College Degree Programs: The Advantages of Taking Your Time

An oft-cited advantage of college programs is their rapid rate of completion. Within two or three years, you can get a practical, job-focused education, and be out of school and in the workforce. There's even fast-track single-year programs, if that's your thing. However, there's a new option available for college students who want a little bit more our of their program: Certain colleges in Toronto offer Degree Programs which run for four years, letting you get a College Degree that comes with both practical education and theory of the profession. Of course, it takes a bit longer to get this sort of degree, but there are advantages to the extra time.

The extra preparation pays off
It's better to enter the workforce prepared and later than early and unskilled. Consider what you'll be spending that extra time doing: Learning the theory along with the practical. Traditionally, theory and practical were split between university and college respectively, but in a degree program, you're getting both as one education. Rather than delaying your entry into the workforce, you're banking that extra time so you'll enter it with a broader intellectual base than the average college student, which brings us to how…

You'll need to stand out
The way to not be the "average college student" is to have a unique educational background. In a crowded job market, that unique background can cut you ahead of the mob and put your resume to the top of the pile (sometimes literally). Possessing both a university's theoretical education and a college's practical training is one way to stand out, demonstrating your special perspective on the career you wish to enter.

Maturity and wisdom is important
Consider yourself and your viewpoints a short two years ago, and how they've changed in the interim. There's a significant difference between entering the workforce at 20 and 23, and 23 and 26. It's a cliche, but this phase of your life is a time of change, and over the course of a few years your ideas, perspective, and personality will shift. Entering the workforce a few years later can put you ahead of the crowd strictly by making you a slightly more mature, wiser voice.

You'll learn what you really want
As your maturity level shifts, so too does your outlook on your job and your career. While Degree Programs at institutions like Centennial College focus on a specific career, there's room for variation within that career, and electives to be taken so you can focus on a specific aspect. Over the course of those four years, you'll have a chance to examine every facet of your career, and decide what area of it really want to be in, and what suits you best. That time to consider what you want out of life before making the leap into the workforce will be immensely valuable.

Step Outside The Classroom: Why College is More Than Your Courses

Your academics will always be important to your success in life. They're not the only factor, however, and there's more that you should be doing when you're in college than simply attending classes and doing the work. The social experience that comes with spending time at a Toronto College attending events, joining clubs, or simply hanging around can be equally valuable. It's not slacking. It's an investment in your future. Here's why:

Social links will help you in times of need
Everyone needs some help sometimes, and having the support of a community of student friends will be valuable when the going gets tough in school. Whether it's getting assignments finished, sharing resources like notes or textbooks, or just having someone to vent to when stress gets to you, there's numerous advantages.

Take studying for an exam, for example. I've found in the past that the best way to learn a subject is to attempt to explain it to someone else. Having to teach a subject embeds it in your own mind, and having a friend teach it back to you makes it an equal exchange. And on top of that, even if you think you've studied all the important bits, having someone else's perspective when cramming is an excellent way to pick up on things you possibly hadn't thought of.

Those social connections will also link you to a career
Getting a job these days is all about who you know, a process formally known as networking. Students, teachers, guest lecturers, and anyone else you need in school who's vaguely connected to your career field can be a potential connection to a job, so getting to know those around you is an essential part of the employment game.

There's ways other than networking that these social connections can help you, too. For one thing, you're going to have to do at least a few job interviews in your lifetime, and they include the question "tell us how your friends describe you?" Inevitably, you'll need to know some of those opinions. And even if that's not the question, it's harder than you think to describe yourself. Having some friends describe you can be a shortcut to that particular answer.

You'll need to know how for your job.
Life experience is more important than grades, and there's one practical bit of life experience that they don't teach in a classroom: How to connect with people. No matter your profession, you're going to need to know how. It could be to get the job, or it could simply be while you're on the job, interacting with coworkers and customers. Practice makes perfect, and the supportive ecosystem that is college is the perfect place to hone that skill. Socialization is universal, and something everyone should look into developing. After all, the people around you, being in the same school and being at the same point in their lives, all have something to talk about with you.

How to Succeed in a Joint Program: Five Easy Steps

One of the many options for a student looking for a quality post-secondary education is a joint journalism program between a college and university. In this case, a joint program has you taking classes at a university for a Bachelors Degree Program, then heading to college for a practical diploma focused around the same area of study. There's numerous advantages to this set up. For one thing, you get to leave with both theoretical and practical knowledge of a subject, and leave the program with both a degree and a diploma. More advantageous to your personal development is the fact that you'll get to attend two different campuses, and get a slice of two different sorts of student life. This will prove to be the key to your success, and here's how to take advantage of it:

1) Focus on skills development, not grades
Obviously, you still need to do well, but bear in mind both of these schools are supposed to be helping you, and you're not there to serve them. You're at college for job skills, and university for mental skills. Pay attention to what abilities you can pull from your program, and be prepared to nurture them, and show them off in your portfolio, your resume, and job interviews.

2) Take writing seriously
Out of all the skills you can learn, you should always pay attention to writing. Even in the digital age, you'll still need to send emails, resumes, cover letters, proposals, and other formal communications. And in both college and university, you'll be writing assignments, too. Take the time to learn how to communicate clearly and formally, and you'll always have an advantage over those that can't, regardless of the career. Speaking of careers…

3) Search for the exact career that suits you
Even if you're taking a narrow subject, there's still a a broad set of careers you can find yourself in. And if you're in a joint program, you'll get an increased perspective on what you can become when school's over. And it's important that you do, because your career will define part of your life, so it's important you find one that's rewarding, fits your strengths, and that you find enjoyable.

4) Take advantage of the smaller classes
By the time you reach the college part of the program, you'll be able to appreciate the pros of not inhabiting a 300 person lecture hall, namely the fact that your professor will know who you are, your questions have a good chance of being answered, and you will receive a more personalized education. Be sure to make use of this, and develop those skills as well as you can.

5) Pay attention to the people
They'll be the ones getting you the job, albeit indirectly by networking. And attending a joint program means you'll find yourself on two campuses, with double the network of people. So, get to know teachers and students alike, forge some bonds, and be prepared to see those bonds lead you to post-school career success.

Degree Programs: Using That Extra Time Wisely

A typical college course is over in about two years, the goal being to connect you to a career faster. But there's a special sort of college program in existence for students who understand the advantage of taking the time to acquire a broader intellectual base along with their skills. Called College Degree Programs, they run for four years, and focus on adding theoretical training to the practical skills training commonly associated with a college program. While it does take a bit longer to get this sort of degree, there's things a student can do to make use of that time while they get their Toronto degree, specifically, prepping for the job market. After all, you'll need a job when all this is over, and while your education will open a path as directly as it can, it's up to you to take your own steps down that path. Here's what you can do to prepare.

Figure out the skills you need and the skills you have
Near the beginning of your program, do a bit of research on your ideal job or your ideal company to work at, and figure out what skills you'll need to have that job or work there. After that, focus on acquiring those skills, through classes or through independent study. Of course, college programs are all about ensuring you're equipped with skills, but in a four-year program you can do due diligence to make sure you have them all.

Really polish that resume
This includes making sure you have things to put on them, which links back into the skills training mentioned above. Spend that time studying how to make a good resume that really highlights what you do, and is unique enough to stand out, but not to the point of needless ornamentation. Fortunately, the career centre at your college will be able to help you out, and you should become well-acquainted with that place.

Build a portfolio, too
Speaking of a portfolio, you'd be surprised at how few applicants bother to create one. It's an excellent way to show a proof-of-concept of the work you can do, by showing the work you've done. A good portfolio is both a personal website, and something physical you can hand off to an employer in the middle of an interview. So, begin looking for assignments or achievements that are particularly noteworthy, and document them.

Don't be afraid to modify your plans
It may come to pass over those four years that you decide your specific goals don't necessarily fit you. There's a variety of reasons for this. Maybe you've done the research and found elements of your job that you don't care for, or a particular strand of career that suits you better. Or maybe you've realized you're good at something else entirely. Don't let this intimidate you. It's better to pick a career path you're happy and talented at, and the extra time afforded by a four-year degree program lets you figure yourself out before you graduate, with no need for hindsight.

On Electives in College: Discover Your Passion

When leaving high school and picking your college program, you hopefully have a solid idea of what you want to do as a career. But when choosing your college courses, you may find yourself having to take mandatory electives, or courses that seem to have little to nothing to do with your chosen profession, or else don't cover an area of the career you're interested in doing. Basically, they're the equivalent to that subject in high school you weren't good at, only in a post-secondary setting. You may wonder why you have to take them, but they shouldn't be written off. College is all about giving you necessary job skills, so you're taking those classes for a reason. These reasons include…

Those skills may prove useful later
Just because you're not fond of what a course teaches doesn't mean you won't need it eventually. For example, if you're in journalism, you may be disinterested in photography, but have to take it as part of the program. Maybe you're bad at photography, or uninterested, and don't intend to do it as a part of your subsequent career. But in a field that requires everyone to be multimedia savvy, you may find yourself called on to be a photojournalist anyway, and when that time comes, you'll be grateful to have the skills, even if they were begrudgingly acquired. Indeed, if you're not good at the subject, it becomes even more important that you study it, like it or not. Furthermore, not having those skills may cause you to be locked out of the jobs you really want, so the college is simply avoiding killing your career before it even begins.

You can keep your interests varied
Maybe you have interests outside of your chosen career path that aren't covered in your program. Electives can be a way of keeping your interests in your life while making them a part of your education. After all, not all of your education has to pertain to directly advancing your career. Your happiness is important, too, and a course about your non-career-related interests can be a welcome breather between your dryer academic pursuits. It may even be the key to an unknown future path, too.

You may discover your true passion
In the long run, you may discover your program of study isn't the best fit for you. It happens, and the important thing is knowing when to change tracks and choose a program that does suit you. One method of finding that is through your electives. If there was something you liked better than your main program, it may turn out to be the career for you.

So, don't grumble about taking a few electives. Indeed, experiment a bit and choose some odd things you have no prior experience in, and aim towards expanding your marketable skills. You have no idea the strange things you're good at until you try, and you never know what will enhance your career, or lead you to a new one.

How to Stay Social in College

When the going gets tough in school, it's easy to convert into a hermit, burying yourself in your work. While you'll need to get that work done, dedicating yourself entirely to it will harm you in the long run. Networking and getting hired both require social skills, and letting them slide during college can damage your career. After all, you go to a community college for the people. Fortunately, there's a few easy tricks you can use when you're attending college in Toronto to keep making friends while still getting your work done.

Make a Facebook Group
I'm going to go ahead and presume everyone reading this is on Facebook. Well, if you don't know, you can create private, invite-only groups that can trade messages and files. You should make an effort to create one for your program if it's small enough, or individual classes if it's not. Firstly, this is an excellent tool for accessing your collective group mind. From figuring out if classes have been moved, to confirming details of assignments, it's an excellent way to quickly and easily stay in touch and stay on top of things. More than that, though, it acts as a message board for your post-school network, and keeping it in use post-graduation is an excellent way to stay in touch as you navigate the working world.

Join at least one club, or even start one
On any campus, there are boatloads of student-run organizations, so you'll be able to find one that pertains to your interests, be it the newspaper, movies, art, or something else. It's an excellent way to connect to individuals you share interests with, and if you can put yourself in an organizational role, or create the group yourself, it will look good on your subsequent resume.

Organize study and work sessions
This is a potential use for that aforementioned Facebook group. You'll think and study better as a team, so organizing these groups allows for both an efficient work and social experience, as you pool our resources to pull through your program, and bond with one another in the process. For example, studying together means you have to be able to teach a subject to someone else, an excellent trick for having you remember it yourself. And having another person's input is perfect for making sure you really have thought of everything you need to know.

Just hang out
The simplest method to execute here is one of the most effective: Don't go home when classes are done. Find some people you're in classes with, and stick around with them. Have lunch, converse, find a table somewhere, just be around them. If you're intimidated, then think of it as developing a skill. Whether for a job interview, or for interacting in the work place, you need to be sociable sooner or later. What better time to practice it than in college, when you have an easy shared experience to bond you with people?

Confronting The Stigma of Continuing Education

It's difficult to remove the idea from our minds that people who return to school after completing their post-secondary education were somehow unable to "make it" in the real world, or are delaying entry into it. The reality is that it's a harmful stereotype, born out of outdated ideas about the economy and job market. The world we live in now is different than the previous generation, and continuing education programs are both helpful, and sometimes necessary for your career. Here's a look at some hard facts that conflict with these notions we have, and why Continuing Education in Toronto is actually a positive move.

The traditional school to job model doesn't work anymore
The idea, like many of these misconceptions, is rooted in the educational and career experience of the Boomer generation (those born in the 1950's), where such a thing was possible. At the time, a post-secondary education wasn't actually seen as the norm, so getting one was that thing that would make you stand out in the job market, and achieve career success. Given the influence of that generation, it's hard not to take their viewpoints as timeless truths. But it's a different economy and a different job market now, and a post-secondary education is no longer special in and of itself, being more so a mandatory thing almost everyone does. Standing out in the current market requires a little bit more, and con-ed can provide you with that extra boost in qualification.

Even if you did go directly school-to-job, education may still be needed
Another holdover from a different time that's no longer true today is the idea that education ends once you have that job, and anything else you need can be learned on the fly. In reality, con-ed can also be used for career upgrading and upkeep. Technology changes at a faster rate in the 21st century than the 20th, and what you learned in school may no longer be as relevant to the job you're in as you like. Pretty much every position uses a computer nowadays, and social media is inevitably creeping into every company. Knowing how to use these things effectively will become the key to keeping your current job, and picking up new skills and knowledge is the key to advancement. This becomes doubly important if you work in the technology or engineering sector, where technological advancement is grandfathered into your profession. The main idea is that further education is both necessary and inevitable.

You should never stop learning
Even if you've found a job, and are secure in it, that's no reason to stop your learning. Picking up new skills will always benefit you, and you can take con-ed programs for other languages, car repair, writing, and all sorts of other things outside your career. It'll better you as a person, keep your mind spinning into your later years, and provide you with useful life skills.

Why Grad School isn't a Refuge

It's an unfortunate cultural trend that college or university graduates returning to education after graduation are viewed as delaying adulthood, refusing to enter the real world in lieu of the safe space that is school. The reality is that realizing that a slog through a difficult job market when you lack necessary credentials is a waste of time and resources, and choosing to upgrade those credentials is one of the more adult decisions a young student can make. It's a reality in a crowded job market such as this that you need to stand out, and a post-graduate degree can move your resume to the top of the pile. Here's a few more reasons why participating in Graduate Programs in Toronto are a serious, mature investment in your career, rather than a prolonged adolescence.

It's designed to actively get you a job
At a school like Centennial College, graduate programs aren't general, but are instead specifically tailored towards one profession or skill, including Public Relations, Publishing, Television and Film Business, Media Management, and other, similar careers. In a postgrad, it's understood that you're finished the more general educational phase of your life, and are looking for a career, so you're taught how to specifically do that career. There's no electives, only courses aimed at teaching you practical job skill that you'll actively use in your profession.

The students around you are in the same boat, and can help you out
You wouldn't just be taking a postgrad for the educational experience, useful as that can be, but also for the people you'd be taking it with. Remember, your classmates will be the same as you, professionals looking to enter your specific career field. They represent an important human resource: Future working professionals you can network and connect with now, thanks to the shared bonding experience of moving through a postgrad together. In the coming years, if you can stay in touch, you'll be sharing jobs, resources, and tips while reminiscing about your school days with each other.

You'll be linked to a fresh set of resources, and connected to potential employers
It's a story I've heard a few times from students: They hit the job market before they were adequately prepared, and didn't take proper advantage of the resources that their school made available to them. Colleges, of course, have a wealth of job-hunting resources, including their own internal job boards, as well as centres to help you with resume-writing, interviews, and other job-hunting tips. By going back to school, you're getting another shot at making effective use of those resources, and this time, you have real job-market experience as context, meaning you get to start fresh with more wisdom. In addition to that, many post-grads include a field placement element, linking you directly to a potential employer, and allowing for further networking opportunities, if not a direct hire. At the very least, it puts your application to the top of the pile, since you'll have a chance to meet employers in person.

Building The Perfect Study Space: How to Learn from Home Effectively

Distance learning in Toronto is geared towards potential students who want a college education from a reputable institution, but can't go to class for a number of reasons. Be it work, family, or other personal issues, a course in distance learning can give you that education from the comfort of your own home.

But it's still a college education, and it won't be any easier. Indeed, it now comes with the challenge of being able to work effectively in a location you usually unwind in. There are ways to study and learn effectively in your own home, and this all comes from someone who's spent a good deal of time both working and learning from home. Some tricks you can pull include…

Getting dressed
It's a small thing, but a surprisingly effective one. Not having to go outside can result in you lounging around in your pyjamas all day, which adds to a feeling of lazy lethargy. While you don't have to dress office-formal, taking the time to change, wash up, and put on clothes you'd be comfortable going outside in can be an excellent way to put yourself in a productive mood.

Don't spend forever setting it up
More than anything else, not overthinking it is essential. Spending two hours making a nest is a waste of time you could spend doing the thing you're building that nest for: To learn. Figure out what you're going to do in advance, and set it up quickly, even if it's not exactly the way you like.

Similarly, if it turns out a space isn't working for you, don't spend time leaving that space and rebuilding elsewhere unless it's a total emergency. It's better to steel yourself and carry on then spend time moving around.

Make sure the space is isolated
This is particularly important if you're going to be cohabiting while you have to get work done. Whatever desk, table, or other space you choose to get your work done in, make sure you aren't going to be pestered. Go somewhere out of the way, lock the door, and don't answer intrusions.

Bring food, water, and other essentials to the table
Maybe this sounds extreme, but lunch can turn into an hours-long delay when you're at home and don't have an enforced delay. On the other hand, taking some healthy snacks to your study space, along with something to drink, can keep you in that space for a bit longer. Make sure they're healthy though, as a bag of chips will only make you feel burnt out.

Consider unplugging
If you have a phone, shut it off. But more importantly, if you have a computer, try unplugging the internet whenever you can, or disconnecting the wi-fi. Your learning experience may be online, but not all of the material will require a constant connection. It's a lot harder to tab over to other websites when you have to reconnect the internet.

Have someone monitor you
This one's tough, but potentially rewarding. When the only person you're accountable to is yourself, personal goals, including what you'll get done in a single day, tend to fall by the wayside. The only thing you're really missing out on in distance education is someone else keeping tabs on your activities. So, if possible, have someone else check up on you. Set a goal, and tell a friend or family member, and have them ask you how you did after. Having something to prove to another person is a powerful motivator.

A Grad School Survival Guide for The Working Professional

It's an unfortunate cultural trend that college or university graduates returning to education after graduation are viewed as delaying adulthood, refusing to enter the real world in lieu of the safe space that is school. The reality is that realizing that a slog through a difficult job market when you lack necessary credentials is a waste of time and resources, and choosing to upgrade those credentials is one of the more adult decisions a young student can make. It's a reality in a crowded job market such as this that you need to stand out, and a post-graduate degree can move your resume to the top of the pile. Here's a few more reasons why participating in Graduate Programs in Toronto are a serious, mature investment in your career, rather than a prolonged adolescence.

It's designed to actively get you a job
At a school like Centennial College, graduate programs aren't general, but are instead specifically tailored towards one profession or skill, including Public Relations, Publishing, Television and Film Business, Media Management, and other, similar careers. In a postgrad, it's understood that you're finished the more general educational phase of your life, and are looking for a career, so you're taught how to specifically do that career. There's no electives, only courses aimed at teaching you practical job skill that you'll actively use in your profession.

The students around you are in the same boat, and can help you out
You wouldn't just be taking a postgrad for the educational experience, useful as that can be, but also for the people you'd be taking it with. Remember, your classmates will be the same as you, professionals looking to enter your specific career field. They represent an important human resource: Future working professionals you can network and connect with now, thanks to the shared bonding experience of moving through a postgrad together. In the coming years, if you can stay in touch, you'll be sharing jobs, resources, and tips while reminiscing about your school days with each other.

You'll be linked to a fresh set of resources, and connected to potential employers
It's a story I've heard a few times from students: They hit the job market before they were adequately prepared, and didn't take proper advantage of the resources that their school made available to them. Colleges, of course, have a wealth of job-hunting resources, including their own internal job boards, as well as centres to help you with resume-writing, interviews, and other job-hunting tips. By going back to school, you're getting another shot at making effective use of those resources, and this time, you have real job-market experience as context, meaning you get to start fresh with more wisdom. In addition to that, many post-grads include a field placement element, linking you directly to a potential employer, and allowing for further networking opportunities, if not a direct hire. At the very least, it puts your application to the top of the pile, since you'll have a chance to meet employers in person.

Inside or Out? The Pros and Cons of Learning From Home

If you want or need a post-secondary education for professional or persona development, but lack the ability to enter a school for personal, transport, or time-related reasons, then Distance Learning from a practical school like Centennial College may offer the answer you need. Via the internet or correspondence, you can receive skills-based practical degrees where and when you want, without the need to drastically reshape your life. So, where will you learn? Given the lack of a need to enter a school, your home may seem the ideal choice. However, it may not be the best option, and you may still need to venture outside to get your learning done. It's dependent on how you learn, and what your work ethics are, but here are some factors to consider.

Pro: Build your own workspace
The big idea behind distance learning is you can learn whenever or wherever you want, the "wherever" being a space that suits your learning conditions. If you're at home, your instinct is to make it as comfortable as possible, and you'll want to facilitate it. Put on a robe, grab a cup of coffee, wrap a blanket around you, sit in a bean bag chair, or don't even sit at all and prop a computer on your stomach in bed. The possibilities are endless, and you can fill your ideal home workspace with as many creature comforts as you wish.

Con: Comforts aren't always a good thing
There's a bit of a trap to working at home: If you spend too much time building your comforts, and preparing to study, you won't spend that time studying. Similarly, if you're in the safety of your own home, and accountable to no one, what's to stop you from simply nodding off to sleep in your comfortable space, or using that time at your computer to alt-tab between Facebook and Youtube. That's the trap of creature comforts: They aren't always good for productivity.

Pro: Learn to your own schedule
Aside from space advantages, time is the other appealing aspect of distance learning, specifically the ability to schedule your learning in at any time of day. If you're working, or have family to take care of, or just have any sort of commitment, distance learning lets you schedule it in whenever you can. In other words: You can sleep in, and tackle your schooling later on, instead of being forced to move your life around a schedule.

Con: Lack of a concrete schedule can cause issues
There's a trap to this, too. I have memories of reading a children's book about the "land of later," about how putting things off will result in them either never getting done, or getting done in an inferior form. And while distance education can be had where and when you want it, the onus is on you as a student to put the effort in to get the most out of it.

So, what's the solution? Ultimately, an understanding of your own work habits is essential, acquired through honest self-analysis. If you're in the comfort of your own home, do you have the discipline to still get work done? If the answer is yes, a home setting will be ideal for your distance learning. If not, you still have options. A library, a community centre, even a coffee shop will get you into a more focused environment, and enable you to get the education you deserve.

Joint Programs Give Post-Secondary Students Double The Education

As you search for your ideal path through the world of post-secondary education, you may be confronted with the dilemma of choosing college or university, and the unique experiences offered in each. Fortunately, both institutions understand the need in the current job market for the skills the other one possess, and have offered a way for students to have it all in the form of joint programs. These specialized programs represent a partnership between a university and a college, and have students participating in a Bachelor Degree Program at the university, before heading to the college for a practical side to the education. The goal is to prevent students from missing out on any aspect of the post-secondary experience, and ensure they have a total, multifaceted understanding of the program in question.

Practical college courses
The advantage of a college education is the real job skills training contained within. A good college course will get you on your feet and out of the lecture hall, and place you in a lab or field. Instead of passively learning about the job you want, you'll instead spend your time actively doing it. You'll be participating in a dry run of the job in a safe space where mistakes are a learning experience. That way, when you go out into the world and apply for a position, you'll be able to say you've logged hands-on time actually doing the job you're applying for.

Enlightened university theory
The practical can be further enhanced by knowing the theory behind a profession, which is what the University side id for. In other words, knowing how to write is useless without knowing what to write about. College is where you learn how to do, but university is where you learn what to do, in the form of theory, rules, philosophies, and best practices. Before you get on your feet, the university half of the education fills your mind with the theory, making sure that you're confident in your moves by the time you roll up you sleeves and get to practicing your profession, sound in your stable intellectual foundation.

Double the credits
Since you're getting double the education, you'll want something physical to show for it, even though the skills acquired are a reward on your own. In Centennial College's joint programs, you get just that, receiving both a college diploma, and a university degree from the participating institution, perfect for putting on a resume. Speaking of that…

A competitive advantage
Being able to show that you have a degree and a diploma puts you in a uniquely advantageous position in the job market, since possessing both a degree and a diploma can show employers you have a uniquely mixed understanding of the career you want to participate in. And in a crowded job market, that can make all the difference.

How to Pick Your College Program

If you're at the end of your time in high school, you may be in the process of picking your post-secondary path. If you're looking for a practical education that will get you a career, look no further than Toronto's College Programs, at schools like Centennial College. But when it comes time to pick your college courses, you may find yourself worrying about what career you should be getting into. While only you can make the final decision, there's a few guidelines you can follow to make the process easier. These include…

Do the research
This is the most important step: Don't simply pick a program because it sounds fun, or the blurb in a calendar intrigued you. Look up the profession. You're searching for three things: Average salary, average happiness, and whether or not it's a growing or shrinking field. This is important, because at the end of the day…

You'll need to get paid
Money doesn't buy happiness, but it does buy security. It's easy to be idealistic about not needing money when you're young, but you'll still need food and shelter, and cash to do it. If the profession you're thinking of doesn't pay well, do an honest self-analysis and look at the lifestyle you're going to want to lead when you're older.

You'll need to get hired
How much money you're going to be making is null and void if you can't actually get the job you want. Take a look at the career field's employment stats, and pay attention to what the job prospects are. More importantly, though, pay attention to what they will be. If they're shrinking, the job may be irrelevant in a few years.

You'll need to be skilled
Of course, you need to make sure you're relevant, too. While the point of a college program at a school like Centennial is to give you the skills you need, you need to be inclined towards that field to begin with. If you're more of a writer and bad at math, you shouldn't be going into accounting simply because it's lucrative for example.

You'll need to like it
Fortunately, your interests are also relevant, and it's necessary to pick a program you have actual interest in. Simply put, if you're not into a program, you won't give it your best effort, whereas if it's something you enjoy, you'll want to succeed and do well, and passion counts for a lot in any career.

It's all about balance
Ultimately, you should not be searching for a program that perfectly fulfills each of these requirements. Instead, you should be looking for something that gives you a good balance of these criteria, something you're happy with that also satisfies career, financial, and skill needs. And don't sweat it too much. Any post-secondary education is relevant, and picking something less than ideal isn't the end of the world. If you're attending a practical, skill-based college like Centennial, then you'll be taught valuable, transferrable life skills anyway.

How to Organize Your Life in College

Thinking about getting a career-oriented education at a community college when high school is over? Or perhaps you're already enrolled, and are leaving soon. Either way, it will be a challenge, albeit a rewarding one, and you need to be ready. There's a lot of advice on how to prepare floating around the 'net, but I'm going to keep it simple, and base it on my own experiences navigating the college world.

Decide right now if you're working or not
This is an important decision to make, because it will shape your time and money situation for the rest of the year. There's ups and downs to both approaches: If you work, you'll have money in your pocket to survive on, and further life experience, but if you don't, you can focus on your studies. I'm personally in the camp of working, but only modestly, and in a position where you can reduce hours when midterms or finals rear their head.

Know where your money is, and budget
Job or no job, you'll need to be more aware of your finances in college than ever before, in an environment where spending is sometimes necessary, and often encouraged. If you don't already, place your money in a single account or two you can keep tabs on, and monitor it. Know how much you have, how much you're going to have, what you can spend, and stick to a budget. You're still at a point in your life where you can afford to figure out how to manage your money, so now's the ideal time to do so.

Put your classes first
Never forget that's why you're there. After all, that's why your tuition is being spent. Socialize, live, be independent, but always make it to class on time. After all, you need a career when this is all over.

Make a schedule
Speaking of making it to class, you'll need to budget your time as well as your money. There's more to this than simply printing your timetable and knowing when your class time is, though. You'll need to figure out when to finish homework, when to study, and yes, even when to socialize and participate in clubs. As an aside to that, don't take on more clubs and social activities then you can handle.

Create or decide on a study space
You're going to need a place to get your work done, a place where you can focus and not be bothered, and you should figure out where that is earlier rather than later. Your home or dorm room may seem to be the answer, but sometimes the creature comforts within don't really help you finish your work, and a school study space, such as a library may be the answer

Never be without a notebook.
This is a simple but helpful piece of advice, and I'm not talking about a laptop. A physical book with pages on it can help you in ways a computer never can, from jotting down notes, reminders, and phone numbers, to serving as a backup when you don't have your computer, or its batteries die. It's only a few dollars, and is one of the most solid investments you can make in college, aside from college itself.

How to Make Your Continuing Education Experience Worthwhile

In the constantly changing professional world, it's advantageous and even necessary to keep your skills up to date, and learn new talents for the sake of staying competitive. This is one of the reasons for college Continuing Education programs to exist. They come in several different forms, including weekend, evening and digital format, but all contain the same idea: Students learning the newest skills, practices and technology by engaging in practical on-your-feet learning. If you've decided to take the plunge into continuing Toronto Education, you may want to make sure your time and effort is being well-spent. Fortunately, there's a few things you can do before and during your program to ensure you're getting the most out of your education. These include…

Decide why you're taking it, and what you want out of it
There's more reasons for taking a con-ed program than simply advancing your career, though those are the primary reasons. You may simply wish to pick up life skills, or learn something for fun. What's important is that you establish a solid goal for your learning, even if it's just taking a class for the heck of it.

Decide if you can come to class or not
And if the answer is no, that isn't a problem, thanks to the existence of distance learning. At schools like Centennial College, distance learning allows a student to receive the same professional industry-led education experience either online or by mail, in the security of their own home, at a time of their choosing. So, if work, family, transportation or anything else is getting in the way, it's not a problem.

Be sure to make some friends
Regardless of the reason for taking the class, being sociable will contribute to almost any goal. If you're trying to advance your career, you can add these friends to your professional network. And if you're in the program for fun, new friends are always a good thing.

Focus on what you can get out of it
Don't spend too much time worrying about grades, so long as you're passing. You're there to pick up job and life skills, which is why the whole college setting exists. So instead of burning yourself out trying to put everything into the course, instead pay attention to the takeaways, the talents you're there to acquire.

Don't stress
This is general good life advice, but applies to continuing education specifically: you're finished making your way through the conventional half of the post-secondary system, something that's essentially mandatory nowadays, and are taking this education because you want to. In the classroom or out, the theme of continuing education is the same: Skills you want, delivered at your convenience one way or another. It's your choice to enter, and it's the college delivering you a service, so you can approach it with a calmness and confidence unheard of in your previous education.