Title: Choosing a College Degree - What is Best for You?

Word Count: 409 Summary: Choosing a college degree can be a very difficult decision to make. There are ma ny things to consider but it is important to decide on the right college degree for the type of occupation that you want to pursue. You may find that you do not actually need a college degree but that a certificate or diploma will be suffic ient, or your chosen profession may require further study after a college degree such as medicine or law. Keywords: choosing a college major, which college degree Article Body: Choosing a college degree can be a very difficult decision to make. There are ma ny things to consider but it is important to decide on the right college degree for the type of occupation that you want to pursue. You may find that you do not actually need a college degree but that a certificate or diploma will be suffic ient, or your chosen profession may require further study after a college degree such as medicine or law. Certificates or diplomas require a shorter period of study than a traditional co llege degree and are usually taken by students wanting to pursue a career in an occupational field. Quite often a certificate or diploma can be taken before emb arking on a college degree course. An associate degree is awarded after completing a two-year college degree course . Some community colleges and other universities offer an associate degree progr am which allows you to transfer to a four-year college degree course after you h ave been awarded the appropriate associate degree. There are a number of occupat ions where a two-year college degree is recommended or required including: Administrative Assistant Automotive Mechanic Cardiovascular Technician Commercial Artist Computer Technician Dental Hygienist Drafter Engineering Technician Funeral Director Graphic Designer Heating, Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Technician Hotel or Restaurant Manager Medical Laboratory Technician Medical Record Technician Insurance Agent Registered Nurse Surgical Technologist Surveyor Visual Artist Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant Operator A traditional four-year college degree is the most frequently required qualifica

tion for a number of occupations. Some examples of professions requiring a fouryear college degree in an appropriate discipline are: Accountant Computer Systems Analyst Dietitian Editor Engineer FBI Agent Investment Banker Journalist Medical Illustrator Pharmacist Public Relations Specialist Recreational Therapist Research Assistant Social Worker Teacher Writer There are also a number of occupations that require a student to obtain a colleg e degree that is longer than the conventional four-year college degree programs. These extended professional college degree programs include: Architect Biologist Chiropractor Dentist Diplomat Doctor Economist Geologist Lawyer Librarian Management Consultant Palaeontologist Priest Psychologist Public Policy Analyst It is important to choose a college degree course that is suitable for the caree r path you want to follow. If you are unsure of which field of occupation you wa nt to enter then it is advisable to take a certificate or diploma course first. This will enable you to change disciplines without having spent four years on a degree course that ends up not being something that you want to pursue.