Choosing A College Degree - What Is Best For You?
By Jordan Dunham, Sat Dec 10th

Choosing a college degree can be a very difficult decision tomake. There are many things to consider but it is important todecide on the right college degree for the type of occupationthat you want to pursue. You may find that you do not actuallyneed a college degree but that a certificate or diploma will besufficient, or your chosen profession may require further studyafter a college degree such as medicine or law.

Certificates or diplomas require a shorter period of study thana traditional college degree and are usually taken by studentswanting to pursue a career in an occupational field. Quite oftena certificate or diploma can be taken before embarking on acollege degree course.

An associate degree is awarded after completing a two-yearcollege degree course. Some community colleges and otheruniversities offer an associate degree program which allows youto transfer to a four-year college degree course after you havebeen awarded the appropriate associate degree. There are anumber of occupations where a two-year college degree isrecommended or required including:

*Administrative Assistant *Automotive Mechanic *Cardiovascular Technician *Commercial Artist *ComputerTechnician *Dental Hygienist *Drafter *Engineering Technician*Funeral Director *Graphic Designer *Heating,Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Technician *Hotel orRestaurant Manager *Medical Laboratory Technician *MedicalRecord Technician

*Insurance Agent *Registered Nurse *Surgical Technologist *Surveyor *Visual Artist *Water andWastewater Treatment Plant Operator

A traditional four-year college degree is the most frequentlyrequired qualification for a number of occupations. Someexamples of professions requiring a four-year college degree inan appropriate discipline are:

*Accountant *Computer Systems Analyst *Dietitian *Editor *Engineer *FBI Agent *Investment Banker *Journalist *MedicalIllustrator *Pharmacist *Public Relations Specialist *Recreational Therapist *Research Assistant *Social Worker *Teacher *Writer

There are also a number of occupations that require a student toobtain a college degree that is longer than the conventionalfour-year college degree programs. These extended professionalcollege degree programs include: *Architect *Biologist *Chiropractor *Dentist *Diplomat *Doctor *Economist *Geologist *Lawyer *Librarian *Management Consultant *Palaeontologist *Priest *Psychologist *Public Policy Analyst

It is important to choose a college degree course that issuitable for the career path you want to follow. If you areunsure of which field of occupation you want to enter then it isadvisable to take a certificate or diploma course first. Thiswill enable you to change disciplines without having spent fouryears on a degree course that ends up not being something thatyou want to pursue.

About the author:Jordan Dunham is an expert on college student loanconsolidation, visit http://www.students-loan-consolidation.org/today for details.