Archive for the 'Education' Category
Most students submit to a battery of standardized tests, especially if you go to graduate school. In fact, you’ll probably even have to take a standardized exam to get into college.
Lots of standardized exams
Here are a just a few examples of standardized exams students and future-professionals might encounter:
- High school graduation test (perhaps administered by local government)
- SAT - college-level exam
- ACT - college-level exam
- GMAT - graduate management admission test
- LSAT - law school admission test
- MCAT - medical college admission test
- bar exam - required to be an attorney
- medical boards - required to be a doctor
You get the picture. There are lots of exams out there. Not everyone will take all of these, but you’ll likely encounter a couple during your higher education years.
Classes, to study for exams
Along with these exams, a thriving industry of prep courses has arisen. Review courses vary from a day-long workshop to multiple weeks of lectures.
Prices for these courses also vary. Some can be quite low, but others can be over $2,500. Thus, it’s logical to question the value you’re actually getting in return.
The main benefits
The best feature of prep classes is that they provide a structured study atmosphere. In a way, you’re paying someone to help give you the discipline to trudge through studying and preparing for the exam.
For tests with specialized knowledge (like a specific profession’s certification test), you are also getting help understanding the material. It could be very helpful to have a knowledgeable person in the field explain the test material, especially if some things are unclear to you.
When to take a prep class
With all of this analysis done, I personally have a couple of recommendations regarding exam prep classes. There are only two times I would suggest taking them. (But I’m open to other suggestions in the comments.)
1. Self-discipline is difficult. If you have problems buckling down, creating a study & prep schedule, and sticking to it, you should consider a prep class. The cost might be well worth it, if you’re skeptical that you can put in the prep time on your own.
2. Specialized material that is unclear. If you’re facing a specialized exam and you have lingering questions about the material, think about a prep class. You can probably get the material down on your own (or with a friend’s help), but a prep class might be worth the money.
Other than that, I would suggest purchasing study books and going at it on your own. That approach isn’t right for everyone, but it’s worth a thought.
What have you done?
What has been your experience with standardized tests? Do you take preparation courses? Study on your own? Do you just wing it? Leave a comment and fill us in.
This is Part 3 of our “Evaluate Education” series. We have covered several different types of education and examined the pros and cons of each. Be sure to check out the previous posts about vocational school and undergraduate education.
Graduate school provides an interesting final focus for this series. You already saw how vocational school trains students for a specific occupation. On the contrary, an undergraduate degree is generally for a broad field of study. Graduate school can actually be either of these types. The examples that follow will clarify this point.
A tale of two degrees
A basic graduate school degree is a master’s or doctorate degree. Many people choose to earn these degrees in their undergraduate field of study, such as math or history. Thus, you could attend graduate school, obtain a doctorate, but still have a general degree relating to a broad field of study.
On the flip side, medical school is also a graduate degree. However, once a student obtains a medical degree, she is actually prepared to engage in a specific occupation.
As you see, a graduate degree could appear similar to vocational school OR undergraduate, depending upon what type of degree you seek.
Time and money
Of the three types of education we’re covering in this series, graduate school definitely takes the longest. Generally speaking, students obtain a graduate degree only after getting an undergraduate degree. So if undergraduate takes an average 4 years, a graduate degree takes 4+ years.
The added time for a graduate degree depends upon what type of degree you’re seeking. A basic master’s degree usually takes an extra year. A doctorate might take 2 more years, a law degree takes 3 years, and a medical degree takes around 7 years (to finish residency, etc).
The cost of graduate degrees also varies, depending upon the field of study and school chosen. A law degree from a private school can cost $100,000 USD in tuition alone. However, a master’s degree from a public university might only cost a couple thousand dollars.
Think about your career
The mantra here about Job Tuition is always to think “career.” Thus, you’ll need to decide whether a graduate degree is right for your career.
Here are a few considerations to keep in mind:
- Do you need a graduate degree (ex: lawyer, doctor, etc)?
- Will a graduate degree increase your job or promotion opportunities?
- Would graduate school increase your salary?
- Do you want to commit to the extra school and expense required?
In the end, be sure to decide whether further education is right for you. There is no “right path” that everyone should follow. Gather information and evaluate education.
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This is Part 2 of our “Evaluate Education” series. We will cover several different types of education and examine the pros and cons of each. Be sure to check out the first post about vocational school.
After considering vocational school, the next logical option for education is a basic undergraduate degree, typically a bachelor’s degree.
Longer term
The first thing to understand about an undergraduate degree is the length of time required to obtain it. Vocational school can take a couple years, but an undergraduate degree usually takes about four years to complete.
However, don’t let the longer term scare you off from an undergrad education. There are some great benefits.
Flexible costs
Undergrad degrees might take longer than vocational school, but the costs can be flexible. A big reason that college costs are flexible is due to public universities. These schools are subsidized by government money, so they can generally offer lower tuition rates, especially for area residents.
Another factor to help mitigate costs is scholarship and grant money that students can obtain. While this financial assistance might be available to attend vocational schools, it is widely available for undergraduate degrees. Scholarships and grants can often cover a significant portion of college expenses, even taking care of all tuition costs.
Broad degree possibilities
Undergraduate degrees are inherently flexible. Students typically earn a general degree in a broad field of study, such as business, art, history, etc.
This has a couple implications for careers. First, it means that your undergraduate degree will not limit you to a single job. Unlike vocational schools, undergraduate degrees do not target your education for specific job skills.
However, this same feature is the second implication: undergraduate degrees do not typically train for any specific job. A bachelor’s degree in history does not testify to your job abilities in a particular field, other than something like a history teacher. With that said, many employers look favorably on an undergraduate degree in any field, since it illustrates your work ethic in general.
Consider your plans
As always, be sure to consider these thoughts in your career plan as a whole. Undergraduate degrees are not necessary or even beneficial for every career path. In fact, many careers might not require any formal education. Others might require some type of vocational school training. It’s always best to consider your options, but to not feel roped into a particular path.
Be sure to check back for the final post in this “Evaluate Education” series. Better yet, subscribe to keep track of all updates.
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.
