(NewsUSA) – Parents and even grandparents are now doing homework alongside their children. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), higher education enrollment of students age 25 and older rose 43 percent between 2000 and 2009. From 2010 to 2019, NCES projects a 23 percent rise in college enrollments of students age 25 and older.Many adults are striving to find the balance between work, family and education; others feel they are too overwhelmed by responsibilities to even consider pursuing a higher degree.However, options do exist. Online education is a great solution for working adults seeking an advanced degree. Online programs enable working adults to accommodate their busy schedules. However, despite the schedule flexibility that online learning offers, adult students still must prioritize their responsibilities and commitments in order to complete assignments on time."Parents aren’t the only ones who need to understand that going back to school is a time-consuming process — everyone in the family should understand the commitment as well," says Savitri Dixon-Saxon, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, associate dean of Walden University’s School of Counseling and Social Service. Walden University offers more than 60 online doctoral, master’s and bachelor’s degree programs.Here are five tips from Dr. Dixon-Saxon for achieving balance:* Choose a focus or specialization that you truly care about. The juggling act will be much more challenging for you if you don’t enjoy your field of study. Choose a focus area you are passionate about.* Set aside time for your studies. Set specific time frames for studying and completing assignments. This requires discipline and time management, but once you establish a routine, it can help keep you on track.* Find a place to do your studies. It’s easy to be distracted, so find a quiet place to study away from excessive noise and interruptions.* Ask for help. Make connections early on with classmates and faculty members to set up online study groups and start the term off right.* Renew your energy. Take time for yourself as part of your schedule. Spend time with your family and friends to recharge your batteries.For additional tips for a successful online learning experience, go to www.WaldenU.edu/studytips.
Balancing Higher Education as an Adult
Soul Search, Research, Job Search: How to Cultivate Your Dream Career
(NewsUSA) – Far too often, employees find themselves stuck in an unfulfilling job, yet are reluctant to leave. They settle because of current economic conditions or because they simply lack the confidence or required skills to pursue their ideal career.
According to a recent study conducted by The Conference Board, job satisfaction is at an all-time low — only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their current job.
It can seem overwhelming for those yearning to step into a field that better suits their passions. Certified career coach Maggie Mistal specializes in helping individuals explore their purpose and find work they love. She advises individuals to break down the process into three steps:
A Bright Spot for Your Rainy-Day Savings
(NewsUSA) – Ben Franklin once declared, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Yet, equally enlightening are his thoughts on expenses: “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.”
And there are plenty of “leaks” that can scuttle an already-tight budget. For instance, a spouse idled by the sour economy, a fender bender with the family car, or an unexpected hospitalization. That’s why financial advisors recommend that you have a rainy-day fund — enough liquid assets to cover three to six months’ worth of emergency living expenses. In case of financial emergency, access to additional money will save you from relying on credit cards or loans that simply compound the problem.
When starting an emergency fund, there are a few key points to take into consideration:
1. Determine what amount is best for you. Most experts agree that you should keep between three and six months worth of your living expenses set aside in your emergency fund. Your specific situation — whether you have children, carry substantial debt and types of insurance coverage you have — will determine what amount is best for you. Examine your situation — your income and your needs — to decide how much you should save.
2. Start small. Starting an emergency fund can be as simple as depositing $100 into your high-interest savings account. But before you begin, be sure that you’re meeting your basic living expenses. And as you build your emergency fund, be sure you’re also reducing your spending and avoiding debt.
3. Stick to a schedule. Get into the habit of making regular deposits. Whether it is weekly, bi-weekly or monthly, create a schedule and stick to it. Once you make saving automatic, you won’t even have to think about it.
4. Consider an online savings account. In many cases, an “online” savings account may make more sense than an account at a traditional, bricks-and-mortar bank. That’s because many traditional banks are not currently offering a savings option with interest rates high enough to meaningfully beat inflation. In addition, an online savings account is a reliable way to manage your money.
AAA and Discover Bank partnered to bring members highly competitive rates on an online savings account. The AAA Online Savings Account is a great option to begin building a rainy-day fund:
* Preferred member rates over five times the national savings average
* $500 minimum opening deposit and no minimum balance required
* FDIC insurance up to $250,000
To open your Online Savings Account, visit AAA.com/Deposits.
Working Adults Going Back to School
Excitement and opportunity abound as children and teenagers get ready to go back to school. But the enthusiasm—and pressure—of this season are also affecting more adults. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), higher education enrollment of students age 25 and older rose 43 percent between 2000 and 2009. From 2010 to 2019, NCES projects a 23 percent rise in college enrollments of students age 25 and older.
Many adults are striving to find the balance between work, family and education; others feel they are too overwhelmed by responsibilities to even consider pursuing a higher degree.
4 Steps to Building an Emergency Fund
Ben Franklin once declared, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Yet, equally enlightening are his thoughts on expenses: “Beware of little expenses. A small leak will sink a great ship.”
And there are plenty of “leaks” that can scuttle an already-tight budget. For instance, a spouse idled by the sour economy, a fender bender with the family car, or an unexpected hospitalization. That’s why financial advisors recommend that you have a rainy-day fund—enough liquid assets to cover three to six months’ worth of emergency living expenses. In case of financial emergency, access to additional money will save you from relying on credit cards or loans that simply compound the problem.
The Perfect Condiment to Your Sports Experience Is the Internet, Not Ketchup
(NewsUSA) – It’s that time of the year again. The mornings are filled with crisp, cool air, and football stadiums are brimming with school color pride. Students, alumni and families all over the U.S. are in the throes of college football season, but with the rising costs of tuition and dorm living compounded by a struggling worldwide economy, it is becoming more difficult for students and fans to enjoy watching their favorite sports events without breaking the bank.
Attending live sports events can often be costly. While college football tickets can be affordable for matriculated students attending home games, regular college event tickets can run fans up to $60 per game. Additionally, each visit to the stadium can include up to $20 per person spent on drinks and food, if not more.
Recognizing these limitations, technology companies are finding alternative ways to provide consumers with more options at home through the Internet — from movies to TV shows, and now even sports.
One of the most widely recognized of these is Hulu, which has seen tremendous success as an online video service offering hit shows, clips and movies. According to comScore, an Internet marketing research firm, the online video service reached 43 million monthly users at the end of 2009, doubling the number from the year before. Earlier this year, Hulu launched a subscription service, Hulu Plus, on several TV-connected devices for $9.95 a month.
For sports fans, Microsoft Corp. recently introduced a new way to watch popular sports, like college football and bowl games, college basketball, MLB and NBA, and more, through a customized ESPN app on Xbox 360, the company’s video game and entertainment system. The new application allows users to access over 3,500 live and on-demand sport events from ESPN3.com, including out-of-market games, with an Xbox LIVE Gold membership, which costs $59.99 per year — or $5 per month — to users who receive their Internet connection from an affiliated service provider. The system also offers streaming through Netflix.
The blending of television and the Internet has been a developing trend over the past few years. More Americans have become used to relying on the Internet for TV viewing, and broadband adoption has continued to rise. A recent study by Integrated Media Measurement Inc. found that 20 percent of 3,000 primetime TV viewers surveyed watched some primetime programming online.
Beyond watching videos on the web, Internet-powered television services may be the future for people who prefer to watch movies, and especially live sports, on a large TV with surround sound in the living room. Students and fans operating on a budget may want to consider staying in for the next big sports event.
Guidelines for Making Kids’ “Screen Time” Meaningful
It’s a fact: Children today are surrounded by all types of digital media from a very young age. Educators, parents and caregivers are left with the task of navigating through a multitude of handheld games, toys and online resources while debating the value of these different options.
Fortunately, research shows that computers can play a positive role in the education of children. Benefits include language, literacy and social development as well as the improvement of important problem-solving skills.
Experts and researchers in early childhood development offer the following guidelines for computer use by youngsters:
Online Education Puts Nurses on the Right Track
 NewsUSA) – The United States doesn’t have enough nurses, and the nursing shortage will only get worse. Due to new health care legislation, an estimated 32 million Americans will enter the health care system by 2014 — according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the national nursing shortage will increase 29 percent by 2020.
Many Americans want to earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) but are turned away. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, schools turned down more than 54,000 qualified applications to professional nursing programs in 2009. The reason? Program capacity is too low due to a lack of nurse educators. But some nurses are advancing their training through self-paced, online education programs like those offered through The College Network and its partner institutions. Online programs provide nurses with the ability to earn a valuable BSN while continuing to work full time in their current nursing job, gaining valuable hands-on experience while also providing for their families. Advantages of online BSN programs include: 1. Self-paced education. Those with significant work experience might be out of practice when it comes to studying in a traditional school environment. Companies like The College Network ease the transition by allowing adult learners to take their time or move more rapidly through their courses than would be possible in a classroom setting. 2. Ability to work and study simultaneously. Students can take courses and study on their own timeline. Without needing to take off work, drive to campus and sit in a classroom each week, students can earn their degree while working full time and keeping family commitments. 3. No waiting lists. A nurse who wants to earn a degree at a traditional college is often placed on a waiting list until a spot becomes available. In the two to three years it can take to get to the top of a waiting list to start a program, that student could have completed the entire program from an online education provider. To learn more about The College Network’s programs for nurses, visit www.collegenetwork.com/nursingPR. |
Online Education Puts Nurses on the Right Track
(NewsUSA) – The United States doesn’t have enough nurses, and the nursing shortage will only get worse. Due to new health care legislation, an estimated 32 million Americans will enter the health care system by 2014 — according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the national nursing shortage will increase 29 percent by 2020.
Many Americans want to earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) but are turned away. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, schools turned down more than 54,000 qualified applications to professional nursing programs in 2009. The reason? Program capacity is too low due to a lack of nurse educators.
But some nurses are advancing their training through self-paced, online education programs like those offered through The College Network and its partner institutions.
Online programs provide nurses with the ability to earn a valuable BSN while continuing to work full time in their current nursing job, gaining valuable hands-on experience while also providing for their families.
Advantages of online BSN programs include:
1. Self-paced education. Those with significant work experience might be out of practice when it comes to studying in a traditional school environment. Companies like The College Network ease the transition by allowing adult learners to take their time or move more rapidly through their courses than would be possible in a classroom setting.
2. Ability to work and study simultaneously. Students can take courses and study on their own timeline. Without needing to take off work, drive to campus and sit in a classroom each week, students can earn their degree while working full time and keeping family commitments.
3. No waiting lists. A nurse who wants to earn a degree at a traditional college is often placed on a waiting list until a spot becomes available. In the two to three years it can take to get to the top of a waiting list to start a program, that student could have completed the entire program from an online education provider.
To learn more about The College Network’s programs for nurses, visit www.collegenetwork.com/nursingPR.
Nurses Find Three Advantages in Online Education
The United States doesn’t have enough nurses, and the nursing shortage will only get worse. Due to new health care legislation, an estimated 32 million Americans will enter the health care system by 2014 – according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the national nursing shortage will increase 29 percent by 2020.
Many Americans want to earn their bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) but are turned away. According to the American Association of Colleges of Nursing, schools turned down more than 54,000 qualified applications to professional nursing programs in 2009. The reason? Program capacity is too low due to a lack of nurse educators.
