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If you’re new to online learning, you’ll quickly find it’s essential to know the ins and outs of using the educational software, in particular, the discussion board feature. If you don’t, you might alienate yourself from fellow classmates, irritate your professor, or worse—miss an important assignment. As I’ve worked on my master’s degree online, I’ve encountered several discussion-board snafus committed by fellow students, and made some goofs myself. To save yourself from facing the same fate, check out the following tips. They’re based on Blackboard, one of the more popular discussion-board programs used in online courses across the country. 1....
Last year, I found myself back in the classroom after several years in the workforce, taking science classes to prepare for veterinary school. I quickly discovered I wasn’t ready for the mind-boggling buying options and jaw-dropping textbook prices I encountered at the college bookstore. My confusion usually begins once I register online for classes and am given a way to look up required texts. The textbook’s full title and 9- or 13-digit ISBN number (International Standard Book Number, usually listed by the bar code) may or may not be noted. Two or more identical-seeming options may be marked as “required.”...
Going back to school takes dedication. Fears about not having the time, money or energy–or all of the above–to get your degree can keep you stuck in a rut, especially if your schedule is already packed with family and work responsibilities. But if you’re paying close attention, you may find glimmers of hope in unlikely places, such as in reports about trends like high dropout rates. The American Enterprise Institute, a conservative public policy think tank, has done some interesting number-crunching on the issue of low graduation rates at the country’s community colleges. First the bad news. Researchers found: Only...
Seth Godin is a marketing guru who’s known for the Technicolor ties and shirts he wears during conference panels and press appearances. He’s also a very colorful writer adept at promoting his books—and he’s written 12 bestsellers, including “Linchpin: Are You Indispensible?” and “Tribes.” Most of his latest manifesto, “Stop Stealing Dreams,” rips the American K-12 education system, saying it’s failed to evolve from its roots—when it was “invented to create a constant stream of compliant factory workers to the growing businesses of the 1900s.” He doesn’t think much of the traditional higher-education system, either–saying too many colleges don’t amount...
The responsibilities of a dental hygienist differ greatly from those of an assistant. Dental hygienists and assistants also fall into significantly different salary ranges and require distinct educational preparation. Check out our comparison charts below for a quick guide to these two careers, both of which are predicted to have solid job growth over the next several years. Dental assistant vs. dental hygienist—job responsibilities Dental Assistant Dental Hygienist Administers and processes dental X-rays Instructs patients on proper oral care Prepares patients for treatment Cleans and prepares instruments and equipment for various procedures Assists the dentist during procedures Assists with office...
With health care costs rising year by year, more of us are paying closer attention to the benefits of a healthy diet and exercise–both for our waistlines and our wallets. It pays to eat right. That’s one reason why the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects steady job growth for nutritionists and dietitians over the next several years: 9 percent from 2008-2018, according to the latest available forecast. Nutritionists vs. dietitians The government lumps nutritionists and dietitians into a single job category, but they’re not one and the same. In the biggest of big-picture terms, nutritionists and dietitians “plan food...
Sonography’s probably best known for its ultrasound technology that enables obstetricians to peek at a developing fetus inside the mother’s womb. But sonography’s applications are far more wide-ranging, providing a closer look at organs, tissues and blood vessels so that abnormalities and potential problems can be detected. It’s definitely not a career for the faint of heart. Do you have what it takes? Three must-have traits for sonographers 1. Tact One of the most rewarding aspects of the sonographer’s job is working directly with patients—but it’s also one of the most challenging. Your patient might be perfectly healthy, but he...
There’s no reason to fear the quantitative section of the GRE—not when technology’s here to help. No, we’re not talking about sneaking in a graphing calculator. The latest in study strategies is right there in your pocket or purse: your smartphone. Test prep apps are everywhere, and they’re great tools to help you prep for the test. Streamline your app hunt with a targeted search Just doing a quick search on Macworld or iTunes will bring up dozens of results, so where should you start? One tip is to look for apps from the already established test preparation companies. Another...
Ah, those dreaded prerequisites. So you’ve made the big decision to go back to school. But before you can dive into the really cool courses at the heart of the degree you’re pursuing, you need to brush up on your math skills or get some biology credits. There’s a push to get more introductory classes available cheaply online. The Open Learning Initiative Candace Thille heads up the Open Learning Initiative at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Founded in 2002, OLI offers web-based courses in biology, chemistry, anatomy and physiology, engineering statics and a handful of other subjects—those so-called “weed-out” courses...
If you’re doing your homework about getting a physician assistant (PA) degree, you may be wondering why there are so many ways to go about it, from certificates and associate degrees to bachelor’s and master’s degrees. Regardless of the degree, all PAs have to pass a national certification exam administered by the National Commission on Certification of Physician Assistants. The importance of accreditation And in order to sit for that exam, your degree has to come from an accredited program. There are 159 programs that have earned that stamp of approval from the Accreditation Review Commission on Education for the...
More aspiring graduate students took the GRE last year than ever before: a record 800,000 worldwide. Perhaps you’re one of them. Maybe you’re cramming for it now. Unless you thrive on the thrill of crazy intense competition, taking a standardized test can be an anxiety-fraught process. But here are 4 steps to triumphing over that nervousness. Step 1: How anxious are you? The first step in tackling that anxiety, is asking yourself just how anxious you are, says Mark Wahl, a math learning specialist who teaches a GRE prep course in Seattle. At the start of every course, Wahl asks...
If the thought of spending years and years juggling work, family and classes keeps stalling your going-back-to-school ambitions, ask yourself this question: Is there a certificate or license in your field that would give your career a nice boost? If so, there’s a good chance it’ll give your paycheck a bigger bump than if you invested more time pursuing an associate degree. In its series “Some College, No Degree,” American RadioWorks highlights a national study of workers in their mid-30s showing that 43 percent of license and certificate holders earned more than associate’s degree grads. Tony Carnevale, director of the...
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The All Allied Health Schools blog covers what you need to know about preparing for a career in health care today, whether you’re just starting to think about your new career or you’re ready to enroll in school.
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