Jobs in Online Education

June is “Rebuild Your Life Month”! What better time than now to start making some positive changes that could impact your life and your career for the better? According to an article by Dr. Elizabeth Scott, there are a few quick and easy steps you can take to reassess your life and plan for positive change.

First, think about what you truly value. It might be helpful to make a list of what matters most to you in life. This list is your priority. Once you see what your priorities are, it’s easy to think about your daily activities in light of these priorities. Try removing any activities that aren’t in keeping with your priorities. While you may not be able to quit your job to spend more time with your family, you could eliminate an hour of watching TV each night and devote that time to game night or other activities with your family.

Next, imagine the life you want. Try to imagine realistically and with as much detail as possible. With this "best life" in mind, look at your regular activities and eliminate those that will not move you toward the life you want to lead—then make an effort to add activities that do.

Finally, think about the implications of your decisions. When you say “yes” to one activity, you are probably saying “no” to another. Your time is limited and precious. Make sure you are spending your time in a productive manner that matches your priorities and efforts to achieve the life you want.

When you make a list of priorities, imagine the life you want, and determine how you want to spend your time, does advancing your education or career have a place? If so, why not make “Rebuild Your Life Month” the month you contact The College Network to begin making a positive change that can impact your life and your career in wonderful ways? You can start earning business, nursing, healthcare, and professional degrees online from top universities TODAY!

With spring upon us and summer following soon after, my thoughts are on schedules. My husband always groans as the calendar pages turn to summer months because he knows that the pristine white squares representing the days from June through August will soon be filled with a mass of names, places, and times. I, on the other hand, delight in the calendar with its busy squares. You see, I adhere to the philosophy of Stephen Covey, author of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. He says, “The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities,” and during the summer, I have a lot of priorities!

Once you decide to advance your career by earning a degree, your education has to become one of your main priorities, and if you follow Covey’s thinking, that means you have to schedule it! While adhering to a schedule may feel like putting chains on your life, having one can actually give you a different kind of freedom—the freedom to achieve what you truly want to achieve. Instead of thinking of a schedule as taking away from your ability to do what you want at any given moment, think of it as giving you the ability to do what you want with your life and your future.

One of the benefits of earning your degree online is that you can do it at your own pace, fitting it around a full-time job, family time, and social commitments. However, that freedom can quickly become detrimental to your goals if you don’t make a point to truly incorporate study into your daily or weekly schedule. To find balance and ensure that you meet your goals, making a schedule is imperative. Here are some tips for creating a schedule:

1. Mark the set parts of your day on your calendar. Set parts of the day include work and family commitments; they don’t include catching the latest episode of American Idol! Doing this can help you determine the time you have that is essentially "free."
2. Schedule in time for yourself: eating, exercising, sleeping. You learn best when you are healthy, so take time for yourself!
3. Next, consider your educational goals. Determine deadlines for taking exams and mark those on your calendar.
4. With your deadlines in mind, schedule time to devote entirely to study. You may find it helpful to schedule study for the same time each day, preferably a time when you are most alert. Even if you end up only reviewing your notes for fifteen minutes, you are staying engaged with what you are learning every day.
5. Make sure that you plan enough time to study throughout the week to stay on track and reach the goals you set for yourself. According to Carolyn Hopper, author of Practicing College Learning Strategies, you are more likely to remember what you study in the first twenty minutes and the last twenty minutes of a study session, so each study session doesn’t need to be long. You just need to make sure you have several study sessions spread throughout the week.
6. Block out some time on your schedule where you can be spontaneous, flexible, and free to do whatever you choose! Everyone needs a little break now and then!

The most important thing to remember when it comes to creating a schedule for achieving success is that it must be realistic. It has to be something you can actually follow; if it isn’t, you can easily become discouraged and give up. Do realize that sometimes you will have to deviate from your schedule. Things come up and schedules take a backseat. Don’t let that discourage you! Just get back on schedule as soon as possible. If you find that the schedule you created is no longer working, make adjustments and continue on.

Make earning your degree with The College Network a priority and enjoy the freedom that can come with success!

I'm Becky Williams, and I've been with the Human Resources Department at The College Network for nearly two years. It is my first job as a college graduate.

A few years ago, I never would have imagined myself working in Human Resources. I had originally planned to major in Radiology but like a lot of things in life, it didn’t work out. After a semester, I changed my major to Culinary Arts and eventually decided that wasn’t for me either. I ended up changing my major one last time and I finally settled on a degree in business.  

During the majority of my college career, I worked full time, volunteered at my local Humane Society and still had to find time for my family and friends.  I had to take most of my classes at night or online, which was a struggle at times. It was really difficult to maintain a balance in my life without letting anything slip, so I understand some of struggles people can go through when advancing their education. 

Despite all the challenges, completing my degree was one of my most rewarding accomplishments of my life. My degree has given me countless opportunities, which is why I believe education is one of the best gifts you can give yourself.  I hope my blog can give some insight into the importance of a college degree in the working world from a Human Resources perspective. 

If you are an LPN/LVN, you’ve probably considered going back to school to earn your degree and RN license. With the demand for qualified RNs on the rise, it’s a great time to start working toward a higher nursing credential.

Earning your associate’s degree in nursing isn’t the only way to get your RN license—in fact, there are lots of benefits to earning your bachelor’s degree instead.

The 80 by ‘20 Push

By now, you’ve probably heard about the Institute of Medicine’s 2011 recommendation—it states that 80% of all RNs should hold a bachelor’s degree in nursing (BSN) by the year 2020. But why is the industry pushing for higher nurse education? The simple fact is, due to the demanding nature of the patient landscape, the role of the RN is changing. RNs are required to take on more responsibilities than before, working directly with physicians to diagnose patients and manage teams of LPNs.

To be successful in these new working conditions, it is beneficial to have a bachelor’s-level nursing education. In fact, many healthcare facilities are raising their minimum education requirements for RNs as a result of this industry-wide push.

Aside from mastering the necessary clinical skills, BSN students gain an in-depth understanding of leadership skills and managerial strategies, preparing them to lead and manage teams of nurses and move up within their organization over time. Most nurse managers are required to hold at least a bachelor’s degree in nursing.

As RNs retire at a rapid rate, the number of open positions for BSN-RNs is on the rise. Over 55 percent of today’s RNs and nurse leaders plan to retire by 2020, creating more leadership opportunities for BSN-prepared RNs.

Go From LPN to BSN with One Online Program

As an LPN, your bachelor’s degree in nursing is well within your reach.  Although there are many degree programs that can bridge the gap between LPN and BSN, there is only one LPN to BS in Nursing program that can be completed entirely through distance learning. The LPN to BS in Nursing program from Indiana State University allows to complete your course work online, meaning you can continue to work in your current job while completing your degree. Upon graduation, you’ll receive your bachelor’s degree in nursing and will be ready to make an impact as a BSN-prepared RN.

To learn more about the LPN to BS in Nursing program from Indiana State University, watch the video below.

If you’d like more information on the LPN to BS in Nursing program, feel free to call us at 800-395-1014 to speak with a Program Advisor. You can also request more information by clicking here. 

Most of us have considered going back to school at one point or another. I want go back to school to get my master's degree. I, like you, research programs to see what will work best for my lifestyle. I will need to continue to work my full time job and run my household, while I obtain my degree. The reasons that we decide to go back to school as an adult are much the same--no matter what degree that we pursue. 

So, let's talk about my top 5 reasons.

1. Career Advancement--Earning your associate's or bachelor's degree will open up more career opportunities for you. If you earn your Associate Degree in Nursing online, you can move forward in your career to become an RN. If you earn your Bachelor's degree in Fire Science, you can advance into higher ranks and move into a leadership role. But whatever degree you pursue, earning it will lead to more options for your career. 

2. Earning Potential--By advancing your education and earning your degree, you increase your earning potential. The easiest example of this is the difference in pay between an LPN and an RN. The Bureau of Labor Statistics lists the average salary for an LPN at $40,380 and the average salary for an RN at $64,690. That is a remarkable difference!

3.Expanding Your Horizons--Learning opens us up to all kinds of experiences. I think we can rediscover our love of learning and how much we enjoy the challenge of finding answers. It can spark a lifelong love of new adventures.

4. Achieving Your Dream--By earning your degree, you will accomplish a milestone in your life. It is one that will take hard work and dedication. There might be times along the way when you feel like giving up--but you can push through to keep going. Thinking about how your life will change can help to motivate you to stay on track.

5. Inspiring Others--Most people don't realize that by reaching their goal, they inspire others to take a chance and follow their dream too. You will impact those around you with your success and will be a role model for those that are contemplating taking the next step in their career.  

I'm sure after reading these reasons, you might even have more reasons to add to your list. If you're ready to discover more about earning your degree online through The College Network and one of our partner universities, call us today at 800-395-1014. Or you can request more information here. 

As a project manager, you may have considered advancing your career with a certification in Lean Six Sigma. Whether you are are new to Lean Six Sigma or a seasoned pro pursuing a Black Belt, you know that honing your skills in process improvement can open a lot of doors. Here, we’ve outlined the top three reasons why furthering your Lean Six Sigma credentials can boost your career.  

1. Acquire New Skills: Lean Six Sigma training provides you with a valuable set of project management tools for lowering the occurrence of defects within business processes.
2. Manage Your Peers: A Lean Six Sigma certification will equip you with a technical set of leadership skills, providing you with the potential to move up within your company and/or refine your current project management capabilities.
3. Advance Your Credentials: In today’s competitive job market, employers are looking for candidates who stand out from the rest. By obtaining your Lean Six Sigma certification, employers will recognize your dedication to quality, cost savings and self-improvement.

If your company has a budget set aside for employee education, you may be able to offset the cost of your training with the right proposal. After all, the benefits for your employer are clear—with Lean Six Sigma training, you and your team can generate visible reductions in operational and production costs, lower overhead and reduce manpower and transportation expenses. 

Purdue University offers several online Lean Six Sigma certificate programs. To learn more about the benefits of earning your certificate from Purdue University, check out the video below. 

If  you'd like to learn more about Lean Six Sigma certification from Purdue, call 800-249-2131 to speak with a Program Advisor, or request more information here. 

The average college student is no longer 18 years old and fresh out of high school. In reality, students today are older, more diverse and have more work and family obligations to balance. Today, nearly 40 percent of college enrollments are adults over the age of 25, a percentage that’s expected to grow by 20 percent by the year 2020.

In today’s hyper-competitive job market, a high school education simply isn’t enough.  As businesses raise their expectations for the hiring process, earning an undergraduate degree is becoming less of an option and more of a requirement.

But exactly how are working adults fitting school into their already busy schedules? More and more undergraduates are taking online classes or commuting to campus. In fact, only 14 percent of today’s college students attend classes full time and live on campus.

The older we get, the more hectic life can become, between work, family and personal circumstances. That’s likely why research shows that the older the college student, the more likely it is that they are completing at least some of their courses online.

More education can lead to more job options, better pay and priceless professional accomplishments. As more and more adults make the decision to further their education, it’s no surprise that distance education and online learning options are becoming steadily more popular.

We’ve uncovered lots of interesting info about how adult learners and online education are changing the college landscape, and we've compiled it all to create The College Network's first-ever infographic. Click on the image below to view the full infographic—and remember to share this post with your fellow learners on social media!

To learn more about The College Network on social media, you can visit our new Social Resources page. If you'd like more info on our degree programs, you can view our full list of program offerings here, or view our list of professional certificate options. 

Let’s face it—most of us have been out of school quite a long time. The prospect of returning to school can be exciting, and a bit scary. Especially if the last time you were in school you sat behind a desk and are now looking at your computer, wondering how it’s all going to work.  Well, don’t worry.  We’re here to help calm your nerves, help you get started and keep you motivated as you work through your online degree program.

Once you enroll in your degree program with help from The College Network—what's next? The steps below outline what you will experience and hopefully take some of the anxiety out of what you might be feeling.  Use this as your guide and you'll be well on your way to earning your degree.

Log in to Resource Center—This is your learning portal.  You will go to the online Resource Center to find your course materials, discussion boards where you can post questions to other students, the resource library and to online chat which you can use to converse with our academic support team when you have a question.

Find out your learning style—As adults, we learn differently than we did when we were younger. It's important to know if you are an auditory learner, a tactile learner or a visual learner. Our learning style survey will help you identify your unique learning style so you can study more effectively. 

Complete your Academic Guidance Call—Our customer support team will contact you to review your learning style so you understand more completely how to be successful in your studies.  You will also work with them to develop a study plan for your program and review all aspects of the resource center.  If you have any questions about working through your degree program, they will be able to guide you. 

Set a goal for taking your first exam— Having a specific date in mind will help to keep you on track and be motivated to succeed. With self paced education, it's easy to put other things ahead of studying. We want to make sure that you stay focused on your goal of earning your degree. After you pass your first exam, schedule the rest of your exams so that you have a calendar to work from. 

 Set a weekly study schedule—With our busy lives and work schedules, it can be hard to find the time to study. If you approach your study time like you would a part-time job with a set schedule, you will be able to commit to this time and make weekly progress toward your goal.

Create your support network--Use the Resource Center to find others in your area that are working through their program.  Or ask around at work to see if any of your colleagues are also pursuing their degree. It's also a good idea to include your family and friends in your pursuit of a degree so they will support your goal.  They can be your biggest motivators! 

So are you ready to get back to school?   We offer the support you need to get started and the motivation to keep you going.  Call us today at 800-395-1014 to learn more about our degree programs and our support team. 

Happy New Year!!!

Hopefully you had a great 2012 but I want to help you have an even better 2013 by fulfilling one of your biggest resolutions.

Every single year people make a ton of different resolutions:

• This is the year I finally lose that extra 10 pounds
• This is the year I finally stop smoking
• This is the year I finally start flossing (no? Maybe just me)

While oftentimes it is looked at as goal that supersedes a resolution, I want to tell you why this should be the year you choose to finish your online education.

To me, there is nothing more rewarding than learning a new skill or finally mastering something that you have been working on for a while. Rarely, do these new skills tend to lead to you getting a raise at work.

As much as I would love to learn to play a new instrument, here in the field of online education, I'm not going to make any more money for doing it.

What am I getting at?

Well, just by completing your degree and passing your NCLEX-RN you can get a job making up to $20,000 more each year.

While this may seem like a larger undertaking than learning a new instrument or foreign language, I want to assure you that it is not.

When you are learning anything new, how do you get better at it?

1. Practice
2. Practice
3. Practice
4. More Practice

If you are not spending at least 10 hours a week practicing guitar or French, how do you expect to retain it? 

What if you could finish your associate degree in nursing in 18 months solely by "practicing" 10 hours a week?

At The College Network, our online comprehensive learning modules have been designed specifically to make this a reality.

Many people that work on one of our courses spend about 10 hours a week and finishes one course in just over a month.

Now that's progress!

So what are you waiting for? Make 2013 the year you earn your degree, move up at work, and make an average of $20,000 more a year.

Ein Peck, Program Advisor

(800) 307-1006, ext. 4786

…seek learning conditions that enable each individual to reach the highest level of learning possible for her or him.

—Benjamin Bloom, Hastings, & Madaus

Ascend

Over 50 years ago, between 1949 and 1953, a group of more than 30 university-level educators began meeting to discuss the development of a framework to outline the different levels at which learners are required to process information. The result of their combined efforts was a book that presented the framework to the world. The framework was named after the editor of the book, Benjamin Bloom, and is referred to by most educators as Bloom’s Taxonomy. In 2001, David Krathwohl, a member of the original group, and a group of colleagues published an updated version of the taxonomy that better represents what we know today about the highest levels of thinking and learning (Anderson et al. 2001).

Nearly two decades ago I discovered for myself what a powerful tool Bloom’s Taxonomy is for educators in that it ensures that instructional objectives, content, and test or quiz items are aligned. But I also realized it would be just as powerful, if not more so, for learners if they understood the levels of cognitive processing represented by Bloom’s Taxonomy. As learning professionals we should support our learners in applying Bloom’s Taxonomy to their individual learning processes by explaining to them what takes place cognitively at each of the six levels and providing examples of what it would look like to operate at the higher levels of the taxonomy. In some cases it might be useful to provide examples specific to the material they are studying. It should be our hope that if they encounter courses later in life that were not designed with the appropriate levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy in mind, they will be able to effectively navigate the material using their personal knowledge of the model. If we take our commitment as learning professionals seriously, it should also be our hope that our learners will utilize this valuable model when engaged in workplace learning and job performance as well. Although few can state why from the cognitive perspective, employers are generally big fans of employees who can effectively operate at the appropriate cognitive levels while engaged in their day-to-day professional endeavors. Clark (2008) states that an advantage of any organization competing in a global talent pool is innovative and creative expertise. The ability to effectively utilize Bloom’s Taxonomy allows learners and employees to continue learning beyond what we attempt to teach them and enables them to reach their highest level of learning and performance.

Additional Notes:

In a post dated April 8, 2011 and titled Don't Settle for More of the Same I suggested that learners should ask and answer the following questions:

-- What does it take to complete the assigned learning tasks?

-- At which level does the assigned learning task align with the 6 levels of learning?

-- Am I just doing more on the same level or am I improving my ability to achieve more advanced thinking/learning? 

If you're a learner and you can't respond confidently to these questions when studying I still highly recommend that you call The College Network (1.800.395.1014) so that we can help you ensure that you get a great return on the time and money you invest in your education. We can help by showing you a better way to earn online degrees from top universities while becoming a more effective learner overall.

Take Care,

cd

"In America, the stories we tell ourselves and we tell each other in fiction have to do with individualism. Every person here is the center of his or her own story. And our job as people and as characters is to find our own motivations and desires, to overcome conflicts and obstacles toward defining ourselves so that we grow and change." 

What do you want your story to be? Will the protagonist be the strong, self-determined individual - uncompromsing and unwilling to fall short of the goals set ahead of them? Being the hero of your own story doesn't take supernatural power, Herculaen feats of strength, or Einsteinian intelligence; the true test is one of willpower and whether you have the desire and discipline to not only set your goals, but meet and overcome the obstancles that impede your progress.

Start writing your story today by furthering your education with online degrees from top universities offered by The College Network. 

"We Care" is an initiative at The College Network to ensure all of our students and customers are provided with the best service possible during their path to success.  For myself, and other Program Advisors, we generally are the first to speak with potential students enrolling into our certificate or degree programs.

As Program Advisors, we understand that helping students is our first order of business. A Program Advisor's job at The College Network is to advise each and every student on how best to reach their educational and professional goals.  We truly strive to exemplify the meaning of advisor, and find out your motivation for furthering your education to reach your goals.  By that token, we'll accurately and honestly educate you on our programs and let you know the advantages and challenges that await you.  If things are a fit, we can assist you all the way through the enrollment process.

As you can see, The College Network Program Advisor's care about every potential student that requests information about our programs.  We want to make sure you have the best information, and best experience possible in your pursuit of online education program.  Give us a call today, and we'll be happy to show off how "We Care."

Kevin Burton, Program Advisor Supervisor, 1-800-307-1006 Ext. 4734, kburton@collegenetwork.com

For most people, their education begins in infancy, when we first learn to use our hands, fingers, eventually learning to crawl, then walk. Formal education begins not long after with pre-school and kindergarten and continues, for most, through the 12th grade. From this point, we come to a crossroads: is college the path to take or do I pursue a career based on my current education? No matter which path you choose, your education doesn't stop after you earn your high school diploma - in your career you will continue to learn about the job(s) you have and what it's like to be on your own, supporting yourself for the first time in your life.

For some, this path is what they desire in their life, but for others, they find that the high school diploma they have earned will not suffice while they are pursuing different, more advanced career paths. So you realize you have to go back to school, but in order to build your career and experience in the working world, how do you go to a college and earn your degree at the same time? The answer is The College Network. With our Comprehensive Learning Modules and our dedication to eLearning with our online Resource Center, you can have your career and education as well. 

According to the National Association for Law Placement, only 65.4 percent of current law school grads are working in a job that requires passing the bar exam, and 12 percent are unemployed. "What is going on in the market is absolutely catastrophic," said Craig Boise, dean of Cleveland State University's Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. "It is not short-term. It has been precipitated by what is going on in the economy, which is a long-term dislocation caused by the way legal services are being delivered.”

It is often said that when one door closes, another opens; in this case, new opportunities for the positions of paralegal and legal assistant are now more abundant in the changing legal field. The role of the paralegal now includes significant responsibilities including research and direct client contact. The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts an 18% increase in the profession’s workforce, which means 50,000 jobs added between now and 2020. If you are interested in paralegal career training through online education, give me a call at 1-800-307-1006, extension 4746.

Information in this post came from an article on AllVoices.

I am really thrilled to see that Indiana State University's (one of the best schools in the Mid-West according to the U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review) online LVN to BS in Nursing program is now recognized in the state of Texas. This completely distance-based program allows an LVN to work full time and earn his/her BSN RN without ever having to return to the college classroom and without ever having to visit the campus in Terre Haute, Indiana. Indiana State University is accredited by the North Central States Association of Colleges & Schools (the same association that accredits such schools at the University of Michigan, Ohio State University, University of Chicago and the University of Illinois). It's recognized by the National League for Nursing and the Texas Board of Nursing.

This program has three phases. The first is the general education phase. Indiana State University allows nurses to transfer previous college credits into the program as long as the course 1) was taken within 30 years, 2) is from a regionally accredited school and 3) has a grade of C or higher. Any required subject the nurse hasn't taken, can be fulfilled by testing out via The College Network's Comprehensive Learning Modules in our online Resource Center. There is one learning module per subject. When the nurse passes the one exam, she/he receives the same credits from Indiana State University as if she/he sat in a classroom for an entire semester. Almost all of the general education examinations are taken from home via a webcam on the computer.

Phase Two are four nursing transition courses that essentially work the same way as Phase One except the exams are taken outside of the home but locally.

Phase Three are the online nursing classes taken directly with Indiana State University. Also, it's in this phase where the clinical hours are performed. This is one of the best parts of the program! The clinicals are performed locally one-on-one with a preceptor.

This program can be completed in the same amount of time or less time than if the nurse were to quit his/her job and go to school full time at a local university. One nurse told me recently what she liked about this program is that she can fit her education around her life instead of her life around her education.

For more information, please contact The College Network at 1-800-395-1014.

Very best regards,

Joel Kimzey

The writer and philosopher Nathaniel Branden wrote, "For every living species, growth is a necessity of survival. Life is motion, a process of self-sustaining action that an organism must carry on in order to remain in existence...man's capacity for development does not end at physical maturity; his capacity is virtually limitless...to think, to learn, to discover new and better ways of dealing with reality, to expand the range of of his efficacy, to grow intellectually, is an open door to a road that has no end."

The College Network acknowledges that life and education don't stop with your first job out of high school. As we grow older and wiser, we begin to expand our interests and find the things that drive us to excel and  exceed our own expectations. What better way to continue growing intellectually than furthering your education with a few college courses that you can take at your own pace and on your own schedule. Visit TCN's web site to learn more about how you can earn online degress from top universities and not only meet your goals, but exceed them.

Project management is a growing field.  The Bureau of Labor Statistics forecasts that it will continue to increase up to the year 2018 and beyond.  It is one of the most popular (meaning the highest number of people obtain and hold) certifications available. 

At The College Network, we partner with Boston University Corporate Education Center to offer a certificate of project management which will provide you with the education hours you need to sit for PMI certification.  More and more companies are requiring this certification and it will certainly help you if you are currently job searching.  In fact, no matter where you are in your career you can always move forward by completing your project management certificate online.  

Call us today at 866-249-2131 to speak with a program advisor and learn more about available project management certificates.  

Many of us still consider the summer months to be the “freedom months”. The months of June-August spent with family and friends, relaxing by the pool, vacationing, and most importantly taking a break from academic studies.

With the online programs offered through The College Network, customers can study at their own pace, which means self-implementation of a summer vacation is completely justifiable. We all need a break, right? Of course! But once the summer season ends and fall returns, will you return to your studies?

For many working adults, it is very easy to become distracted and unmotivated with activities that are neither mandated nor produce an immediate reward (i.e. a paycheck). While furthering your education not only leads to self-growth, future job opportunities, and marketability in a strained economy, it can often be the last priority and easily pushed aside.

If you are planning to embrace these upcoming months with seasonal celebratory style, please read below for some suggestions to keep your mind active and increase the chances that your summer vacation will indeed just last through summer:

• Keep Reading! Studies show that engaging in leisure reading can maintain critical thinking and reasoning skills, build vocabulary, and memory. Perhaps peruse your local bookstore, download a bestseller or grab a magazine at the airport before your flight. Point being, just read!

• Blog or Journal about your summer adventures! Who says you can’t find educational value in your summer vacation? Keep your mind sharp by writing about your experiences.

• Back to School Shopping! I always got excited for the new semester when I was able to buy new pens, highlighters, and notebooks.

• Long car ride? Play word games! My personal preference is Mad Libs, but popular phone applications like Words with Friends can also stimulate your mind and keep your vocabulary growing.

And just a reminder that The College Network Customer Support department does not break for summer vacation. Academic Advisors are available to assist you with your studies all year long! Call 1-800-634-1443 to speak with an Academic Advisor regarding your program. 

Have you ever seen The Great Escape or Escape from Alcatraz? Starring Steven McQueen and Clint Eastwood, they're classic prison escape movies if you like the genre. The thing I think I love about these movies, and similar escape movies, is the strategic thinking/planning. Every movie that falls into this genre has a scene where a group of people sit around a table and discuss the plan of escape, attack, etc.   The reason scenes like this are included in movies is because it allows the viewers to gain a better understanding of the characters, like who is the smart one, bold one, rash one, and also to keep the viewer involved in the development of the plot.

What if there was a movie called Escape from the Dead End Job? (ridiculous, but bear with me) Let's say Steven McQueen and several of his friends are trapped in a career they no longer want. What would Steven McQueen do? Probably something involving fast cars and a lot of action, but lets face it, not many of us are Steve McQueen. So since you can't physically fight your way out, you need to come up with a plan of escape. How would you approach the issue of getting out of the career you're currently in and getting a new one? Not all answers are the same, and if you remember The Great Escape, not everyone was able to escape, usually the rash individual,...which is true of most escape movies.

Take the time to reflect on your options; it's a big decision to change careers. But if you're alone in your decision making process and higher education is something you want in your future, contact The College Network to learn how to earn online degrees from top universities. 

Many of you have probably heard the term "accredited." We use it a lot when we talk about accredited nursing programs, but many people may not truly understand the value behind that word: accredited.

When I hear the word "accredited", the first thing that comes to mind is excellence. When I was in college, it was extremely important for me that the program I was studying was accredited, because I knew that the education I would receive would be the best of the best AND would be reputable when it came time to look for a job.

Not every higher education program holds this status of accredited. It is something that must be both proven and earned. Those that have earned this level of excellence have gone through a long process of being reviewed by experts. The following is a list of benefits of choosing an accredited program:

• Program excellence
• Experienced faculty
• Respect from potential employers
• Ability to transfer credits more easily

The quality of the education you receive really does matter. At The College Network, we know the value of accreditation, which is why all of the universities we work with to offer online nursing degree programs are regionally accredited. You can learn more about online nursing programs here or by calling 1-800-395-1014.