When you graduated from high school, the manager of the retail chain for which you worked informed you that he was promoting you to assistant manager, and you started earning over $30,000 yearly. Not bad for a high school graduate, and suddenly it seems as though maybe your future is already set. Why even bother to earn a college degree?

The average salary for people who work in business fields and don’t have a college degree is about $38,000 each year. While this salary isn’t peanuts, compare it with the average salary of a person who has a Bachelor Degree in Business: $88,000 a year. This now puts you in the top 25% of American wage earners.

If you decide to find a graduate degree program in business and earn an MBA, though, you can earn more than $100,000 each year. This is almost three times the amount you would earn if you decided never to go to college.

College degree programs don’t have to be painful any more, however. Students can earn a degree online in business administration in less than two years. These accredited online university degree programs are as helpful in finding jobs with good salaries as those of traditional university degree programs.

The choice is yours. Going to college doesn’t have to mean putting off the rest of your life for four years. If you are willing to invest just a little time and energy, you can earn a college degree at home without ever setting foot on a college campus - and make the kind of money you were destined to earn!

During the last 50 years, we’ve seen amazing advances in computer technology. From mainframe computers that filled an entire room to portable laptops and notebooks that are the staple of many university classrooms. Portable information storage has gone from punch cards to large floppy disks to tiny flash drivers, but now it appears that technology professionals are taking another quantum leap in computer networking.

Students enrolled in both traditional college degree programs and online degree universities are facing another learning curve as well. A relatively new concept, called cloud computing, has been making its way toward the forefront of university degree programs. Technology giants such as Google, Microsoft, and a few others have been developing new strategies for cooperative learning and online storage information.

“Cloud” is jargon often used by computer network specialists to refer to the Internet, or cyberspace. The phrase ‘cloud computing’ was coined to describe online storage databanks that can hold files or documents. People can log in from their own personal computers and access data without worrying about hard drive crashes, viruses, or lost storage devices.

Through this new technology, students at university degree programs across the country could log in to school at home or at work and edit homework assignments. Virtual conference rooms allow professors could simultaneously log in and view a student’s progress or make suggestions in real time. The potential applications for distance degree students are almost limitless.

How much do you understand about cloud computing? What effect do you think this technology will have on distance learning degree programs and traditional campus-based classrooms? Share your thoughts about the latest advances in informational and educational technology.

Recently, researchers did a survey to determine which university degree programs were most respected by American citizens. They found that survey results differed from those performed 30 years ago. Not surprisingly, like the rest of American society, our values and attitudes towards different careers and professions have changed somewhat.

The results showed that pastors and teachers still received more respect from the majority of American citizens than any other degree program. Firefighters, doctors and nurses also received high rankings. Surprisingly, though, people who graduated from universities with many other degrees receive less respect today than they used to receive.

Scientists, for example, received less respect than they had in previous years, as did sports figures. Is it possible that recent controversies in science research has affected this? Likewise, the behaviors of many star athletes, including the recent steroid scandal in Major League Baseball, probably hasn’t helped.

Before you enroll in a traditional or distance learning degree program, take a moment to consider your personal beliefs and requirements. Is earning money important to you? Is respect more important? Make sure that when you earn a college degree, you can be proud of who you are and who you will become.

If you have taken classes for a job, for military advancement, or for another purpose, you may be eligible to receive credit for experience. This is sometimes known as life experience or work experience. If you’ve ever wondered whether your life experiences could offer you credit toward a college degree, perhaps it’s time to find out.

Let’s face it, whether you are planning to attend a traditional college degree program, or attend an online university degree program, college tuition is expensive. No one wants to take unnecessary courses or spend more money than is necessary to earn a college degree. Credit for life or work experience is a valid way to meet requirements for some basic or core courses.

Sometimes, universities allow students to test out of basic or intermediate level classes. For example, if you are fluent in more than one language, you may be about to test out of a foreign language. This can be particularly helpful in fulfilling humanities or language requirements for most university degree programs.

Another option is available for students who took advanced placement courses in math, science, or English at the high school level. Sometimes colleges allow students to test out of core classes, often saving the expense of 12 or more credit hours. These tests are referred to variably as CLEP tests or placement tests.

If you have taken course work for another purpose without being enrolled in a traditional or distance learning university, contact an evaluator to determine whether you are able to receive credit for this work. You may find that you are much closer to a Bachelor Degree in a related field than you could have imagined! Wouldn’t it be great to complete your degree in half the time that it otherwise would require?

If you are wondering whether Oscar Mayer has suddenly taken an interest in postsecondary education, don’t be alarmed. The Bologna Process has nothing to do with sandwiches, and everything to do with universities degree programs in foreign countries. Although this concept is primarily associated with European countries, many other nations have expressed interest or accord.

The Bologna Process is an attempt to standardize Bachelor Degree Programs and Master Degree Programs among European nations. If this becomes reality, this could open the door for other leading countries, including the United States, to follow suit. Evaluation of foreign degrees would become a very simple process, because everyone would have the same amount of education to get their degrees.

Currently, many European students attend high school for 13 years, instead of 12 years as American students do. They, however, are eligible to receive a Bachelor Degree after attending a postsecondary institution for only three years. Degrees from certain countries, such as the United Kingdom, France, and Spain, are recognized by the USCIS (Citizenship and Immigration Services) as equivalent to a U.S. Bachelor Degree.

Other countries, however, have 3-year university degree programs that are not always recognized by the U.S. as equal. Countries in this category include India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. Even though students who attend universities in these countries do not automatically have the equivalency of a U.S. Bachelor Degree, they may be awarded the U.S. equivalency of their degree in some cases.

Foreign degree programs are complex and often confusing. Finding a foreign credential evaluation agency that can give a good professional evaluation of your degree can be difficult. Do your research, and choose an agency that offers free pre-evaluations, and be sure to shop around for the lowest price. Make sure the agency is experienced, as well. Hint: If they have never heard of the Bologna Process, move on quickly to the next agency!

Online degree programs offer professionals a number of excellent opportunities in healthcare administration and management. MBA students are taught to problem solve and collaborate with colleagues, and to learn and grow from the rewarding, enriching experiences created by the interactions of dedicated, motivated individuals who commit themselves to earn a degree online.

These university degree program emphasize financial, research, and technology aspects of healthcare organizations. They also instruct graduate students in important concepts such as healthcare infrastructure and database management. These models help to prepare graduates to assume management roles in today’s healthcare businesses.

People intending to pursue careers in this field also learn about economics and strategic planning. These courses are taught to help them focus on future, as well as current, healthcare trends. Students can choose between online university courses that focus on long-term care, public health, or even health informatics.

Earning a graduate degree online, even from a top online school or university, requires self-discipline and critical thinking skills. People who successfully complete these college degree programs, can display their diploma with pride. Finally, most students agree that the convenience and flexibility of being able to earn their degree at home is well worth the effort!