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School Starts at 6 AM: Community Colleges for Early Risers
The school bell no longer rings just at 8 AM at some community colleges. Campuses are starting classes at 6 AM, but how effective could these early classes be?

As more students flock to community colleges today, institutions are staying ahead of rising enrollment with creativity and flexibility. The newest offering at many community colleges across the country is early class times that allow for additional course offerings and work around professional students' busy schedules.

However, do classes before dawn really make the grade? We looked at three different community colleges with early course offerings to find the answer.

"Early Bird" Classes at Gateway

Gateway Community College in Connecticut is just one of the many colleges opening up their campuses for early birds. According to a report in the Hartford Courant, Gateway will begin offering its first set of "early bird classes" during its fall semester. The courses will begin at 6:30 in the morning and let out by 8 a.m., giving you plenty of time to make it to your day job.

"If you work the average day shift, this could be a simple way to get a class done before you go to work," Dean of Academic Affairs Mark Kosinski states on the college's website. Kosinski also told the Courant, "We are constantly looking for new ways to meet the needs of our diverse student body so we'll be looking closely at the results of this pilot to see whether it should be expanded beyond the fall semester."

In addition to flexible scheduling for professional students earning degrees while working full-time, the earlier schedules will provide more courses for Gateway's overflowing student

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Careers: Property Management

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Careers: Property Management
Changes in the real estate horizon create growing opportunities for property management careers. Learn about how you can begin your property management career right at your local community college.

If you have a passion for real estate and enjoy working with people, a job in property management might be a good choice for you. This field is a growing one, as more people turn to professionally managed communities and properties to live and work.

A degree in property management opens the door to a host of possible career options, including onsite property management, buying and selling properties, and working as a leasing agent.

Many community colleges have recognized the potential this industry offers, and campuses are now providing property management programs to help you get the training you need quickly and economically to move into a lucrative, rewarding career.

Careers in Property Management

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a degree in property management can launch a number of lucrative career options, including:

  • Onsite Property Managers – These professionals handle the daily operations of a property, ensuring that repairs are completed in a timely fashion and maintenance keeps the property in top condition. These managers work closely with current tenants to enforce the terms of rental contracts and handle complaints. They may also deal with prospective tenants, showing vacant properties and getting leases signed.
  • Real Estate Asset Managers – These property managers usually handle the purchase, sale and development of properties on behalf of owners or investors. Instead of working through the daily operations of a property, these professionals usually involve themselves with the big picture, choosing properties that Houston Community College work well
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Careers: Bartending

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Careers: Bartending
If you are considering bartending school, take a shot first with community colleges, which offer stellar, yet expeditious, training at a very affordable cost.

Whether people are toasting their good fortune or drowning their sorrows, there is always a demand for qualified bartenders to cater to their needs. This field is one of the most recession-proof industries for those hoping for a steady paycheck in the midst of any economic conditions, according to Bartending.org.

While bartender training can usually be completed in a matter of weeks, the cost for such programs varies greatly. Enter community colleges, once again meeting a vocational training need for as little cost as possible.

Requirements for Bartenders

There are a number of subjects you must master in order to become a highly qualified bartender today, including:

  • The ability to mix a wide range of shaken and stirred drinks
  • Responsible bartending, including how to recognize intoxicated patrons and respond appropriately
  • Complete product knowledge of supplies typically used behind the bar
  • Preparation speed to serve a maximum number of customers in a short period of time without sacrificing quality of product or service
  • Interpersonal skills to put your customer service offerings ahead of the pack

In addition to the basic skills acquired in a bartending program, students may also need to become certified by the state in responsible bartending. For example, the Connecticut Department of Liquor Control requires bartenders to have both state and national SMART (Servers and Managers Alcohol Responsibility Training), according to the website for Tunxis Community College.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicates that some vocational training programs can specifically help find

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New Law Forces Community College Professors to Disclose Textbook Costs

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New Law Forces Community College Professors to Disclose Textbook Costs
Have you ever been sticker-shocked at the textbook costs for each of your classes? Thanks to a new law, before you sign up for a class, you can ascertain exactly how much the course’s textbooks will cost.

After they scrape together the necessary cash to pay tuition fees, community college students find that their financial obligations are far from over. The rising costs of textbooks and other necessary supplies have put more than one college student into a deep financial hole, forcing some to choose between their necessary resources and rent for the month.

To help students plan more efficiently for the cost of textbooks each semester, a new law has been put in place to require college professors to disclose the precise costs of textbooks before a student commits to their classes, according to a report in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Lower Prices

In addition to helping students plan for the cost of higher education more accurately, the new law will also increase awareness and competition in the textbook market, lowering the cost of textbooks overall.

This is good news to students who may spend hundreds of dollars every semester to stock their dormitory bookshelves with the necessary supplies. A report in the Washington Post two years ago estimated that some college students pay between $700 and $1,100 each year on textbooks. Between 1986 and 2004, the price of a college textbook tripled, with an annual increase of around 6% each year – nearly double the rate of inflation.

"It's really hard just paying for tuition alone," Annaiis Wilkinson told the Washington Post. The 19-year-old Trinity Washington University student paid about $500 in textbooks each semester just

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Careers: Law Enforcement

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Careers: Law Enforcement
If the field of criminal justice is calling you, then answer by starting your training at community college. Learn about career prospects in criminal justice and available community college programs to launch you into a rewarding job.

Criminal justice is a broad field that encompasses a number of in-demand jobs. Whether you want to become a uniformed police officer, investigator or another professional in criminal justice, the job begins with the right training to land an entry position. Many community colleges are now offering a variety of criminal justice programs to help individuals launch their careers in this exciting, rewarding field.

What is Criminal Justice?

According to World Wide Learn, criminal justice is a "social science that attempts to identify and explain the patterns of criminal behavior and to analyze society's ability to control crime and delinquency." Criminal justice encompasses many fields of study, including psychology, law, and public administration. A degree in criminal justice prepares graduates for a variety of careers in law enforcement and crime prevention.

As the world's population continues to increase, there will be a steadily increasing demand for individuals to work in criminal justice. The Criminal Justice USA states, "As Americans grow to become more security and safety conscious, the demand for law enforcement units and corrections units will increase, especially in areas of high population density." Communities will always need law enforcement officials, and larger populations will exhibit a greater demand in this area.

Whether you are a high school graduate in search of a career path or a seasoned professional looking for a recession-proof industry, criminal justice might be the right choice for you.

This video offers an overview of the

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