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| Category: Education |
(requires Adobe Reader)
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| About the Book | |
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A college education is fast becoming a requirement. However, we are faced with two major problems: first, the cost of obtaining a college education and second, the decline in quality of degrees. The book addresses both issues. First, a variety of strategies to obtain an affordable college degree are provided. Ways for the student and his family to finance a degree from starting in high school with AP courses to the community college option to savings plans and sources of financial aid are discussed. Increasing the odds of acceptance into competitive programs and ways to increase the student's attractiveness to board members are discussed. Options to save on room and board, as well as actual expenses in college (texts, tuition, and supplies) are looked at. Ways for the student to sign up for manageable schedules and tips on succeeding in courses are covered. Everything from computer tips to study tips and time management and organization are reviewed. Students must learn how to get the most from the courses they take, as well as the services provided at their institutions, because American students are not competing against just fellow Americans for jobs: we compete against the entire world. In fact, we educate a substantial portion of the world, so college admissions are truly international as well. Sadly, the most recent National Assessment of Adult Literacy indicated that college graduates who were proficient in literacy numbered less than one-third. A small number of college graduates scored "below basic" to the point where they are viewed as incapable of anything beyond a simple task. Industry leaders in the U.S. have been suspicious of the quality of American college graduates for some time and we see jobs not only going to immigrants who are better educated, but high-quality jobs being outsourced because U.S. industry knows they can hire many well-educated people elsewhere. "When we have to look for deep technical talent, not just 10 or 20 people--especially in high technology--the places you can go and know you can hire somebody every day are India and China." That was General Electric's Vice Chairman being quoted in the U.S. News & World Report cover story, "Can America Keep Up?" which ran 27 March 2006. Students who want to earn a degree that will produce benefits from them need to know that Professor Easy-A is not their friend. They need to know how to ensure they get an education that will provide them with the knowledge, skills, and abilities to win in the international world we live in.
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| About the Author | |
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Michael J. Laurence is a college instructor with more than 20 years of teaching experience. Laurence took no student loans while earning three college degrees. |