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Evaluate Education - Vocational School

February 14th, 2007 by Andrew

This is the first installment of our “Evaluate Education” series. We will cover several different types of education and examine the pros and cons of each.

Understand the scope

Many different types of vocational schools exist. By using this term, I am referring to schools which prepare people for a particular occupation, such as an electrician, technician, or even a computer engineer.

These schools typically award students some type of board certification or associate degree. They require anywhere up to 2-3 years of classes (depending upon course load), and they have varying tuition costs.

With all that said, understand that this category does not cover education such as medical school or law school. Those will be covered in a future installment.

Prepare for a career

The huge benefit of attending a vocational school is that you will be prepared for a specific career. Most universities do not offer such specific training; instead, they offer general education on various subjects. This is why vocational schools are sometimes referred to as career / trade schools.

Today, vocational schools offer a wide variety of different careers from which to choose. Beside the traditional paths such as PC technician and automobile mechanic, many schools offer programs in medical fields, art careers, and other vocations.

Learn anywhere in the world

One great benefit of many vocational schools is the possibility of distance learning. This used to mean taking a course via the mail. However, now students can take courses over the internet. Some schools have their entire curriculum online, along with audio lectures, videos, and animated graphics.

To be clear, some universities and graduate schools offer distance learning as well. However, vocational schools sometimes offer more choices for full degrees via correspondence.

Do your homework

As with any life decision, you should evaluate whether or not a vocational school is right for you. Think about the cost involved, as well as the possible degree you might pursue. Importantly, decide if you even need the degree for the career you desire.

Finally, be sure to evaluate particular schools themselves. The Federal Trade Commission has a great page with considerations for evaluating a vocational school. There is also a handy online database of U.S. vocational schools.

Vocational school might be the key to your next career move. However, don’t decide on that before reading the rest of our “Evaluate Education” series. Be sure to subscribe by RSS or get email updates to see the next installment.