Selecting the right college can be a complex and overwhelming task. A lot of the information that’s found online is really just paid advertising.  Don't become a victim to the misleading marketing and the pushy admission advisors.  This page was created to provide you with information that you can trust.

Discovery
The first step in career development is the discovery stage. Before you start looking at colleges to attend it is important that you have an idea of the type of job you are seeking. You need to know the current market demand for that job, what the job exactly entails and the skills and qualifications needed to get the job. Most importantly, you need to know if the job will fit your personality, interests, strengths, goals and values. You do all of this by first assessing yourself and then researching different jobs that fit you best. Below are a few links to resources that may help you with this. 

Career Assessments
http://www.typefocus.com/ - Free online personality test 
www.nycareerzone.org - Free interest assessment and job information   
Do What You Are - A great book that will help you understand yourself and which jobs will fit you best. This book is available at most major bookstores and online.

Career Research
http://www.careerinfonet.org - Click on occupation information and follow directions.
http://www.bls.gov/oco - Search jobs by occupation or key word.
http://www.bls.gov/k12 - Search by interest or subject                                                          

Finding the right school
If you are a working adult, stay at home mom or you live in a remote area and your thinking about getting a degree or finishing one, don’t think AIU or other similar for-profit schools are your only options. Almost all traditional universities now offer online courses and/or full programs. It makes no sense to get a degree from a for-profit school when you can get one from a respected traditional university. You will have peace of mind knowing your degree will be widely known and honored by employers and many traditional schools cost less than for-profit schools. Below are links to sites that will give information about the many high quality online degrees that are available.

Onlineuc.net
Geteducated.com
http://www.ivc.illinois.edu/ 
http://www.nudc.org/index.shtml
http://www.r1edu.org/
http://www.sloan-c.org/index.asp




Don’t forget about your community college
The community college is an excellent place to start or continue your post-secondary education. You may choose to earn an associate degree or a certificate at a community college then enter the workplace, or you might go on to a bachelor's degree by transferring to a four-year institution. It is by far the best value in higher education. All community colleges offer night classes and many offer classes online. See what programs are available in your area.