How Do I Choose My College Major?

There are few decisions as important in life as what you study in college. The right decision can be the start of a long, prosperous and fulfilling career. The wrong choice, however, can lead to endless frustration, regret and lost opportunities. While there is no magic formula for choosing the correct major that will work with all students, my experience studying in three nationally recognized universities including an Ivy League Masters Program has enabled me to take part in numerous discussions regarding this topic. I hope the insights and lessons I've learned from both my own experience and my fellow students help those in the midst of this difficult decision.

Think Big Picture

One of the first things that one should do when deciding on a degree choice is to think about where you want to be 5, 10 and even 20 years down the line. If you know you want to be the CEO of an internet company 10 years from now, majoring in drama, while fun, might not be the best choice. Likewise if you want to be a doctor, choosing an English major obviously isn't going to be leading you in the right direction.

This might seem obvious, but you'd be surprised how many students actually have a very good idea of what they want to do after college yet don't think about what classes and undergraduate major they need to do today in order to qualify and prepare them for what they want to do after or to get into the right graduate program. If you have a specific goal in mind for a career, it is important to do your research and find out from established professionals that already are successful in that career exactly what their path was.

In some cases, such as the path of 'professional' careers such as being a lawyer or doctor, this is obvious. But in others it might not be. For instance, how does one become a nuclear physicist? How about a film director? A real estate developer or entrepreneur? There are many fascinating and exciting career choices that don't have an obvious path and it's best to do your 'homework' to figure out that path now when you're just starting out so you don't go in the wrong direction.

Do What You Love

I'm a firm believer in this statement. Each of us has our own natural strengths, abilities and talents. While there are some people that have families or parents that insist they take part in a particular course of study even if they don't want to, in my experience this rarely works out. Eventually, unless you really want something for yourself you'll either sabotage yourself or be miserable in what you're doing.

By doing what you love you accomplish a few things. First of all you ensure you'll enjoy what you're studying so even hard work won't seem like a chore. Second, you'll prevent having regrets and won't be a 40 or 50 year old looking back and saying 'if only I had studied that'. Third, by doing what you love you already know you have the natural ability and mindset to do well in that field or else you would have already found it a struggle and lost interest.

What Comes Naturally?

What if you're not one of those people that have a burning passion in one area and haven't known what you want to do since you were a kid? What if you need to figure out a 'practical' career? Most students fall into this category and the best way to approach figuring out what to major in is to keep these two things in mind. What are you naturally good at and where do you see yourself in 10 years?

Are you the kind of person that gets along easily with other people or do you prefer to be alone? Are you competitive and love the pressure of competition or do you prefer to work at your own pace? Are you an intellectual that loves to read and delve into subjects or do you prefer to learn a little about lots of things? By asking yourself these kinds of questions and then comparing them to the daily job experience of various careers you can start to get a picture of what careers you could see yourself working in. Once you know this you simply work backwards and figure out what degree will best prepare you for that career. Again, you'll need to do your 'homework' as to the path of that career.

There are many different 'theories' of how to go about choosing a career. There are career 'tests' you can take and guidance counselors to talk to. Obviously, speaking with friends and relatives and parents can also expose you to different ideas for careers. Most of all, try to find something that feels natural and is something you enjoy. It is after all, what you'll be spending the most time studying for the next few years.

Make sure to stop by http://www.BachelorDegree.me for more great articles and insight.

Distance Learning Degree - How it Can Hurt You

Here are 3 things to look for in a distance education degree program.

Does the College or University Only Offer Online Degrees? - Schools who only offer degrees online lose a degree of reputability. Once your school has developed a reputation as offering only online degrees. The degrees themselves start to lose their credibility. Once you go to obtain a job or continue your education with graduate school. You may find it difficult, if not impossible to continue. It is best to find a University that is a state school or at least a reputable private school. You want to be sure that the degree doesn't mention anything about you taking your courses online or through distance education. Make sure your degree will look the same as every other on campus student.

Make Sure the School is Regionally Accredited - There are many types of accreditation. The main types of accreditation are national and regional accreditation. Make sure the school you attend is regionally accredited. That is the most legitimate accreditation. With regional accreditation you can be sure that your courses will transfer more easily to other schools and that your school has passed rigorous accreditation analysis.

Cost - Schools vary widely in their tuition costs. Some state schools in low income areas might only charge $100 per credit while private schools can charge upwards of $500 per credit or more. Compare costs before you decide which school is best for you. Also, make sure the school you are attending offers financial aid for distance education learners. Some schools don't offer financial aid to their online degree seekers.

See my List of Reputable Universities With Online Degree Programs. I have spent many hours searching for legitimate, reputable colleges and universities who offer degrees online or through distance education. Most of the schools on my list are state schools and universities as well. Visit http://Gradwise.org/Online_Degree_Programs.shtml for more information.

Many People Both Young and Old Have Chosen to Go Beyond a High School EducationSo you're considering going to college to acquire the skills and knowle

So you're considering going to college to acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to ride these tough economic times?

Many people both young and old have chosen to go beyond a high school education in order to earn a Bachelor's or even Master's degree that can help them get financially ahead in their life.

However, deciding on the best college program can be difficult as there are many options.

Consider Your Educational and Career Goals

One of the things to look at when choosing a college program is your educational and career goals. Picture yourself ten years from this moment and try to envision yourself set in a career or working at a job that you absolutely love.

Is this job related to internet technology, is it counseling people, is it managing people or a business, or is it figuring out where people went wrong on their taxes? If you know what you'd like to be working on in 10 years then all you have to do is find a college that fits those future goals.

Navigating the sea of colleges, though, can be very difficult.

There are traditional colleges and universities as well as online college programs that offer you the convenience of earning your degree entirely online!

If getting accepted into a traditional state or private college is what you want to do then the first place you should look is a college department website. Often colleges will have lists of courses available so that you can match up your goals to see if you like what the college has to offer.

On the other hand, there are also online colleges and universities that offer everything from technical and hospitality programs all the way to teacher certification programs. These college programs can be found relatively quickly just by searching the web for online programs in the area you want.

After all is said and done, though, chances are that you should be able to find something that you'd like to do as far as your education is concerned. Today colleges and universities are diversifying more so anyone can have the chance to obtain an educational degree very quickly and efficiently!

If you are looking to go beyond a high school education and don't know where to start -> CLICK HERE.

Here is a FREE resource you can download, to over 1,900 college and Universities! freeeducationguide2009.info

Transitions For the College Bound Student

Are you a senior in high school about ready to make the transition to college? Are you completely excited yet also incredibly terrified of what will happen? If so, take comfort in the fact that you are not the only one experiencing the ups and downs of transitioning to college. Most likely, all your friends are right there with you!

Being in college means something different for everyone. Maybe college means new opportunity, new friends, and a new life experience. Maybe college is a way to get away from your family that you don't get along with, or maybe college is the next step in your passion for learning. Transitioning to college brings multiple meanings and multiple emotions, not only for you, but also for your friends and family that have watched you grow and become ready for the college transition.

Your parents, most likely, make different meaning of your transition than you do, and your friends may have different ideas about why they want to go to college and what they want the summer to look like before everyone goes their separate ways. Regardless of meaning you may find yourself asking questions like "Will I like my major? What happens if I don't do well in what I love to do? What if I don't know what I want to do? Am I wasting time because I don't know what I want to do for the rest of my life?"

My encouragement to you is to allow yourself to ask these questions and really begin exploring your passions. The transition to college brings multiple other transitions like discovering who you are apart from your family and friends, discovering your talents that you didn't know existed, and learning how to manage your time without a teacher reminding you of your responsibilities. Some new college students learn how to manage money for the first time or do laundry all by themselves. The move to college is more than changing location, it's about learning, growing, and discovering the uniqueness of you. Below, you will find suggestions on how to make this transition easier.

1. Allow yourself to be nervous or confused. The college atmosphere is much different than your home atmosphere and it will take time to adjust and settle into a new routine.

2. Try new things during your first months at school. What you loved growing up and what you were good at during high school is not necessarily what you will want to do forever. Be adventurous and discover what else you love.

3. Do something because you want to, not because you think it would make your family proud or your friends happy, but because it will make you happy.

4. Be curious about the person you want to become. College is about developing a new identity or solidifying the identity you already have. Don't be afraid to notice the changes in yourself.

Because the transition to college and the first months at college bring increased emotion and chaos, I encourage you to speak with a counselor about your experience. If you notice that you are having difficulty making the transition during the summer or find yourself completely lost once you have arrived at college, make an appointment with a counselor in your area. The Lotus Group has many counselors who were once in your position and can help bring stability and insight to your transition. Give us a call at 595-5555 to schedule an appointment. We would love to speak with you.

While Douglas Scott continues to work on his psychology degree he finds therapy to be most beneficial. For more information on Indianapolis therapy visit LotusGroup.biz

Mind Mapping and Note Taking Strategies For Exam Revision

Definition of Mind Mapping
Mind mapping involves the use of a Mind Map to represent ideas and concepts in a visual form where the central theme or topic is located at the centre of the mind map and subtopics are arranged around a central keyword or idea.

Mind Maps are considered one of the most effective note taking strategies and a number of different mind mapping software tools exist to facilitate the creation of mind maps.

Why create Mind Maps
Mind mapping is the most effective way of learning, generating new ideas, summarizing and organising information you want to recall. Mind maps can also facilitate creativity, problem solving, decision making and the generation of new ideas.

They are a great tool when revising for exams as they enable you to see how the different topics and concepts are associated and provide visual cues which are great for quickly reviewing a subject before an exam and recalling information that would normally be lost from your long term memory.

How to create a Mind Map for revision
Lets say you want to use Mind Mapping to revise for an exam. It is a good idea to first determine how much knowledge of the subject you already have. This will help when you want to build upon that knowledge later by developing associations and connections from the knowledge you have already gained.

Obtain a large sheet of paper and write down the subject or topic you are revising for at the centre of the sheet. Then write down the main subtopics related to that central topic by creating branches moving out from the central keyword. Add sub- branches to these subtopics containing keywords or short phrases summarizing key ideas that you can recall from memory and try to see how the different sub-topics and elements are associated.

You should avoid the temptation to write in sentences. Linear note taking uses this method and it is very ineffective for recalling important information. Try to include no more then 4 words when summarizing an idea or concept. If you can sum up an idea with one word then that is even better. Use plenty of colour and images to make key topics stand out with larger writing and images for the main topics that are nearer the centre of the Mind Map and smaller writing and images for those on the outside of the Mindmap. This will help your mind to visually organize the key topics from the sub-topics.

When you believe you have recalled as much of the topic as possible then speed read books related to your subject so that you can quickly determine the different categories that the topic is composed of. Don't forget to look at the content pages of the books to get a broad summary of the different sub-topics and elements of the subject you are studying. This will help you to focus on the most important information when reading the subject in greater detail.

Prioritise those books that provide the most valuable information you require for passing the exam and read those books in depth.

Now add more detail to your Mind Map by adding branches and keywords and phrases after reading each category or section. These keywords or phrases should encapsulate the main ideas and sub-topics.

This will aid in recalling the information you have just read, will help to maintain important knowledge in your long term memory and will greatly assist when reviewing the subject before the exam.

Don't forget to keep adding to your Mind Map after gaining knowledge that you consider important for the exam. Your Mind Map should become larger over time and more branches should be created moving even further from the central topic. Your Mind Map should become more detailed so make sure you use a large sheet of paper. Keep reviewing your Mind Map every few days to reinforce the information you have learned.

When you get closer to the exam you should be able to recall in detail the knowledge gained by glancing at your Master Mind Map which should now contain a detailed summary of an entire subject or topic.

The images will greatly assist in recalling information at a glance and the Mind Map itself will help you to see how all the elements and sub-topics are associated and ordered. The mind works best via association and images.

When the mind can get a broad perspective of a subject and can understand how the different topics are associated and ordered this is the most effective method for learning and recalling information. Also the images give more mental 'hooks' for the mind to latch onto and so aid in recall.

Good luck with your exams. However if you have taken my advice you wont need it.

Ashley is a Mind Mapping researcher who has just started a blog to educate people on the benefits of Mind Mapping and is a keen user and promoter of Mind Mapping software