The country’s unemployment rate stands at 7.6 percent, meaning that more than 11 million Americans are now without jobs. However, while the employment rate among high school graduates with no college education hovers at eight percent, those with bachelor’s degrees or higher are seeing the unemployment rate drop by more than half, to 3.8 percent, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

Additionally, the average annual salary for individuals with graduate or doctoral degrees is $75,000, while bachelor’s degrees command an average salary of $51,000. For those relying on a high school diploma alone, their average salary drops significantly to $28,000.

Therefore, for anyone seeking increased career stability in this shaky economy, higher education is the answer. Now is the best time to pursue an advanced degree to further a career, as demonstrated in a newly released video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDfew0YcDTo) by EducationDynamics.

Fortunately, finding the best program to match a prospective student’s interests and goals has become much easier due to recent technological innovations and expanded access. With 4,146 colleges and universities in the United States, both on-campus and online, never have there been more educational options from which to choose.

Expanded Educational Options
Interest in online education has surged as a result of the convenience and flexibility it affords. Online learners can complete their coursework when it is most convenient?after the kids go to bed at night or even during a lunch break at work. Web-based courses also allow students to take classes at home, in effect eliminating time and money spent driving to class.

For others, a traditional campus setting is the preferred environment. Traditional classes allow students to interact face-to-face with professors and fellow students alike, and generally offer more structure than their online counterparts.

The choice between online learning and traditional on-campus programs is simply a matter of personal preference, and there are comprehensive resources, including eLearners.com and EarnMyDegree.com, that help prospective students find their ideal degree program.

Additionally, the eLearners Advisor (http://www.elearners.com/advisor/) is designed to help prospective students determine whether online learning or a traditional educational format best suits their needs and preferences. For those unsure about which academic program to pursue, eLearners.com offers the Career Interest Test (http://www.livecareer.com/default.asp?lp=TG6A&cobrand=ELRN) to help people determine the career that best matches their personality.

Important Questions to Ask
In addition to deciding which format and degree to pursue, it is also important to note that returning to school will affect a student’s personal life. Some important questions to consider when determining whether now is the best time to enroll in a higher education program include:

1. Do you have support from loved ones? To reach optimal academic performance, it is helpful to have the support of close friends and family.

2. Do you have employer “buy-in”? Ask your boss whether he or she supports you completing coursework during lunch hour and whether it is appropriate for you to use a work computer for such activities.

3. What is your plan or timeline? A three credit college course will require, on average, 10 to 12 hours per week.

4. Do you have a home classroom or study area? A separate space for studying will help you concentrate and stay organized.

5. Do you plan to seek financial assistance? Research scholarship and grant opportunities, and tax credits and deductions to help offset costs. The Debt-Free College Guide (http://debtfree-elearners.com/) is a comprehensive resource providing a state-by-state listing of options to help make college more affordable.

Knowledge opens new doors and changes things for the better. Among the millions of people who will enroll in higher education this year, several will be the first in their families to receive a college diploma. Millions more will finish their degrees online. Many single parents will pursue continuing education to improve their earning potential. A newly-released EducationDynamics video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NDfew0YcDTo) provides fresh inspiration to positively change lives and the world through a commitment to life-long learning.

Study abroad program is one of the exciting parts of being a student. It provides a new approach in learning a lot of things in a foreign country.

Study abroad is one of the most prevalent summer study program being availed by many college students. A number of colleges and universities around the world offer such programs to foreign students. This provides the students the opportunity to pursue their education in other countries. Other students who have major academic subjects study in a particular country wherein they can have hands on experience. With this, they can have the chance to apply their knowledge in actual practice. Generally, subjects taken during the study program is credited to the student’s academic records.

Basically, one of the common reasons of students in studying abroad is to learn different languages. Many believe that in order to learn a language effectively, one must immerse into the setting where the language is spoken. Another reason is that the students want to experience traveling and learn from diverse cultures of other nations. It is also a way to expand their knowledge beyond those that their home school can provide.

Students under the study abroad program stay in dormitories designated by the home university or live with a host family who agrees to provide student lodging. Study abroad programs normally last for a week or even longer. It most often takes place during the summer break of the academic year. Study abroad also presents loads of benefits to students such as scholarships, grants, and even job opportunities.

Some students may pursue a college degree in which they directly enroll or apply to educational programs offered by study program abroad companies. These companies grant more options to students and allow them to be involved in group of students from all other countries. Another choice offered by these companies is the chance for students to attend intensive language schools during summer. These schools focus their classes on foreign language instructions given only to their students.

There are certain requirements that a student needs to comply before availing the study program abroad. The student must first identify and decide on a program of interest. He or she must secure important travel documents such as passport, visa, and in some cases a medical certificate, as well. A student is also advised to make necessary arrangements for accommodation. Some schools which maintain dormitory facilities in the host country can house their students. In some instances, the student must shoulder his or her own board and lodging expenses.

In addition to all these, students are obliged to attend an orientation so as to know what to expect from their destination country. Through the orientation, the students are provided with all necessary information on the culture of the host country. It will also prepare them with possible difficulties they might encounter in the host country.

In the United States, mandates under the Higher Education Act of 1965 states that students can receive financial aid for study abroad if they are enrolled in a program that is approved by their home institution. Under the law, financial aid can cover reasonable cost for a study abroad which includes:

? Round-trip transportation for the approved program
? Tuition and other fees for the programs
? Living costs incurred during the program
? Passport and visa fees
? Health insurance

In order to qualify for the government aid, the student must secure and complete the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). The funds are awarded by the United States Department of Education.

Here are the eligibility criteria for United States government aid:

? The student has to be enrolled in a qualified home country institution as an official student in quest for a certificate or bachelor’s degree.

? Must be a US citizen having a legitimate Social Security number

? Must have GED or a General Education Development certificate or a high school diploma

? Male students need to be enlisted for Selective Service

? Must present a result of partially or full eligibility on drug-related conviction of the free application for FAFSA

Summer study abroad is a noteworthy break for students to discover a new environment with a new perspective and insight. It is a challenge in experiencing independence and being exposed to people with contrasting points of view, too. Equally, having the opportunity to study abroad proposes a great advantage when applying for a job because this will show your potential employer that you have the independence and motivation.

The Advantages of an Online Education

Accessibility: The Distance from a university campus is no longer a barrier in the education of students. Today’s generation have the advantage of utilizing time effectively, since there are numerous choices in distant online education for them. For the student to access online education, all he or she needs is a personal computer with internet access with which he or she can find the desired courses online and enrol. The online education systems ensure that the student’s put all their energies into studies.

A Flexible schedule: The good thing about an online education is its effective use of time. As a student of online education, you have the ability to maintain a flexible schedule, which is of particular help when you are working simultaneously.

Student-Centred Learning: As a student of online learning, it is you who dictates your learning experience. As your tutor will not be teaching you all of the time, you can prioritize your schedule and complete any and all assignments accordingly. You will also be given the choice of which learning methodology you wish to use, such as audio, visual, or oral components.

Fair Playing Field: Online education is in vogue also as it provides a level playing field for all the students. Learning online provides a situation where decision-making is not based on the candidates’ gender, ethnicity, physical appearance, or race. Instead, the evaluation is only based on your performance. The provision of this fair-playing field has significantly contributed to the popularity of online education.

Disadvantages

Employment: Not many industries will acknowledge an online professional degree.

Oral Communication: Since, the majority of online learning systems encourage communication through e-mails and text chatting only, the student’s may be deprived of the ability to improve their oral communication skills.

Fraud: A large number of online courses are not accredited and hence are not valid.

Courses: Not all of the courses which are available elsewhere are available online.

Moreover, online learning requires a complete dedication and patience from the students to ensure they achieve superb results. It is most advisable that the students first, patiently and persistently familiarize themselves with online learning technology. Additionally, they need to always keep themselves abreast of the latest updates within the online education system, since there will be no instructor to turn to in this respect.

A company that chooses to implement an international project is obligated to conduct a thorough research in order to understand if such project is viable and can be brought to life in a certain country. Numerous factors have to be taken into consideration and investigated; it has to be done objectively from the point of view of the host country in which business will be performed. Thus the home company can ensure the realization of the project in specified terms with regards to projected profits and spending funds.

While analyzing foreign environment companies have to pay close attention to various factors that will effect, or help if used efficiently, future success of business in a new economy. First of all it is necessary to carefully examine the firm’s competitive position and understand if a project is able to bring profit in the global industry. Adequate financial resources, successful global ventures in the past, risk levels that a company is able to undertake and growing international demand are those few questions that need to posed before a firm can make any projections as to doing business abroad. There are also factors that are directly connected to specific projects and situations and that influence the outcome of the venture and have to be considered.

In case when a company is ready to start international project in terms of its internal situation, it has to study issues and challenges that are caused by macro economical and other environmental factors. Legal and political factors are essential for the implementation of the project abroad and each country has its own laws and regulations that could be of negative or positive influence which greatly depends on the nature of business. Economic condition of the host county is a core issue in deciding where and when project will be carried out and if it is feasible at all. Such environmental issues as GDP, inflation fluctuations and population growth have to be considered in order to comprehend conditions in which business will operate. Infrastructure and geography are among other factors that will affect the project or not allow its execution in case a host county has severe weather conditions or undeveloped infrastructure; for instance unpaved roads and no electrical power can easily fail the project in the very beginning and thus knowing such conditions is necessary. Security of the country in which project will be developed is essential as well, people make things happen and if they are in a dangerous environment it is priory impossible to do business. Workers who are knowledgeable about cultural differences in a host country are more likely to perform successfully as traditions and holidays can play a huge role in certain marketing campaigns and serve for the good image of the company.

Working in a foreign country requires a great deal of preparation and assessment of all possible differences that business is about to encounter. As was already said major role is deciding whether of not the project will be successful is comprehending macro environment of a new country. Studying its economical condition, security levels and infrastructure system is a core competence of a company who wants to be more successful that its competitors. In case when all of those factors are studied and considered advantageous for a new enterprise it is important to bear in mind that cultural differences can make all efforts void. Thus such countries as the United States must attentively analyze what changes have to be made in the business plan and what people are best suit for the its implementation. Often companies hire professionals already experienced in such ventures with foreign education who speak two or more languages. Those intermediaries who are familiar with host country’s traditions and have social connections are great helpers in establishing a good image of the company abroad and in avoiding mistakes in a setting up period.

Selecting and training employees for the international project is very important for the future success of the company. Culture shock and coping with it are issues that have to be addressed to potential workers because people who cannot sleep at night of nervous breakdown are unable to work effectively. Consequently firms need to inform and train employees how to cope with cultural diversities and benefit from them to better manage in the new environment. Multiplicity of the factors that have to be thought through by the international project managers can be outstanding but successful implementation will be rewarded by monetary and personal contentment.

Foreign education is a booming business today as students from many lands dream and aspire to pursue higher education abroad. The United States, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand happen to be the most popular destinations.

Why Study Abroad?

Some Good Reasons to Study Abroad.

Multilingual and Multicultural Environment :

<p>Studying abroad gives you a golden opportunity to be a part of the multicultural environment and also learning new foreign languages. It gives you a first hand feeling of different cultures and its origin.

Makes you more Techno Savy :

The education system abroad happens to be very different than what prevails in India. It lays lot of emphasis on the practical aspects of education thus making the students techno savy and more practical.

Value of Degree :

A foreign degree enhances your chances of employment and gives you the returns on your investments. This is one good reason why you should not take it as an expense but an investment.

Importance of Hiring Foreign Higher Education Consultants :

Foreign education consultants play a vital role in fulfilling your dreams. They act as navigators to the whole process. There are lot of complexities involved in the whole process of studying abroad. Hiring a good consultant becomes very very important here. They are the ones who make your dreams turn into reality. In depth knowledge is absolutely essential while taking such vital decisions. A good higher education consultant would not only help you accomplish the task but also see that it is being accomplished in the right direction. It is about the students’ future and that is the reason utmost care and awareness is required from the beginning.

Selection of the right kind of schools plays the most important role in the whole process. Selecting a good and accredited school ensures your future prospects of recruitment and also the value of your degree.

Why Study in USA ?

Introduction to the country :

Multi-cultural population

World’s largest economy

Less than 5%unemployment ratio

Largest number of MNCs

Highly technical and flexible education system

Strong links between educational institutions and corporate world

The unique OPT feature providing stay back options

More than 300 courses to choose from

States with well developed education system-PA, NY, NJ, MA, CA, IL, TX, AZ, MI and FL

Types of Student Visas :

F1 Visas-Given for Full time degrees M1 Visas-Given for Part time courses and vocational degrees

Thus the student should fix a budget and look for Universities according.

Three main areas to be proved for bagging the student visas :

Serious academic student

Intention of return

Financial Capability

The Unique OPT Feature :

You can get legal work permit called the OPT for upto 1 year after the course competition. The company can than sponsor your H1 B visa which is a legal work permit visa. It is to be held for 6 years in order to apply for a greencard.

The break even is attained by availing the OPT feature. It also gives a platform for gathering exposure and experience of an international market.

Why Study in UK ?

Britain has long been a popular destination for Indian students to study in UK. With more than 150 institutes of higher education to choose from. U.K. is one of the few countries that allows international students to work even outside the campus. Students can work upto 20 hours per week during the semester and full-time during vacations.

Various Postgraduate and Graduate Program offered by UK educational institutes :

Bachelors degree- It is for a duration of 3-4 years.

Sandwich Courses-This gives an option to the students to do one year of commercial training after first 2 years of bachelors degree and then returning to the third year.

HND-is awarded by Vocational and technical Educational Councils. The duration is 2 years.

Postgraduate degree-They are normally for a duration of one year thus saving costs and living expenses.

Why Study in Australia ?

Australia is one of the best places to live. It is a young, vibrant and friendly country. It also has a unique kind of education system which offers and provides paths to suit particular academic requirements.

In 2000, Australia introduced the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act 2000. ESOS ensures that, in order to enroll international students, institutions must first meet requirements for registration. All institutions which meet registration requirements are listed on the publicly available Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS).

The ESOS legislation provides consumer protection. This means you will receive the tuition for which you have paid, and your fees are protected by law.

Under the skilled migration program , international students get an opportunity to stay back in Australia thus giving them the returns on their investments and also assuring a better lifestyle.

Why study in New Zealand?

Perhaps the most important reason to study in New Zealand is the absolute guarantee of getting a student visa if you are a genuine student and the great student policies that are friendly and very, very helpful. If you have the above you will be termed a ‘Positive Profile’ student by the student visa team of Immigration New Zealand. All these visa officers make rational judgments rather than whimsical decisions based on ‘mood’.

Tips For Choosing The Right University

Location :

The location should be selected keeping in mind various factors like cost of living, safety , placements, weather, etc. For ex. London happens to have the highest cost of living. So if funds are important to a student, he might not select a school based in London.

Accreditation and Ranking :

The universities in UK are ranked by various bodies .The rankings are based on the quality of education provided, student satisfaction etc.

Course Accreditation : It is also important to check how accredited is the degree with the particular university that you want to pursue your education from. There are certain courses which are accredited by certain bodies in the UK which should be considered.

Bursaries and Scholarships : Different universities offer different scholarships which in turn helps in reducing the cost of education for international students.

Research Facilities : The research facilities and the laboratory facilities should also be kept in mind while selecting the correct university.