College and Grad School

Most parents are aware that college degree gives children many more opportunities in life. They learn more, think wisely, get better jobs and earn more money. You can help prepare your child for college right from the middle and high school years.

Child preparation for college or graduate school- 

1. Help your child get a solid foundation in academics.  He or she should take courses that are more demanding and work towards getting better grades.

2. Some of the subjects that your child could take are calculus and algebra, basic computer skills, languages, science and more.

3. Take the advanced placement (AP) courses and exams offered in high school. A child who take the AP course, and scores a grade of 3 or more, can receive advanced placement in college or credit for a college course, this will substantially reduce the college fees.

4. Help your child choose the subjects in high school so that they are able to fulfill college requirements.

Types of colleges :

1. Community, Technical, and Junior Colleges -

These colleges are less than four years and offer education and training programs that could offer you a license, a certificate, an associate of arts (A.A.) degree, an associate of science (A.S.) degree, or an associate of applied science (A.A.S.) degree.

2. Four-Year Colleges and Universities -

These offer a Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) or Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree or even a professional degree.

3. University Post Graduate Degree –

With this, you can specialize in your chosen area of expertise.

Tips for choosing college or graduation school:

1. The college must be accredited by an agency recognized by the secretary of education. This makes it eligible to participate in federal student aid programs

2. Understand the philosophy of the college and the education programs. It should have an expertise in the field that your child wants to excel.

3. The duration of the college and the attendance requirements should match your child needs.

4. Placement options – Look closely at how many of the students are placed at the end of the course.

5. Find out whether most of the students finish the course or if the drop out rate is high. This may give you an idea of the quality of the college. Check out the default rate to get an idea of how many students finish the course and find jobs afterwards

6. Find out as much as you can about the faculty, because good teachers ensure a quality course.

7. The college must also offer you quality facilities like plenty of classrooms libraries, and dormitories, modern laboratories, computers etc.

Choosing a college or graduate school can be a daunting task, but a little understanding can help you choose the best institution for your child.