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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/9/2010 6:55:26 AM
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iluvatar
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I wouldn't bother with a 2 year degree in web development. Either learn how to do real programming or don't. In two years, you'll learn enough to make the same generic, barely-functioning web sites that can be made by every 12 year old with some free time. There's no money in basic html editing.
-Dan.
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Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/9/2010 10:41:20 AM
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Miss Giggles
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I think most places want a bachelor's in accounting now.
I am thinking of the rad tech myself.
I just want to say if you don't pick something you are good at and will enjoy you will be miserable.. you and your husband will have to come to an agreement.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/9/2010 8:46:02 PM
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PrimaryOvertone
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I would not dismiss your husband's concern totally, however I know that in my area there are only job opennings for medical and truck drivers. I would suggest that if you already have an AA then you could most likely get your Bachelor's degree in just two more years. I would suggest that you look in your paper at what jobs are available. I would also suggest that you talk to someone in the fields you are most interested in. They will be able to give you some idea of what to expect in the field and where you should study. The biggest thing that you should make sure of is that whatever school you go with make sure it is reigionally accredited. Schools that are not or will not tell you if they are or not are very nearly worthless. If you want to know for sure you can visit you local library and look up whatever school in "The Higher Education Directory" I used to keep a copy on my shelf at work when I worked for a college. It is a big help when dealing with schools you have never heard of.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/9/2010 8:53:21 PM
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WasLostAmFound
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quote:
ORIGINAL: _Cinderella_
So, I am currently thinking of going back to school to train for a new career.
What are some good 2-3 year programs where people make decent money after a few years?
Here are some things I have on my list to explore further:
paralegal (this is my husband's top choice for me but not something I feel particularly called to)
medical billing (this is my top choice but my husband says medical is not a good field to get into right now with the uncertainty of whether or not the federal government is going to pass a healthcare bill)
medical administration
pharmacy technician
dietitian
vet tech
radiology
dental assistant
web development
accounting
I already have a general studies associate degree, but don't really have a desire to get a bachelor's degree without having a clear path of something to get one in. And I like the idea of going through a specific program that leads to a specific job afterwards. And I have no desire to do something like be a doctor or lawyer that takes 8+ years of total schooling.
I have a 2 year degree in Computer Aided Drafting and design from a local community college (fully accredited state school). I started out making about 32K/year and now make 45K/year after 10 years.
If you already have the general studies degree, it shouldn't take you long to finish a bachelor's degree if all your credits transfer. AND...if you go back to a 2 year school, you should be able to finish fairly quickly.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/9/2010 8:57:28 PM
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iluvatar
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quote:
ORIGINAL: PrimaryOvertone
I would not dismiss your husband's concern totally, however I know that in my area there are only job opennings for medical and truck drivers. I would suggest that if you already have an AA then you could most likely get your Bachelor's degree in just two more years.
If you do that, I'd bet money that you'd struggle a great deal behind your other classmates if not bomb out altogether. Most of the courses listed are somewhat technical with the first two years of instruction laying the foundation for the second two. I highly doubt that an AA in General Studies would provide any of the fundamentals necessary for a BA/BS in any of those fields. Even if the credits do transfer and they admit you as a junior, you could be in for some real struggles.
My wife had a BA in English Education and went back/transferred in for a BS in Comp Sci and struggled for quite some time even after graduation trying to catch up on the basics that she was expected to know, but was never taught. The school was set up as a 2 yr all-transfer school, with people transferring in from community colleges to finish their bachelor's
ETA: I should clarify that through hard work, she actually was able to get pretty good grades, but there were some pretty significant gaps in her instruction.
-Dan.
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Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/10/2010 3:06:43 PM
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rgod
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I agree with PrimaryOvertone. Seriously consider going for the bachelors. In the long run, it will probably end up working out better for you in that you'll probably make more money and it open a lot more doors for you. Often employers don't value the AA degree nearly as much as they value a BA or BS. If you decide to switch fields down the road, having a Bachelors degree will allow you to be able to get into grad school or skip school altogether as often employers will use it as an entry level credential and will be willing to give you on-the-job training simply because you are a college graduate. It sounds like you have time to go to classes now during the day. If so, this might be the perfect time to get the undergraduate education out of the way as many programs have at least some required classes that are only offered during the day. (Post-Baccelaureate programs are usually more flexible and have night classes because they are geared towards working adults. This might be a minor point now, but down the road if you need more training - you could do it at a higher level and keep you job - especially if your schedule is less flexible.) Also about 25% of the US population has a bachelor's degree - and in some fields almost everyone has one - so it will be much better for you to have that type of degree if you can get it.
Usually a general studies degree is designed for you to move on to a four year school anyway. If you want a BS, your AA credits will probably fulfill your general education requirements and the rest will probably be electives. If you get good counseling beforehand from your department's undergraduate adviser, you can probably finish in 2 years (or possible 2.5 years) without gaps in your education, since you'll probably be taking the foundational classes and the upper division classes related to your major during that time (along with maybe an upper division general education core-class requirement or two). Sometimes colleges have certificates too - you might want to see if you can roll a certificate into your degree program and still complete on time - sometimes the classes might overlap. If you go for the bachelors, and if you are able, you might also want to think about doing coops or internships. That will definitely give you an edge because you'll get experience with different employers WHILE you are going to school.
I agree that you should look into what you really want to do and are gifted at as well as what is available. Enjoying your work is important - and from the list that you gave, a lot of those jobs are in demand - so you might as well do what you enjoy. Healthcare is the largest sector in the US economy right now and is one of the few that is still growing. It will continue to grow as the baby boomers continue to age. The highest paying bachelor degrees are still in the IT and Engineering fields. I think that the demand for accountants is particularly high. If you think that you might like it, definitely look into it because as an accountant you can work in any field - healthcare, nonprofit, defense, arts, service - you name it.
Here's a couple of places where you can get some information about job outlook/current openings. Also, ONET and the Occupational Outlook Handbook will give you some government projections concerning the future of the job market for different tyeps of jobs. Just some info to help you to make some decisions:
1. Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/OCO/
2. ONET Online: http://online.onetcenter.org/
3. Riley Guide: http://www.rileyguide.com/
Of course, check indeed.com to get a sense of what jobs are available in your area too - or try to go to the OneStop Career center in your area (they are all over the country - government run career centers). You can get a good sense of what employers are looking for and what types of openings are available.
< Message edited by rgod -- 3/10/2010 6:44:13 PM >
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/10/2010 5:00:13 PM
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alwaysinjoy2000
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I also agree it may well be worth your time to go ahead and get the B.S. degree as well. rgod made a lot of good points.
I think if you want to earn good money in accounting (as it was on your list), you should at least get a bachelor's in accounting. It seems the norm nowadays to have that B.S. degree. Unless you're just going to do general bookkeeping, I'd recommend a B.S. degree in accounting (I got a B.S. degree in accounting). In addition, if you go the accounting route it's really beneficial if you can obtain your CPA license.
The only reason I say go for your B.S. degree is that you say you already have an associate's in the general studies. Like rgod stated, a lot of the classes you took for that associate's most likely will transfer into the B.S. degree program satisfying the general education requirements. Check with the universities in your area though just to make sure they transfer and you get credit for them.
It should take you the same amount of time to get your B.S. degree (2-3 years). Right now, I'm going back to school to take prereqs I need to go on to grad/professional school, and I found it's going to take me 2 years to do this, so I am going ahead and getting the B.S. in biology even though I won't need it (I figure it's a bonus, why not.lol). I already fulfilled the university general education requirements so that only leaves the major courses to take.
One last thing, I know especially in this economy of ours money is priority but research the jobs and talk to people in each of these fields to determine if its a fit for you. You definitely don't want to spend all the time and money to get into the field and then once you're there you find out no matter how much money you're making you're not happy! Good luck! 
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/10/2010 8:35:00 PM
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stellaluna
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radiology
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/11/2010 12:03:06 AM
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iluvatar
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I should clarify even more that I don't think getting a bachelor's is a bad idea; in fact, I think it's a very good idea. I was merely expressing doubt about it being doable within 2 years.
-Dan.
_____________________________
Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/11/2010 2:13:28 AM
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iluvatar
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quote:
ORIGINAL: _Cinderella_
Why do you think it would take more than two years to get a bachelors? Say if I was going to get a business degree, I wouldn't have taken very many business classes in the first two years anyway. Same with probably anything else. I guess the main determination would be how long the stack of pre-reqs is to get to the upper level classes and how many semesters it would take to get through such things.
That's precisely why I would expect it to take more than two years. Except for maybe medical administration, every one of those is reasonably technical. Any 4 year technical degree I've seen starts off with foundational core classes right in the first semester, which are then pre-requisites for later courses.
-Dan.
_____________________________
Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/11/2010 8:44:31 AM
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PrimaryOvertone
Posts: 89
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You should get in touch with the registrar at whichever school(s) you are considering and ask them about the transfer policies they have for the school you are coming from. You can also talk to them about whether you should be able to do a degree in two years or not. They will have worked with the files of other students who transfered in and will be able to give you some insight into the pitfalls others faced. You should also get in touch with faculty members in the program you are looking at and get their take on finishing in two years.
Do not just take an admissions counselor's word as law. They are there to sell you an education. Once you buy what they are selling you are no longer their problem. Feel free to go over their head and get answers from the people who will be working with you for a couple of years.
If you really feel like doing some digging, look for a link to the school Factbook on their website. It will have information in it about how well transfer students are retained (Retention - the rate at which a cohort [in your case transfer students] returns after the first year at the institution). That will be a good indicator of how the school does for transfer students. If you can't find it on the website ask your admission's counselor. That will signal to them that you mean business.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/16/2010 4:17:29 PM
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Katie-Scarlet
Posts: 251
Joined: 4/18/2005
Status: offline
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quote:
ORIGINAL: _Cinderella_
So, I am currently thinking of going back to school to train for a new career.
What are some good 2-3 year programs where people make decent money after a few years?
Here are some things I have on my list to explore further:
paralegal (this is my husband's top choice for me but not something I feel particularly called to)
medical billing (this is my top choice but my husband says medical is not a good field to get into right now with the uncertainty of whether or not the federal government is going to pass a healthcare bill)
medical administration
pharmacy technician
dietitian
vet tech
radiology
dental assistant
web development
accounting
I already have a general studies associate degree, but don't really have a desire to get a bachelor's degree without having a clear path of something to get one in. And I like the idea of going through a specific program that leads to a specific job afterwards. And I have no desire to do something like be a doctor or lawyer that takes 8+ years of total schooling.
The salary for those jobs won't really be that much in NY they top out btwn $25,000 - $40,000). In order to make more you would need to go further than two years.
1) A good two year program that leads to a good salary in addition to offering the opportunity to work a regular 40hrs or freelance and make your own would be Court Reporting/Closed caption stenographer. The training to do both is the same and there are many opportunities in the field. Depending on what you do your salary could be from $45,000 to over $80,000 on the high end.
2)Have you considered being a wedding planner/consultant. Here you also have the choice of working with a company (recommended when you just start out) or having your own business. Salary depeding on how many wedding you want to do and what services you wish to offer could range from $25,000 - endless) The good part is there is no formal degree required. There are online schools that you sign up for and they send you the books etc and its self taught (you do have help online and via phone with a personal tutor if needed). As you complete each section you send in your exams and projects via online or mail and upon graduation receive a certificate. You have the option of joining a bridal organization for networking etc. or just going for it on your own. Either way its up to you how long you take to complete the work, Three months or a year. Most schools offer payment plans, the cost range between $689.00 to just over $1,000 depends on the school.
3)If you have three years in you consider Physician Assistant (that is if you like medicine) Since you already have the general Ed courses you will just need a few bio courses and then you can transfer to a 2year program and take a certification exam to be a Physician Assistant. You can specialize in any field you choose and you basically perform all the same duties as a doctor. The starting salary right out of graduation is $80,000 to just over $100,000.
< Message edited by Katie-Scarlet -- 3/16/2010 4:36:38 PM >
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 3/19/2010 1:11:16 PM
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GregandJenny
Posts: 501
Joined: 2/16/2006
From: Near Seattle Washington
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quote:
Why do you think it would take more than two years to get a bachelors? Say if I was going to get a business degree, I wouldn't have taken very many business classes in the first two years anyway. Same with probably anything else. I guess the main determination would be how long the stack of pre-reqs is to get to the upper level classes and how many semesters it would take to get through such things.
Many programs require 100 and 200 level prerequistes to get into a program. for instance i am starting a business program in the fall, but to major in the program I have to make sure certain 100 and 200 level courses are completed that's aren't part of the major but part of the prereqs for some classes.
G
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 4/12/2010 5:26:34 AM
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richardhll
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Cinderalla, this is an excellent time to enter the field of healthcare. I recently read a report which said that healthcare was the largest industry in 2008 – at the peak of recession -- and I am pretty certain that healthcare professionals will continue to enjoy excellent prospects in the next few years to come. The good thing is that you can enter this profession with a two-year associate’s degree. I was going through the curriculum of the Medical Specialties degree offered by Stevens-Henager College, which will prepare you for a variety of entry-level jobs in medical assisting, medical coding & billing, pharmacy technician, lab assisting, etc.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 4/16/2010 8:51:16 PM
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Reekali
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You should think about what YOU want to do, and maybe looking into doing followings and seeing what these folks do. Otherwise, you'll spend 2 years in school and be miserable.
I teach at a university and we have a very popular 1 year certificate program here. I've had half a dozen students come in, dropping the $4k for one quarter's worth of classes and find out that they HATE it, and have just wasted all that money.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 4/21/2010 7:21:21 AM
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vicbhe
Posts: 55
Joined: 4/24/2005
From: Arkansas
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Im not an expert at this but I'll give a little input. I am in a similar place as you and have been asking a lot of people in my area what worked for them. I find several people with multiple two year degree's who have no job. I have one cousin who got a two year degree and that opened a door for her to get a job in a related field that didnt require a degree. My sister works in a government job (20+ yrs) and all the jobs she tells me about require a 4yr degree. It's not important what the degree is in, you could be a history major for all they care, it just has to be a 4yr.
On the fips side of that, I am in a 2yr CIS program. After talking with people in the field here who actually do the hiring, the program I am in has a very good reputation and a better placement rate on graduates than the 4yr programs in this area. Evidently, from what I hear that is because in this field the job interviewer doesnt care what degree and certs one has, they give you a hands on problem and say "show me what you can do with this."
I still plan to continue with a BA in this field though.
Bottom line, I doubt you will ever regret getting a BA or BS (regardless of what it is,) you may regret stopping short of that.
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"Pay now, play later. Play now, pay later." Orville Ashley, my 10th grade algebra teacher talking about college. Wish I'd listened better back then.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 6/28/2010 8:12:57 AM
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iluvatar
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quote:
ORIGINAL: _Cinderella_
The two downsides would be that the class is $1,000 (kinda high if I discover I don't like it), plus it seems that most pharmacy techs do not make more than $15 per hour, which is not that much.
$1000 isn't very high for a class, but $15/hr is pretty low for something that requires some sort of training. You could get a job sweeping floors or cleaning houses and make that much.
-Dan.
_____________________________
Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 6/28/2010 2:32:12 PM
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Miss Giggles
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From: MI
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15.00 an hour isn't an awful wage. It isn't high, but its enough to get by, and it also depends on your cost of living. If it's a second income, its not bad at all.
Don't turn this into a class war - sure you could clean houses and sweep floors - but that isn't a career that many want to do for the rest of their life. And around here those are min wage jobs.
As for the job - it's good because you can work flexible hours.
Cons are you may have to work holidays and be short staffed.
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RE: Good 2 year programs - 6/29/2010 9:03:46 AM
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iluvatar
Posts: 3529
Joined: 4/12/2005
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Miss Giggles
15.00 an hour isn't an awful wage. It isn't high, but its enough to get by, and it also depends on your cost of living. If it's a second income, its not bad at all.
Don't turn this into a class war - sure you could clean houses and sweep floors - but that isn't a career that many want to do for the rest of their life. And around here those are min wage jobs.
As for the job - it's good because you can work flexible hours.
Cons are you may have to work holidays and be short staffed.
I don't mean to turn it into a class war - I'm just trying to give some perspective. Even in a low-cost, economically depressed area like my hometown, a "facilities" job at any sort of larger company or office building will pay at least $12/hr (probably $15-17), with a regular schedule, no holidays and probably no weekends. And no $1000 class up front.
-Dan.
_____________________________
Well, I've been to one world fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing I ever heard come over a set of earphones.
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