There are several issues involved in this topic and I may not cover all of them for the fact that some are way more important than others...

How one deduces what is most important, is to look at it through past experiences. A lot of people had a hard time in school, because of lifestyle, learning disabilities or peer pressure, they did not complete high-school....

I am not going to say that all adult education programs are no good, what I am going to say is that when they say get life experience credit, this is wrong, unless you actually work in the field that you are studying this will do nothing to help you... Life experience does have its merits but not when it comes to learning, if you have been out of school, then you need a refresher course... A lot of the programs that allow you to enter on this note will also be more expensive than going to college in a day or night program... Their degree when it comes right down to it will not place as much value as a college or university... So, yes you can finish a year or two before the rest, but if it has no real merit what good was it?

By taking a little longer and going through a reputable college or university program you get your life experience when they put you out into the workforce, learning program... It may cost a few thousand dollars more, but when a lot of these programs say we have a 99% job rate they are looking at the general picture, below is a good example.

You take a bar-tending course, and a hotel restaurant management course, you pass and get your diploma... Then you apply for a job, none is available in the money range that you so worked hard to invest in so you take that (temporary job) as a waitress... Guess what, you have just fulfilled that 99% job success rate! The same job you could have had a year ago without taking the course and now being in debt to the government for $10,000.00....

You also have to look at who the teachers are. Do they have the proper credentials, or are they just ordinary people who were lucky enough to get this position.. One course that I took, I ended up teaching the class, because I knew more than the teacher, I did it because of the extra money and the fact that I too owed government money in that program.. I thought that if I helped put out more knowledgeable people that it would somehow make the course that much more worthy in the eyes of the employers that were hiring...

Yes, there are many things to consider, I have touched only the surface and my best advise to you all right now is if you are trying to decide between the fast track and a college or university, go with the college or university, or you will just be another of the 99% who work hard for a job just to waitress......

Learn more about this author, Marjorie Green.
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