Archive for May, 2009
Posted by admin on May 29th, 2009
No. 1: Huntsville, Ala.
Population: 378,057
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 39.7
Cost-of-Living Index: 91 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $51,275
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 9.7%
Huntsville isn’t called Rocket City for nothing. This northern Alabama city represents critical mass for the nation’s missile-defense and aerospace industries.
No. 2: Albuquerque, N.M.
Population: 819,570
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 30
Cost-of-Living Index: 98 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $45,634
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 7.8%
The city and state crave high tech jobs, especially in the renewable-energy industry. Albuquerque is developing its film industry with the same zeal. Albuquerque also bills itself as a green city and, figuratively speaking, it is. The city requires everything from homes to commercial buildings to be energy-efficient.
No. 3: Washington, D.C.
Population: 5,263,322
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 43.7
Cost-of-Living Index: 138 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $81,163
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 8.7%
For better or worse, the federal government is big and getting bigger. Uncle Sam fuels nearby companies in almost every sector, especially law firms, lobbyists, and aerospace and defense companies.
No. 4: Charlottesville, Va.
Population:190,560
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 38.2
Cost-of-Living Index: 106 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $53,076
Salary Growth (2004-2008):4.8%
The home of Thomas Jefferson’s university is an unexpected blend of Southern charm and liberal edge, with a strong business base. UVA provides Charlottesville with more than employment. The city is a two-hour drive from Washington, D.C., and three hours from Norfolk Naval Base. This proximity helped it draw the U.S. Army National Ground Intelligence Center, which employs 750 people in a variety of fields, including engineering and foreign affairs.
No. 5: Athens, Ga.
Population: 183,351
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 32.2
Cost-of-Living Index: 100 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $40,115
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 9.3%
Nicknamed the Classic City for both its name and neoclassical architecture, Athens is anything but old-fashioned. The University of Georgia is in large part responsible for the city’s energy. Athens also boasts a hub of regional medical services and has an unexpected manufacturing base. Hospitality is another driver of the economy and the only sector to have shown employment growth in 2009.
No. 6: Olympia, Wash.
Population: 233,113
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.1
Cost-of-Living Index: 105 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $55,129
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 22%
Olympia is a cultural diamond in the rough of the Pacific Northwest. Mischaracterized sometimes as a sleepy government town, Washington’s state capital enjoys a thriving visual and performing-arts scene. But its state government continues to be the keystone of the city’s economy; it employs about half of the city’s workforce. Education is another big driver of the city’s growth and character.
No. 7: Madison, Wis.
Population: 548,154
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 35.1
Cost-of-Living Index: 100 (100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $58,090
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 8.2%
You can’t argue with Madison’s numbers. It has a long track record of low unemployment, and its jobless rate is currently three percentage points below the national average. The city also wins for its low crime rate, first-rate public schools and a ready-made economy that feeds off its two largest assets: The University of Wisconsin and the state capital, comprising 20% of Madison’s jobs. The other 80% come from its strong mix of tech and biotech firms.
No. 8: Austin, Tex.
Population: 1,533,263
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 36.8
Cost-of-Living Index: 94(100 being the national average)
Median Household Income: $54,827
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 7%
While most cities around the country posted job layoffs in the past year, Austin added 3,300 jobs, the biggest bump in the country. The increase covered a broad swath, from professional services, education and hospitality to health care and government. Gains in those sectors more than offset losses in manufacturing and IT — though the unemployment rate in the area has crept up.
No. 9: Flagstaff, Ariz.
Population: 126,087
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 28.8
Cost-of-Living Index: 116 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $48,171
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 9.8%
Unlike the trains that regularly come through town, singing out reminders of Flagstaff’s heritage, this city is far from predictable. You can feel its Old West charm through and through, but Flagstaff is infused with new energy — both from its residents and college students and Northern Arizona University. The university adds jobs to the city’s economy, plus arts and entertainment to its cultural scene.
No. 10: Raleigh, N.C.
Population: 1,001,313
Percentage of Workforce in Creative Class: 35.6
Cost-of-Living Index: 100 (100 being national average)
Median Household Income: $57,974
Salary Growth (2004-2008): 5.7%
Raleigh has an enviable economic base, built on three universities — UNC, Duke, and North Carolina State — and Research Triangle Park, where employers in everything from biotech to computers still thrive. Although the local unemployment rate has doubled in the past year, to 8.6%, it’s still lower than the 10.8% rate for the state as a whole.
Find an online degree to meet your career needs
Yahoo Realestate
Posted by admin on May 20th, 2009
As a response to the environmental challenges facing businesses, Shrewsbury-based UMass Online, is offering new programs in sustainable entrepreneurship, environmental public policy and green building.
The programs were developed by and are being offered through UMass Amherst and UMass Dartmouth. UMass Online is the online learning division of the University of Massachusetts system.
The sustainable entrepreneurship program will offer a bachelor’s degree and will cover green building, energy conservation, as well as other aspects of the so-called “green economy.”
The environmental public policy program will offer a graduate certificate and cover various aspects of environmental law, public process and policy. Students anywhere in the world can pursue the sustainable entrepreneurship degree entirely online.
Posted by admin on May 18th, 2009
Before crunching numbers and working out a fine tuned college payment plan, first consider why you want to go in the first place. Generation X and Y were born in a unique era - most of us went or plan to go to college because “that’s what you do after high school”. We didn’t enroll with an end goal. Ask any professional student what they actually plan on doing with their diploma and nearly 90 percent have no clue (and think that’s just fine). What we see is an entire workforce convinced that degree equals job.
My peers fresh out of college have no applicable skills, little real world experience, and an “I deserve it attitude”. So this is why a decade later those same sixth year seniors are finding new ways to enroll in post-grad work to wander through the wasteland of higher education, delaying even more life. This speed off to more class mentality leads to idleness or, even worse, disillusionment.
1. Get an apprenticeship
If you don’t have feel for your vocation, take time off or work during high school to learn from a professional who specializes in something you like. Offer to sweep floors, answer phone calls, shine shoes, anything to get a feel for the occupation. Owners love to employ free slaves. Devote a good amount of time to experimenting in different fields so you have a better picture of what your skills are and what you actually enjoy. This will save you thousands in tuition from switching majors three and four times, like I did.
2. Take advanced placement classes and tests in high school
I have mixed feelings about this one. Being a former secondary teacher I have seen both the beneficial and nasty sides of AP tests. The College Board sets such outrageously high standards that many colleges don’t even meet. And check with the universities you plan to attend to see if the have a limit on the number hours accepted for credit or if they accept AP scores at all. Inquire about taking CLEP tests instead - they are college specific and have, historically, been easier to pass. That being said, the class work involved to prepare students for the test sets a good pace for college level learning.
3. Take basic courses at a community college and then transfer
Only take courses that are commonly required by larger universities. If you plan on transferring to a specific college, thoroughly research the courses required for freshmen and sophomores - you don’t want to take unnecessary classes. A friend of mine was offered a scholarship to a community college where she took her basic courses and then transferred for a fraction of the cost of a four-year program.
4. Search for scholarships and grants
If you value any cent of your dollar, apply for every give-away program you can. Many scholarships aren’t even awarded because they don’t have sufficient applicants. Talk to the counselor at your high school or a prospective college to get more details and do your own searching online. Yes, it is a pain to write twelve essays on a difficult life experience and how you grew because of it, but it will pay out in the end.
5. Seek employment after college that offers tuition reimbursement
Many employers offer additional stipends for student loans or reimbursements in exchange for a time commitment. The military has and education program as do most police departments. Even more will pay for employees to attend graduate school. Do some investigation before accepting a position if you’re looking to continue with school.
6. Find a work-study program
Many schools offer campus work in exchange for tuition reimbursement. Most of these gigs are a cakewalk. I got a job as a language lab “supervisor” which meant I checked out copies of Destinos to two students a night while I caught up on homework. They offered a reduction in tuition in exchange for “work.”
7. Avoid private schools if you can help it
If the fantastic liberal arts school in Farawayville seems too enticing to pass up, take the rose-colored glasses off for a moment. Do some serious research. Is the price tag worth it? What do you plan on doing with your degree? Are you choosing an undergraduate program that requires a master’s degree as well to put it to use? College rankings don’t always indicate the strength of your chosen program. For example, when Wakefield eliminated mandatory SAT scores with admission the pool of students applying shot through the roof. Since they didn’t accept a larger number of applicants their acceptance percentage shrank, thus sending them up the ranking. Neat trick, but it doesn’t make the education any better.
Whatever your chosen path, avoid the poachers giving away free t-shirts to unaware freshmen who sign up for a Capital One card. If you can’t pass up free stuff, call me; I have plenty of tacky apparel to spare. Avoid racking up tens of thousands in the name of a smarter self. It won’t always deliver and the excessive cost will greatly limit you in your 20s.
NewsTribune.com
Posted by admin on May 15th, 2009
A new four-year college scholarship is available to a student with a disability. The scholarship is for Aspen University, a leading, nationally accredited on-line university providing undergraduate and graduate degrees. Aspen University is one of a handful of on-line universities that enjoys a sterling reputation for its academic rigor and commitment to its students.
The scholarship was created by Twin Cities businessman Scott Thompson. A volunteer coach for Courage Center’s successful power soccer teams, Thompson saw a need for more college opportunities for young people with disabilities. Thompson received his MBA from Aspen University and serves on its foundation Board of Directors.
The Aspen Collegiate Foundation scholarship is based on an applicants’ academic merit, financial need and a commitment to complete all four years at Aspen University leading to a Bachelor’s Degree.
Aspen University
Posted by Sharon Cece on May 8th, 2009
There are many things you can lose. You can lose your keys, you can lose an argument, you can lose weight and at times you can lose your way. One thing you can never lose is your education. From the moment you flip that little tassel to the other side, you own it forever. It’s called a lifetime achievement.
There are few things in my life that I aspired to that were and are truly important to me, few things that I sought after with clear conviction. Finding a lifetime marriage partner was one of those few–having children was also (even though I didn’t realize how much until it actually happened). My faith is something I‘m continually and deeply seeking, time spent with family and friends are constant, essential goals; simple things I crave, such as one perfectly decorated truffle in a candy store window. Never material goods, not even a career necessarily.
But my degree–now, getting my degree was exceptionally important to me, one of those very few things I sought after for so many years, even after I thought I had given up. Maybe because I realized it was one of the few things that couldn’t be taken away; it presented itself as a solid testimony to my unusually steadfast commitment to a singular goal.
I honestly thought that once I was finally finished–when that very last course was at long last complete and that last click was clicked, when I could jump up and yell my FSU Seminole yell “YAYYYYYYYY I’m DONE FINISHED YAYAYAYAYA!”, that yell would be the big moment and, other than the pomp of commencement, it all would nicely fade away into a soft, happy memory. But the glow of achievement has not diminished after three years and I wonder if it will ever. It may be that because my journey to college graduation was so long (21 years) and so impatiently awaited that it may take longer to shelve it under “just another goal met“. But I don’t think so. When I think about, wow, the menagerie of courses (four different universities contributed), how grueling it was working two, sometimes three jobs; how I attended first as a young student, and then as a young married student, then an older student with children, about all the transitions I endured and how I brought those transitions into my essays and my exchanges, and how I evolved on so many levels, I honestly don’t believe the joy, the sweet sensation of reaching the mountain’s steep and lofty pinnacle, will ever recede.
The fact that I finished my degree online only added to it’s allure, gave my degree more color and depth. My degree, or rather my journey to my degree, metamorphosed so many times throughout the years that the journey took on a life of it’s own, to finish in a way completely different from how I started but no less satisfying. In fact, the online aspect was the final piece in my multifaceted academic puzzle. The online ingredient expanded my university well-roundedness; I can relate, now, both to students on campus and students online. That’s pretty cool.
As anyone who’s read even one of my posts knows, my online degree has given me so much more than an education, it‘s given me a perpetual feeling. How to describe that feeling… do you know that sweet sensation when you’ve just finished cleaning your house, the whole entire house, and you finally sink into your couch “Ahhhh” and look around at your beautiful sparkling home and simply relish in all the hard work you did? Or, when you’ve just finished a huge project–one that has been challenging and overwhelming, the one you thought you’d never get done–when you put the finishing touches on it and step back to look at it, that feeling? Or when you’ve finished baking a huge, I do mean humongous, Thanksgiving dinner for 25 people and you’ve slaved and worked and sweated (and worried quite a bit), dealt with the many snags and snafus, but when everything’s finally done and on the table you look at this glorious feast and think, wow it’s amazing. I really did it.
Magnify that a hundred-fold, and that’s the feeling you’ll have from getting your degree. Except it doesn’t need to be cleaned over and over, or redone and revised, or reduced from a feast to crumbs you scrape off a dinner plate. That feeling, that achievement, is here to stay. And no matter what you do with your degree, whether you get a more qualified job or higher pay, go on to get another degree, or simply enjoy the sense of accomplishment it brings, you will have added a grand chapter to your life book, the chapter entitled, “Amazing, I Really Did It”.
Posted by Jeff Davis on May 7th, 2009
My online degree has proved as valuable as a traditional degree in every sense of the word to me. It has been an invaluable tool and has opened up many more opportunities in my career field, including ones that would not have been possible without it. In fact, I have found it to be such a rewarding experience and of such great value that it has encouraged me to go back to school online and pursue my graduate degree. I am now halfway through an online graduate degree program and am looking forward to seeing what opportunities and doors will open even more once I am finished.
Earning my degree online was way more rewarding than I ever imagined it would be. In the beginning, I wasn’t sure what to expect as I had only attended a traditional school up to that point in my college experience. But once I became familiar with the online process and the overall familiarity of how things worked in this realm, I was off and running towards graduation.
Overall, I feel more confident about pursuing and applying for future employment opportunities because of my online degrees and educational experiences. I have learned so much during my online courses that I never did during my time on the ground. Attending school online has been a terrific experience and a great reward for me. I believe that you have to take advantage of the opportunities put before you and this could not be truer than with earning an online degree.
Posted by Jen Zeman on May 6th, 2009
My online bachelor’s degree in Legal Studies did not provide me with a career as a paralegal as I had originally anticipated. What I learned are most law firms, especially the larger ones that pay well, look primarily for experience over having a degree. I had no experience in a law firm which worked against me, even as I vividly described the legal experience gained with my online courses. Many firms would offer entry-level clerical positions, but I was at a point in my career where I was not willing to start over again in terms of salary (i.e. it would have been a significant decrease in pay).
In spite of this, I still found earning my degree extremely rewarding. It was one of my major life goals, both personally and professionally. Obtaining the degree after years of hard work and sacrifice was a truly joyous occasion, making me feel I was capable of just about anything I put my mind on. Ultimately the degree paid off as I was able to obtain a well-paying, highly-coveted federal government position that requires individuals to have a bachelor’s degree. The research and analytical skills I learned online at UMUC have proven to be in-demand within my current position and in many other career positions within the government. I am confident that advancement opportunities abound with the education I received.
If you do not end up in the career field you anticipated upon graduation, don’t despair. A variety of opportunities may appear at your feet instead – just keep your mind and eyes open. Obtaining an online degree will never be a wrong decision.
Online college education has opened a whole new world for me. It has helped me to achieve status as a knowledgeable 21st century teacher, and people who I work with look to me for answers about online education and technology integration. Many of the new teachers in middle school education have the tech skills that I have, but they are not yet able to apply their skills as effectively. The experience with 20th century teaching and students combined with my 21st century tech skills have served me well.
Since I am near retirement, my future job prospects are probably different from the normal 22-year-old college graduate. I want to work part time from home, and I think the online training will be helpful. I do know that online teaching jobs at the middle school level are scarce, and the few that are open are highly competitive. It is an emerging market, but I am confident of my readiness for new markets.
It will be highly unlikely that I take a class that isn’t online. I am used to scheduling my course work on my own terms. Online education allows me to work full time, tutor students part-time, and schedule my assignments on my own terms. I do operate from the vantage point of my first degree in 1975 being entirely on-site. At that point in time, computers and the online environment were merely science fiction.
I remember reading a fictionalized story about a man who programmed a computer (which took up a whole room) to write poetry for his wife. The computer ended up falling in love with the man’s wife and obsessively blew its circuits writing poetry. The story ended with the computer giving the man enough poems for a thousand years. Another science fiction story was about a man who discovered how to multiply in his head after years of delegating this tasks to computers. People had forgotten this skill, which I still teach today, after allowing computers to multiply for them.
Although these particular science fiction stories do not completely match the evolution of computers and their online connections, it is interesting to think about how I was educated in 1975 and how I am educated now. My education today would have been a great science fiction story in 1975.
Posted by Sharon Cece on May 4th, 2009
Students often begin the process of achieving an education and sometimes find, like myself, that even a single circumstance–whether it be a lack of funds or a personal roadblock or any number of other reasons–regrettably, can preempt their education. Ten years ago, I didn’t think I would return to get my degree (although, a small part of me kept that hope alive, obviously). Going to college is a lot of work, not just mentally but physically. So, I was thrilled to discover the online college option, since it offered another, completely different process which ran parallel with my original goal of graduating from college. Furthermore, it led straight to the Commencement Trail. I didn’t have to find my way back to my original path; I forged a new “online” path.
I’ve thought many times about going back to school to get my Masters degree, and I wouldn’t even consider such an undertaking without online options. My life is full right now, as a wife and mother, as household manager, as a writer and now I’m considering an additional work opportunity. Add to that, like so many other parents, the kids’ school commitments, church and community work, training our puppy ( which I threw in as metaphor for “other” obligations that take a lot more time and energy than I thought they would). Now, I could really push myself and attend school on campus, but why? When online options make it so much easier to go back to school and get a degree. Most people want to save time and energy; I, especially, want to save time and energy and quite frankly, I don’t want to push myself anymore. I want results, not an ulcer.
My online university experience was so fulfilling that I’m not certain that I would change anything in my pursuit of an advanced degree; rather, I would blueprint the process so that I could repeat the sequence, it was that effective. I would be tempted here to write, that in order to save time and money, I might consider a local program to get my Masters degree; however, in truth I would research Masters programs at FSU first and foremost. Out of sheer sentimentality, of course (see previous article “Seminole Pride”). Yet, along with being a sentimental gal, I’m also thorough and yes, entertain a pragmatic vein. So, I will look into other programs and weigh all the options, for research is our best tool for decision-making, and often the gateway to a new path that could lead to the next goal.
Posted by Jen Zeman on May 1st, 2009
Online degree programs are a major convenience for anyone who cannot access a traditional college classroom. However, online degree programs are not suited for everyone. One of the largest mistakes people make in judging online programs is the classes must be easier because you do not have to sit through a traditional lecture. This is not the case! Online courses are just as difficult, if not more so, than traditional classes. There is a tremendous amount of reading that is required each week and most courses require active participation on discussion boards each week as well (these discussion boards/groups usually take the place of traditional classroom discussions). If you are someone who needs the face-to-face interaction with an instructor during a pre-designated time slot each week in order to keep you on the ball, then you may have a difficult time being successful within online courses. With online courses, you are on your own to manage your workload and learn the material. If you are not a disciplined individual who can motivate themselves to get a job done, then online courses may not be for you for the same reason mentioned above. You will find yourself falling behind which is disastrous in an online course setting.
However, if you consider yourself an independent learner, capable of learning new material without being latched to an instructor, you will enjoy the independence of online classes. This is true too if you cannot tolerate sitting through a lecture and having to be held back by other students who may not understand the material as well as you (i.e. the ones who ask a ton of questions in class). If you are an organized and disciplined person, online classes will be perfect for you. If you keep the material for class organized and you can easily motivate yourself to put schoolwork first above all else, then you will be quite successful with an online degree program. You’ll never want to sit through another traditional in-class course again! Good luck!
