Degree>Career: That’s the goal, right? 5 Degrees Can Guarantee.

With the economy in a state of chaos, and the job market fairly limited, competition is at an all time high. Therefore, many have decided to head back to school to strengthen their overall career outlook. But which degrees are the right ones? That’s a tough question with no surefire answer, but check out these in-demand college degrees below to get a good idea on what’s popular right now.

Business Administration
Business remains one of the most popular degrees, then and now.  Perhaps that’s due to the versatility at play here. The degree, which focuses on communication and analysis of a business, can lead to careers in marketing, advertising, and finance among others.  At a four year level, there’s plenty of opportunity to make decent bank. The degree, however, can be built upon by pursuing an MBA, catapulting the earnings into the 100K a year range ultimately. That means lots of bling for those equipped with the agility to navigate through the business world.

Computer Science
Computer science degrees were thought to be fading out, but the truth is they are still very “in”. As technology continues to expand, increase and evolve each and every day, the demand for this degree has kept up. Let’s face it, technology is moving at a rate so fast that the line between current and dated hardly even exists anymore. Mastering technological development, efficient operation for business, communication and more can help these students stay on top of the technological revolution. Starting salaries can be in the 50k area.

Human Resources
Are you a people person? Did you get voted miss congeniality? Can you make best friends with the random guy you just met on the street? Well then, perhaps Human Resources will be a good career fit for you. The profession concentrates on the recruitment, training, employee relations and retention of said employees. Though overall hiring is quite slow right now, the demand is still in for recruiting and maintaining employee relations. Starting salaries for HR assistants falls in the upper 30’s, while am HR manager can make upwards of 70K.

Health Administration
The Healthcare industry is one area that continues to grow during these troubled economic times. The primary responsibilities involve overseeing the vast expanses of medical personnel, which can be tough in this ever evolving climate and industry. With a Health Administration degree, you can pursue work in social service and welfare programs, other governmental roles, and even nonprofit organizations for those non-corporate minded individuals. The starting salary hovers in the 40K area depending on what job you obtain.

Agricultural Degrees
Organic foods aren’t just a staple of Whole Foods Market anymore. The craze has spread to mainstream culture in a big way. Due to the rising demand, interest in agricultural degrees has blown up. It is estimated that more than a quarter of farmers employed today carry bachelor’s degrees.  Besides farming, the degree can lead to careers as agricultural scientists, farmers or managers just to name a few. The field is expected to grow significantly in the next ten years, so put on your overalls and start planting! In fact, Washington State University just became the first school to offer an agriculture degree online.  Starting salaries are expected to get more competitive as we move forward.

First generation students make their families proud: Are they at bigger risk to drop out?

First-Generation Students at Risk for Dropping Out

Posted by BrittanyL on Sep 13, 2011 in College Education Today, Colleges and Universities0 comments

It is a very admirable achievement to be able to say that you are the first in your family to graduate from college.  Many families take pride in their relatives who pursue higher education.  What happens when the stress of a college career takes a toll on these students?  According to an article from Education News and commentary from Lincoln College’s VP of enrollment management and student services, one of the most at-risk groups for college dropout is first-generation students.  The reason being is that this group of students, and their families, are unfamiliar with the college experience.

So what is being done to keep first-generation students in college?  The article suggests that schools need to keep in mind the background needs of these students.  Perhaps a large portion of first-gen students come from lower income families, whereby, the motivation to attend traditional or online colleges may not have been as great as for a student who comes from an educated family.  In general, I think that it’s important to know that all first-year college students are at a higher risk for dropping out than upperclassmen.  From experience, the freshman year is often very fragile.  There are a lot of new changes that require adjusting, which can cause some troubles and stress. Also, it’s easier to dropout if you only have taken a few classes as opposed to after committing years to your education.

Students who are contemplating dropping out should be sure to carefully evaluate the consequences of doing so.  Many of these first-gen students feel immense pressure from their families to be ‘the one’ to succeed, notes the article.  I think this can put a lot of extra stress on a student, because it can make him or her feel as if he or she is letting the family down if he or she doesn’t earn a college degree.  To put a positive spin on things, you could also think of this as a motivation to rise up and succeed.  Also, there are even special scholarships just for first-gen students!

I agree with the article that first-gen students need extra support, no doubt.  They should be encouraged to continue with their education as well as commended for their academic success.  Some resources for students to turn to are academic advisor and school counselors, which many colleges and universities encourage students to turn to.  I also suggest that all students should be “plugged in” somehow, whether they participate in Greek Life or join a club or organization.  The added support of friends and peers can help you decide to stay in school!

UFC Fighters and Their Degrees

MMA fighters are usually rough and tough, their battle grounds often smothered in blood, sweat, and tears.

They train for hours on end during the majority of the year, and most of them look like they’ve been training for this their entire lives. You might be surprised to find out at 70% of UFC fighters have a college degree. Many UFC fighters got their start in collegiate wrestling so this may not be too surprising for some but despite their early start these fighters fought to finish their degrees first.

Randy Couture – A three-time former heavyweight champion, two-time former light-heavyweight champion and UFC 13 tournament winner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship has a degree in German from Oklahoma State University.

Rich Franklin – Prior to becoming a UFC Middleweight champion, Franklin was a math teacher in Ohio. He received a bachelor’s in mathematics and later earned a master’s degree in education from the University of Cincinnati.

Chuck Liddell – This UFC hall of famer, Dancing with Stars contestant and infamous mixed martial arts superstar received a bachelor of arts in business in 1995.

Cain Velasquez – Undefeated UFC Heavyweight champion Velasquez got his start in college as well. He received his associate’s degree at a local community college where he also wrestled for one season. He went on to graduate from Arizona State University with a bachelor’s degree in education.

Rashad Evans – The former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Ultimate Fighter 2 winner got his start in community college where he entered the wrestling program and won the National Junior College championship. Evans transferred to Michigan State University where he continued wrestle and graduated with a psychology degree.

Is addiction a disease? Or all in your head?

ask kate| addiction all in your head?

by kate on September 13, 2011

I am an alcoholic new to recovery, and I want to become an addictions counselor. At this point in my life the idea of helping others gain sobriety seems like an incredible job. Where do I start?

-Jee

Sounds like you’re on fire to fight the good fight, Jee. I always encourage college students to follow their passion, whatever it may be. You will find the motivation you need to get through school, and make a meaningful career out of something you deeply care about.

There are some seriously divergent opinions in the chemical dependency field. Causes, mechanisms and treatments vary with the school of thought. One mainstream idea pegs addiction as a disease, with genetic evidence backing up the predilection for abusing chemicals. That’s the theory that I was taught in preparation for my years as a state Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor. 

Opponents criticize this as dis-empowering for the addict or alcoholic. However, most treatment programs utilize Alcoholics Anonymous tenets that teach healthy ways to get the help you need. Most people with a disease will seek experts for treatment.

An idea that is gaining momentum sees addiction as a choice. This article from NPR calls traditional thinking the “brain disease idea”. The argument posed is that while addictive chemicals (and certain activities like gambling) cause dopamine (happy hormone) release, so do other non-addictive activities, and therefore there must be something we are missing. Like choice. There is much to be learned on the topic, but “bad choices” sounds like a leap back in time to the morality argument.

There are many online programs for chemical dependency, like an Associate’s degree in Human Services with a concentration in addictions and substance abuse. Check out the certification and licensing requirements in your state, then search for a program to meet your goals.

-Kate

Tips to ensure your resume is top notch!

Crafting an Impressive Resume

Posted by BrittanyL on Sep 12th, 2011 in Education, Helping Others, Work | 0 comments

You are eager to apply for that job that you have your eye, but first, you must make sure that you have created an excellent resume.  If not, you may ruin your chances of landing an interview altogether.  So what exactly is the purpose of a resume?  Well one, to get that job.  Yeah, no kidding!  But really, a resume is your own unique brand.  The objective of a resume is to market oneself to potential employers.  You are selling yourself for a job – not literally, but a good way to think of it as.  Purdue OWL offers some great insight into making and sprucing up your resume.

I recall having to practice creating a resume in one of my college classes.  We had to create one and turn it in for a grade.  Needless to say, I learned the dos and don’ts of making a resume.  The main thing to keep in mind is to make sure that your resume is easy to read.  When job recruiters are sifting through a stack of resumes, they don’t want to spend five minutes reading an autobiography of your life.  One should be able to glance at a resume and get a clear picture of a person and his or her qualifications.  A great tip is to not use long, drawn out sentences, but instead, use bullet points and write simple and to-the-point phrases.

The main pieces of information that your resume should include are your name, address, telephone number, email address, and website (if applicable).  This is how a potential employee will contact you.  These “must haves” should be at the top, center of the first page.  The body of your resume should include the following: education (including school and academic major or specialty), honors and awards, employment, internships, publications, prestigious achievements, special skills (i.e. languages spoken), career goals, volunteer work and community service, and unique qualities and experiences (if they are positive attributions).  Obviously, every person is different, and some people will have more to include than others.  A headshot of yourself is optional.

Depending on the job you are applying for, you may want to consider what to include in terms of relevance.  Sometimes, people choose to tailor their resumes to specific jobs positions.  If you are applying for a job at a bank, you may want to leave out that you worked as a pizza delivery boy while in college, unless of course you are fresh out of college and have not had prior work experience.  It really all depends.  Also, do not give any false information or exaggerate anything.  If you were a receptionist somewhere, then simply state that.  Do not inflate any job position or abilities because it could harm you in the future.

You resume should look clean.  Pick and stick to a format with a professional, legible font in black ink on white paper.  No “fancy-schmancy” theme is needed, or wanted.  Keep your spacing uniform as well as your margins.  Nothing screams sloppy like an unorganized resume that lacks cohesion.  It’s best to list things in chronological order, but some people choose to stick to functionality and importance.  Also, keep it as short and sweet as possible; a page or two is ideal.  No need to write a novel about everything you have ever done.  Include only what is important and necessary to create the brand of you!