If you are trying to decide where to invest your future, this article could help you choose between 4-year colleges and technical schools. Which one is right for you?
How to choose between 4-year colleges and technical schools: Ask yourself these questions and then consider the benefits and disadvantages of each type of school.
What are your goals?
Do you have a specific career goal?
What are your educational goals?
Do you want to learn as much as you can about a variety of subjects?
Do you want to learn as much as you can about one specific topic (become an expert)?
What are your strengths? Weaknesses?
Would you benefit from a shorter, more targeted program?
What do you need? Realistically, what sort of degree or training do you need to pursue your dreams?
Research your desired field
Know what the requirements are and how they compare to the programs you are considering. The US Department of Education's website offers resources for career and training research. This could be useful, even if you won't study in the US.
Research the tasks you will be performing and the equipment you will be using on the job.
This can be tedious, but it is quite important to ensure you’ll be developing the required skills to do the job after graduation. Once in school, you will be offered many elective courses to choose from, and it is useful to get an idea of what to consider when prioritizing. If you are better informed, you could take extra courses specifically related to those skills.
Also explore the following about each College/University you're thinking to join
Campus size
Faculty and staff
Current and former students.
Find out if the school is licensed and accredited.
Do they make extraordinary claims, such as “90% of graduate find employment within 6 months”?
Will your credits be transferable, in case you want to join another institution or pursue postgraduate studies?
If you are interested in more scholarly pursuits, a traditional 4-year program might be your best option.
Are you looking to learn just for the sake of learning?
In 4-year Colleges some people like to learn just for the sake of learning. Liberal arts training applies to many fields, diverse topics to explore, prestige, and more intense "college life".
However, there are some disadvantages: you are spending your money and time to get a degree in an area you may no longer wish to pursue. Also, even though you would meet high admission standards and prerequisites, job market may be slower upon graduation. You may require additional training. You probably find yourself pursuing a masters as a must.
Are you more focused and driven and using school as a stepping stone for job advancement? Then you might want to pursue a Professional Degree.
The U.S. Department of Education defines a Professional Degree as one that meets the following criteria:
You must complete the degree to practice in the profession (you might also need to take a licensing exam in order to practice)
You must complete at least two years of college before entering the program
The program (plus any previous college experience) must last at least six years
Accounting, Nursing, Engineering, are examples of professional degrees. Professional degrees teach you what you need to know to perform a specific job.
Within academic learning and research, these programs are focused on the practical aspect of the profession. This often includes real-life experiences such as internships.
Technical Schools also are focused on job advancement.
Some people may feel a stigma is attached to technical schools. In a society where attending college has become standard, we lose sight of the value of skills training. People may feel odd and may be angry if they don't want to go to college but feel pressured to do so anyways.
Benefits of technical studies are shorter duration, focused programs, easier admission standards, flexible scheduling, hands-on training. Some disadvantages are: they may be viewed as less prestigious, can be expensive, there may be less room for exploration of other subjects, and may need accreditation for-profit institutions.
Many of the fastest growing jobs do not require a bachelor's degree but do require post-secondary education (education beyond high school) Some of these jobs are:
Medical Assistants
Social and human service assistants
Entrepreneurs
Medical records and health information technicians
Fitness trainers and aerobics instructors
Dental hygienists
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
Web Designer and Developers
For more information on job growth statistics see the Bureau of Labor Statistics' webpage. Remember, the best way to determine what is right for you is knowing yourself and being informed.
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