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Writing an Effective Admissions Essay

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Competitive technical colleges and institutes often require that applicants write an admissions essay. Improving your chances of getting into such schools is dependent upon writing a high-quality essay that outlines your reasons for pursuing your particular education path.

Describing Your Background

When given an opportunity, many people have an easy time explaining their backgrounds to other people verbally. Writing down your personal history may be more challenging. To write a well-organized admissions essay, first create an outline. Include important points such as your cultural upbringing, your early educational experiences and the interests and values that have led you to pursue your current educational goals.

Detailing Your Professional Goals

An effective admissions essay also clearly explains what you envision yourself doing in the future. When applying to a technical college, you must have some vision of the skills and knowledge you will gain that will lead you to your ultimate professional goal. Create an outline of the various skills you hope to gain and the exact types of professions and settings in which your skills will be most marketable.

Crafting the Essay

Review your outline of your background and professional goals to choose the most salient aspects. Which are the most crucial points that you wish to convey in your essay? Which facts will be appealing to someone on an admissions committee?

Once you have selected the main points, write in a natural and clear tone. Be sure to ask someone you trust to read the essay and correct all typos and errors before submitting it.

 

 

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The Benefits of Attending Technical College

Chemeketa Community College in Salem, Oregon, USA

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Many people dream of going to college. For some, that dream doesn’t include a prestigious and expensive ivy-league school, but a more economic and practical college, such as a technical or community college. Despite what many may say or think, there is absolutely nothing wrong with attending such a school. In fact, technical and community colleges actually have a few benefits over the more prominent colleges and universities.

Cost

Technical and community colleges don’t come with the same price tags of many colleges and universities. You may find that a local technical college has just the right course for you and it won’t see you thrown into the dark realms of never-ending student loans and debt.

Location

A big benefit of attending a technical or community college is that you can choose one that is close to where you currently live. That means you won’t have to move clear across the country to continue your education. It also means that you will have the support of your family and friends at hand, which is what many students miss when they move away for college.

Choice

Technical and community colleges offer a wide range of study areas from which you can choose from. Many are also very flexible with their courses. If you are unsure of what area you are wanting to study you will be able to pick up courses in a few different subject areas so that you can more easily figure out exactly what it is you want to do for the rest of your life.

Before making any drastic decisions, check out your local colleges for more information.

 

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Apprenticeships: Go to the Source

Since the dawn of learning apprenticeships have been the primary way master craftsmen pass their skills to the next generation. Stone masons, master builders, blacksmiths, and artisans all have long histories of apprenticeships.  Yet today, in the twenty-first century many people are unaware of the opportunities that apprenticeships afford.

Types of Apprenticeships Available

Today there are over 37,000 apprenticeship programs in the United States. These programs are offered in cooperation with 250,000 employers and unions.  The opportunities and types of apprenticeship programs are vast.  Some examples of occupations are: electrician, plumber, pipe-fitter, florist, millwright, firefighter, cook and tool and die maker.

How to Find Apprenticeships

The place to start is the U.S. Department of Labor website.  The Department of Labor will give you specific information about apprenticeships and apprenticeship applications and laws.  Your second stop is at your state’s department of labor website.  On the state sites are specific apprenticeships available in your area and the requirements you must meet to apply.  Finally, if you still haven’t found the apprenticeship you are looking for, visit the labor unions or industry organizations and ask about their apprenticeships.

Learn While You Earn

Apprenticeships are a combination of on-the-job training and classroom work.  Most apprenticeships allow you to earn money while you are learning the skills necessary to be a journeyman.  The average wage for apprenticeships today range from $16,000 to $24,000 per year.

Apprenticeships are valued form of education.  A completed apprenticeship is the equivalent of $42,000 college education.

For more information on apprenticeships write to the OA State Offices, U.S. Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Washington, D.C.

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Scholarships To Tech Schools

There are many scholarships available, but what many do not realize is that there are many scholarships to technical and trade schools as well. Technical and trade schools are not like the schools that were in their awkward infancy in the 1980′s. Today, these schools boasts healthy reputations, and many large corporations are in collaborative relationships, which they then in turn provide internships to students. The secret aspect to many of these schools, however, is that they offer scholarships to prospective students. Schools like ITT tech and DeVry can cost as must at $20,000 dollars per year for a Bachelors program, and students can receive grants and scholarships to help pay for these programs. There are also scholarships that will pay for the program in its entirety.

In order to qualify for these types of scholarships, student must do exactly what they would do for any other school and scholarship application. The student will need to still send out an essay saying why he or she should be awarded the scholarship. The essay should include information about the student, family, age, goals, and accolades. This should be detailed so that the school has a strong sense of identification with the student. The will help the school make a solid decision on the student award, and they will feel confident that the student will complete the program and represent the school well. This is a key factor for many schools, as they are ranked based on program requirements and success rates of the students. For students in High School, there are forms for these scholarships in the guidance counselors office. For those that are looking for way to sign up, you can find the form online for the school sites, or at your local library.

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Applying For Scholarships

We all know that college costs quite a bit of money, but there are programs out there that can help you pay for college such as companies that offer student loans and grants, and businesses that offer scholarships. Obtaining a scholarship is very competitive, but there are several things you can do to have a better chance in receiving several scholarships.

Begin applying for scholarships the beginning of your senior year. Don’t wait until second semester to start applying. By then, you’ve already missed out on several scholarships. Your guidance councilor should have a list of scholarships, but if it isn’t available to you, you can privately talk to your councilor about scholarships and ask him or her if they can contact you when they hear about new scholarships you would possibly be eligible for.

Keep a list of all the activities you’ve done throughout high school. Most scholarship applications as about extracurricular, volunteer work, and jobs that you have had during high school. Make a list of these before you fill out your scholarships so you don’t have to think of the list every time. You can simply copy off a list you have already made. Make sure to include how many years you participated in these activities. If you aren’t sure about some activities, you may ask someone in the student office, as they should have a record of this.

Make a note of the due date on each scholarship. You may write this in a notebook or sticky note but don’t write it on the application. You don’t want to miss out on a scholarship because you missed the deadline.

Scholarship applications are very self-explanatory. Some include an essay section, which can prove to be challenging. Write a rough draft before you write it on the application. Have a friend or parent read over your answer before you write it down. You want to sound the best you can on scholarship applications.

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Making School Easier

High school may have been a breeze for you, but now you have graduated and are beginning to attend technical school. Some people are nervous or scared while others are ready to jump in as soon as possible. You may have taken high school for granted, but while you’re pursuing a career and paying for it, school should be taken more seriously. You shouldn’t be scared as long as you can take your classes seriously and do the best you can.

Become organized. Know your schedule and organize your classes properly. Know what you need to bring to class every day. Take notes and don’t mix different classes notes together. Keep a notebook for each class you take, or split up sections in a notebook so that you can keep your notes separate.

Listen to your teachers or professors. If you know what your teachers want from you, the class will become easier as you understand what each teacher is looking for. Remember that you are paying for the class. Sitting in class isn’t enough; you have to listen to and learn the content of the class.

Do the assignments and read your textbook. In high school, you may have never opened your textbooks, but after high school, it is important to read what has been assigned. Your teachers aren’t going to read over the textbook in class; they will expect you to do this outside of class. If you don’t read the textbook, you will may be missing important information required for that class.

Pursuing your education after high school is completely different than attending high school. Do the best you can to attend your classes regularly, to listen in class, and to become organized. The more you can do these things, the easier attending a technical school or a college will be. Remember that you are paying for this course, so don’t just blow it off.

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Scholarship Classifications

Most people are aware of scholarships but not aware of the types of scholarships available. Scholarships are generally split into several classifications. The most common classifications of scholarships include merit-based in which scholarships are awarded based on a student’s academic performance or high scores on standardized tests such as the ACT or SAT; need-based scholarships are awarded based on the financial needs of the student; specific scholarships are awarded to students based on race, gender, religion, family or medical history or other factors specific to the individual student; and career-specific scholarships which are awarded by specific companies, colleges, or universities and are specific to a certain degree or field of study.

Additionally, there are many local scholarships available to students. Local scholarships are offered through local companies or organizations. Most times these scholarships may be in smaller amounts but are usually less competitive and easier to obtain due to a smaller percentage of people applying for them. Local scholarships can be found by contacting local companies and organizations for more information on scholarships that they may be offering. Some examples of places to contact pertaining to local scholarships and their criteria would be community foundations, local businesses, local Chamber of Commerce, local schools and universities, major unions which may offer scholarships for employees and/or their children, music teachers, non-profit or charitable organizations, volunteer organizations, and some disability organization who may offer scholarships for disabled students.

The criteria for each scholarship is specific to the scholarship being offered and the donor of the scholarship. To determine the criteria for a specific scholarship you simply need to look up the information online whenever possible or contact the organization offering the scholarship for more information specific to the scholarship they are offering. Most scholarship information can be found online by doing an internet search specific to the scholarship you are interested in.

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Financing Options For Technical School

When attending school to further your education or obtain a degree in a specific field one of the many things you need to consider is the cost. Depending on the degree or certification you are pursuing your tuition costs can be anywhere from around $5000 to $25,000 for a technical certificate or degree. Most people just simply do not have that kind of money available to them to go to school. If you are planning to attend school full-time you will also be considering that you will not have the time to work full-time while you are in school. This can leave many people feeling that they are not able to attend school. But, there are options available to aid in funding your tuition.

Some of the options available for funding your tuition are federal financial aid and grants as well as scholarships. Not everyone will be eligible for federal money so need to look elsewhere such as loans or scholarships. Technical degrees are becoming more and more popular for scholarship offerings.

Many companies offer scholarships for specific degrees or fields of study. For example, Microsoft Corporation offers approximately half a million dollars in technical school scholarships annually for students majoring in computer science, computer engineering,math, science, engineering, or physics. With this particular scholarship students are able to attend any technical school that offers Bachelors degrees in one of these areas of study. This scholarship is based on both need and merit.

Other companies who are hoping for highly-trained individuals to enter their specialized field also offer scholarships. If you know the field of work you want to enter, you can check with individual companies or do some research on scholarships for your particular field. Most technical schools will have financial counselors who can also help direct you to the scholarships that are best for you based on your degree interest.

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Online Technical Schools

Going back to school can be a tough decision especially when there are so many things to consider. There’s the travel time, the classroom time, and the study time. The cost of school is so expensive, not to mention the gas money to get there. If these are some of your reasons in procrastinating going back to school, you may want to consider online technical school options.
The cost of a technical school is very cheap compared to that of a university. If you take classes online, it will almost eliminate the cost of textbooks because most online classes do not require them. Your cost of transportation will, as well, decrease because you can take the classes right from your own home. It’s not just the cost of transportation and textbooks, but the tuition costs are low as well.
With online classes, there is no sitting in classrooms and your flexibility increases dramatically. While taking an online class, you are able to do your schoolwork around the rest of your schedule instead of planning your schedule around your schoolwork. This allows you to work when you want and at your own pace. Most classes allow you to hand in your assignments any time during the semester, so that gives you a much more flexible schedule, and you are able to do tests and quizzes for up to a week after they were assigned.
There are many options with online technical schools. The degrees offered are very specialized and there are many degrees offered. You also have options of when you want to study and when you will hand in assignments. If you are considering online school you have to remember that it isn’t a breeze. It is an amazing opportunity for someone who doesn’t have the time to take scheduled classes, but they have to be able to manage their time well and complete their assignments.

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Technical School Advantages

Many people overlook the advantages of tech schools and often take them for granted. Just because technical schools aren’t as expensive and you don’t have to go as long, doesn’t mean they are any less educational than a university. In fact, there are many advantages to technical schools.

Technical schools are very cheap compared to universities. It’s not because the quality of education is any worse, but because the courses are short-term courses. This means that it will only take you six months to two years to complete a course before you can get a job. Because of the less expensive tuition, it is a good opportunity for parents who cannot afford college for their children to send them to tech school.

Skilled workers are in high demand today. If you can go to a tech school it will be easier to get a better job than if you never went and you will most likely be paid more than anything you would find without furthering your education. It is quite easy to get a job after you are done with a certain course.

You can find technical schools online. If you are able to take online courses, your schedule will be even more flexible than it is going to college. This is also a good idea for stay at home moms, or other people that are required to stay home. You can take classes at technical schools where your career gives you the opportunity to stay home such as medical transcription.

There are many advantages to going to technical school. Not only is it affordable and easy, but there are many jobs in high demand that are better taken at a technical school rather than a university. For example, if you want to become a medical assistant, you would take classes at a tech school to get a license, rather than going to a university just to get degree.

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