How to Earn Your Associate's Degree in Less than Two Years

Why You Should Strive To Be On The Dean's List

Nearly every community college and university across the country includes a Dean's List, a roster of students who have performed exceptionally well during the previous semester or school year.

• The Dean's List has traditionally been a prestigious honor to strive for during higher education because it demonstrates a commitment to academic excellence and the ability to rise to the workload, however heavy it might become.
• Whether you are just entering the hallowed halls of academia or are currently working through your degree program, we have a list of reasons to strive for the dean's list and tips to help you get there.

What is the Dean's List?

According to Wikipedia, the Dean's List is "a category of students in a college or university who achieve high grades during their stay in an academic term or academic year." The term is primarily used in North America, but some European institutions offer a Dean's List.

• Requirements for making the Dean's List vary from institution to institution, but most mandate a specific number of course hours to be taken and a set GPA to be maintained during the term or school year.
• It is essential to inquire with the advisement center or your academic counselor regarding the specific requirements for the Dean's List at your college.

This video offers six tips for getting on and staying on the Dean's List.

As we have come to rely more and more on computer systems for our daily lives, the issue of security has become a more widespread problem. From the original fear over a "Y2K" bug that could wipe out entire financial records when the calendar changed to the rising concern over a variety of terror threats, our country is on the search for highly trained cyber-experts that protect our precious computers from whatever ills might befall. The result is a growing demand for cyber-security training – a challenge that many community colleges across the country have been more than happy to accept.

The Role of Community Colleges

According to a blog on Bank Info Security last year, community colleges are beginning to offer cyber-security training in hopes of tapping into funds President Obama has released to spend on strengthening IT security. While this blog has voiced concern over the quality of training some students may receive, other reports are attesting to the fact that community college education in this area can be high quality, affordable and practical.

Finding the Best Schools

To help students find the best schools for their needs, the National Security Agency has designated a few institutions as National Centers for Academic Excellence, according to a report in the Baltimore Business Journal. When an institution boasts this label, students can rest assured the cyber-security training program has been sanctioned by federal agencies.

Currently, there are 106 colleges and universities across the

Security guards are hired in a wide range of venues, from upscale retail stores to casinos and nightclubs. This industry offers stable employment for fewer training hours than many other professions. Because some states now require security guards to complete training before landing positions, community colleges are opening their doors to security guard training, providing state-mandated courses and licensure where applicable.

The Job of a Security Guard

According to Education-Portal.com, some of the duties of a security guard might include:

• Protecting property from arson, burglary or damage
• Contacting proper authorities (police, fire department) in the event of an emergency
• Writing reports regarding observances and occurrences during shifts
• Acting as property law enforcer
• Interviewing witnesses or victims of crimes
• Testifying in court

The job is a diverse one, based on the type of venue in which you work. For example, security guards in a retail store may remain stationary throughout their shifts, while those patrolling a larger piece of property may travel the perimeter of the property multiple times in a single shift. Some will monitor their environment using surveillance equipment from behind a desk, while others work on their feet all day.

Job Prospects

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the job outlook for security guards is mostly favorable, due to the growing demand for security officers and the need to replace experienced workers who leave the occupation. More and more companies and individuals are seeing the need to protect property and possessions, and they are hiring

Students who enter community college today might be dismayed to find that hefty tuition payments are just the beginning of a potentially expensive college career. In addition to the annual tuition costs, textbooks have become a significant expense for many students, with some books easily costing more than $100 to bring a total for a single semester well into the $500-$1,000 range.

Cash-strapped students are often looking for affordable solutions to the textbook issue; fortunately, help is available. Through various programs offered on community college campuses and across the Internet, students are finding they can save a bundle on the textbooks they need.

Affordable Options

A report last year on U.S. News and World Report cited several options students could explore to save money on college textbooks, including:

• Using textbook rental services
• Borrowing textbooks from libraries
• Participating in textbook exchanges
• Getting textbooks for free or nearly free online
• Finding used textbooks at a reduced price

While these options offer advantages and drawbacks, using various methods to secure all the textbooks you need for any given semester can reap serious rewards for saving money. In addition to the tried and true savings programs, some college professors are getting involved in the affordable textbook cause to find resources for students that provide them with the information they need to ace a class without going into the red to do so.

Freebies

Someone once said that "the best things in life are free," especially when it comes to college textbooks.