may be embarrassed at how much Fey’s essays are making you laugh.

The MBA Reality Check by Evan Forester & David Thomas (Prentice Hall Press)

If you’re considering earning your MBA, you probably need a summer vacation from all of that research. This book presents the MBA pursuit from the mindset of how you can be a compelling candidate to a college, written in a way where you feel like you’re chatting with a friend – albeit a very experienced, knowledgable friend who is an educational consultant. Forster’s insider’s look into getting into a business school is fueled with stories of applicants, making it an easy summer read.

Let us know if you’ve found other career- or education-related books or biographies that have inspired or informed you to take your next career step!

-Lori Johnston

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

I’ve lived in New York City all my life, and the eight years I lived in Brooklyn were some of the best. There’s one thing I’ll never miss about Brooklyn, though, and if you’re a city dweller, you know exactly what I’m talking about – parking. I have, however, managed to parlay my less-than-fun parking experiences into a few words of wisdom about finding the right college. Join me for the ride, won’t you?

It might take a while.
If you live in the city, being on time for a doctor’s appointment, dinner reservations, or a playdate requires you to factor in extra time to find a parking spot. There are no parking lots, and friends blessed with driveways are few and far between. Fight the urge to drive back home, and resign yourself to the fact that you’ll have to take a few trips around the block before you get what you want.

In the same way, finding the right school doesn’t happen in an instant. You’ll definitely want to give yourself plenty of time to get there, and it may require a few trips around college campuses before you find what you’re looking for. You might not find what you want right away, but don’t give up and go home – there’s a good college spot out there waiting for you.

Looks can be deceiving.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned about finding parking in the city, it’s that what looks too good to be true usually is. Chances are that the vacant spot I see up the block is not a legal parking spot, but a driveway, a hydrant, or – my favorite – an illegal spot because of alternate side of the street parking regulations. It’s also possible that a couple of cars did a lousy parking job and, consequently, the open spot is too small for me. Grrrr.

Sometimes, all you have to do is look at a college brochure and you’re ready to find your place there. The campus looks idyllic, the school offers the major you want, and the location is fab. It’s perfect from afar – but there’s a chance that what looks like a great school really isn’t for you. So before you park yourself there, take a tour to see the school up close and decide if it’s really a good fit.

You should never sell yourself short.
Since parking is a pain near your friend’s apartment, and you always seem to get to a spot five seconds too late, you decide to just bite the bullet and park five blocks away. It’s doubtful you’ll get anything better. But then, after walking all that way (in the freezing rain), you see a spot right in front of her apartment. Oh, the agony.

Your grades have never been the best, so it doesn’t seem likely that you’ll get into the college of your dreams. Applying feels like a waste of time and experience tells you it’s better not to get your hopes up. Getting in to a “reach school” is far from a sure thing, of course, but how will you know what you can achieve unless you try?

When you do find the right school, take some time to revel in the joy of a mission well-accomplished. When my husband and I found a legal parking spot right across the street from our dinner reservations in Manhattan on Valentine’s Day, we spent at least five minutes celebrating the victory – before we even got out of the car.

Rest assured that you will reach your college destination sooner or later. Until then, try to relax and enjoy the ride!

-Robyn Tellefsen

Your quest for more education is just beginning, and we’re here to help you sort out the best education program for your needs and career dreams.

If you’ve been putting in hours research programs near and far, here’s a quick list of key factors in your decision-making process. Pay close attention to this information, whether you’re seeking an associates or bachelor’s degree, an advanced degree, a certification or pursuing a non-degree program.

1. The description: While learning at all stages of life is important, you’re going to want to see a real benefit by devoting time now to school. So, look at the description of the program. Does it give you an idea of the impact on your career? Does it get your excited about this educational endeavor? You want and deserve a program that’s going to be challenging and put you on a path toward professional success. If you’re trying to decide between two types of degrees, weigh your potential earnings by checking out this list of salaries.
2. The length of time: How many months or years will it take for you to complete the program? Think about how that timetable may fit with other events (such as having a child, becoming an empty nester, or reaching retirement age) and activities in your life or put you into position to transition to the next phase of your career. You may need a program with more flexibility, or maybe you’re seeking a program with a rigid format where you can’t procrastinate and delay earning your degree.
3. The experience: This will quickly take some programs off your list, depending on what type of work and school experience is required or desired. If it’s not made clear on a website, catalog, or brochure, don’t hesitate to ask.
4. The feedback: Ask to speak to alumni of the program to get their insight of the benefits, challenges, and quality of the professors and program content. Their perspective may be the deciding factor if two programs appear to have no other differences.
5. Your gut: After you’ve done the research and asked the questions, what is your gut telling you? That can be a factor in your decision. When the coursework becomes difficult and if you start to question whether you will actually finish, you’ll remember the feeling you had during this time, when you knew this was the right education program for you.

What other factors did you find crucial in determining the best school and program for you?

-Lori Johnston

We’re hearing about so many great things people are doing to raise and give money to the relief efforts in Haiti, even on college campuses. It’s a tragic situation and major organizations like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation are among those giving millions to the effort.

It makes you stop and take notice of all the foundation is doing beyond aiding a world tragedy. Did you know that foundation also is donating billions of dollars to help students attend and graduate from college, particularly community colleges? It’s already given nearly $4 billion in grants and scholarships since 2000.

The foundation a couple of years ago decided to award hundreds of millions of dollars through scholarships and other efforts so low-income young adults in particularly can attend college, and much of these funds are going to community colleges.

And just in December, the Seattle-based foundation gave $12.9 million in technology-related grants to improve the way education is delivered on the community college level and increase graduation rates. Schools that have received those grants include LaGuardia Community College in New York, and Carnegie Mellon University’s Community College Open Learning Initiative (CC-OLI).

It hopes to change the statistic that found three-quarters of first-time community college students do not graduate within three years. Why? Factors include school and family responsibilities, being unprepared for college-level work, and the cost of the courses and degrees.

Seeing the Gates Foundation’s efforts, even if you aren’t directly receiving the money, serves as a great reminder that people, even strangers, care that you get a degree. Now that’s an incentive!

-Lori Johnston

What is your college search like? If you’re too busy or not interested in undertaking a meticulous process, or if you don’t think there are a ton of alternatives, you are not alone.

A new survey of students prepared by Public Agenda for the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation found that college selection is taken much less seriously by those who end up dropping out. The study, “With Their Whole Lives Ahead of Them,” found that turning into an unsuccessful student starts with being uninformed.

But you don’t have to face your college search like this. And finding the right school for you can be crucial in your quest to graduate.

Don’t start with where your friends are going or where your parents went to school, but instead think about your goals and what you want to do when you graduate from college.

You may not have a clue right now, but you can find out about the array of potential careers – including ones you may have never thought about – by looking at the profession overviews and job forecasts by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or at CollegeSurfing.com. That way when you are looking at potential schools, you will be able to see if they offer degrees in a career field of interest to you.

When I was looking at colleges, I knew I was interested in journalism, and when I looked at potential colleges all over the U.S., I discovered that the University of Georgia was home to the Peabody Awards that recognized the best in electronic media.

Also look at what past students have gotten out of attending a certain college and what school may fit your character traits. Maybe you want a school where there’s not as much pressure to party. Or you might need a school that has a good handle on how to deal with students’ learning disabilities. Those and other schools are among Newsweek’s take on 25 colleges.

Taking another look at how you are looking at colleges could mean finding out what’s the best fit for you – and determine whether you’ll stay the course and graduate.

-Lori Johnston

For years, nurses, doctors, lawyers, police officers and teachers have been among the folks constantly portrayed on TV. Community college students are getting some attention with NBC’s new show, “Community,” which is great timing as enrollment has spiked at community colleges.

With NBC’s “Community,” starring comedians Joel McHale and Chevy Chase, you won’t find a complete true picture of life at community colleges (and you shouldn’t expect it with a sitcom), but it’s interesting to see community colleges getting their spotlight as so many students of all ages are considering signing up for courses at the schools.

Here are three things early episodes of the new show have shown about attending a community college.

1) You’ll find a diverse student body.

Sure, they’ve been described as misfits on “Community,” but the students on the show poke holes in the perception that only a couple types of students – drifters and first-generation students – attend community college. Kay M. McClenney, director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement, recently wrote in the New York Times that community college students include displaced workers pursuing new careers and skills, students born outside of the U.S., older adults seeking their first college degree, and honors students whose families can’t afford university tuition for all four years. The lineup of characters on “Community” attempts to mirror those points, with Chase playing the older, non-traditional student, joined by a 28-year-old female college dropout, a middle-aged divorcée, the former high school football star, the smart but high-strung perfectionist, and a half-Palestinian pop culture junkie.

2) There’s no easy way out (of a class).

In the pilot, McHale’s character, a disbarred attorney who is back at school to earn a degree, tries to bribe a school official he represented in a court case to get test answers. His plot is foiled, and from there, the study group of “Community” characters is created, frequently gathering the library’s study room and forging relationships that are the focus of the series.

3) Acceptance can be an issue.

Part of the motto touted by the show’s fictional Greendale Community College, which has a fake Web site too, is “You’re already accepted.” But some colleges are seeing so many applicants that they’re revising their open-door policies. So as you hear some of the characters make negative comments that seems like they feel inferior to those at universities, realize that it’s getting tougher to get in, and it will be interesting to see if Greendale also adapts to the changes real schools are facing today.

~Lori Johnston

While health care reform is grabbing headlines, health care is one of the more secure job sectors.
Some professionals in hospitals and physicians offices are seizing the moment to earn degrees. If you’re a registered nurse, you may be considering a bachelor’s in nursing, which could lead to promotions or higher-paying jobs. You also could teach future nurses.

And there are plenty of choices for nurses, with more than 700 nursing programs offering degrees at the bachelor’s level, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Some are available online.
You’ll join a growing number of students – 145,845 as of 2008 – enrolling in baccalaureate nursing programs, according to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing.
Here are three questions to ask when considering a nursing degree.

1. What additional skills will I acquire with my BSN?
Students can learn the skills to work in a range of clinical settings and provide comprehensive nursing care to patients and their families. Expect to gain knowledge to make decisions quickly in health care settings, collaborate with other professionals on issues of health and wellness, and develop management skills. Officials at Jacksonville University (FL) also report that a BSN degree can be beneficial for those seeking to enter into high-demand fields such as critical care, cardiology, dermatology, ob/gyn, and oncology.

2. How will earning a BSN impact my career?
It can. Jacksonville University, which offers one of the online bachelor’s of nursing programs, reports that the degree enables nurses to move from the technical level to a professional practice. It cites a 2007 earning survey in RN magazine that found salaries are increased from 50 cents an hour to $3.20 an hour. A nurse with a BSN also could receive a specialty pay differential, the university says.

3. Is a career in teaching possible?
There is a great need for nursing teachers. The American Association of Colleges of Nursing found 32,617 qualified applicants in 2008 were not accepted due to factors including the shortage of teachers. The association’s CEO and Executive Director, Geraldine “Polly” Bednash, says: “Increasing enrollment in baccalaureate nursing programs is a critical first step to correcting an imbalance in the nursing student population and reversing our nation’s diminishing supply of nurse educators.”

In short, there are many career roads for those with a BSN. Which one will you take?

-Lori Johnston