One of the only ways that a company can grow in today’s economy is to optimize the efficiency of its operations.
With the right degree and experience, you could be a key player as an “Administrative Services Manager”; which will be a higher-demand, high paid job through 2016 (and probably beyond).
While the job title is about as nondescript of an occupation as you could imagine, it pays an average of $67,000 annually and will have 276,000 people employed by 2016. This is an almost 12 percent increase from 2006.
Relevant majors depend on the work environment and include:
- Business (specifically finance or human resources)
- Engineering
- Architecture
- Construction management
- Facility management
What’s this Job Entail?
You don’t need to be an expert in the functional areas that you’d supervise, but you do need to demonstrate strong leadership and communication skills, which is why lower-level experience is so vital. You must enjoy working with details, and a wide range of people; from managers, supervisors, and professionals, to clerks and blue-collar workers. You must be flexible, decisive and effective with meeting deadlines and managing multiple activities at once.
Administrative services managers coordinate and direct a broad spectrum of services that keep a company running smoothly. According to the Occupational Outlook Handbook, they can oversee:
- Secretarial and reception services and mail
- Administration and payroll
- Conference planning and travel
- Information and data processing
- Materials scheduling and distribution
- Printing and reproduction
- Records management
- Telecommunications management
- Security, parking
- Energy consumption
- Personal property
- Procurement, supply, recycling, and disposal
Specific duties for these managers vary by their level of responsibility and authority. Some advance to upper level positions, such as vice president of administrative services.
Experience and Courses Required
Managerial and industry-specific experience is the key to attaining this position. You might have to start in a non-managerial position and work up the ladder. Your chances for promotion to this position can be enhanced by earning the Certified Manager (CM) designation offered by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers (ICPM), along with the right experience and education.
The degree required depends on the work environment. In less complex organizations, a high school education and experience could suffice. But other employers, such as in contract administration or facilities management, require a bachelor’s degree. In facilities management, many managers have a background in real estate, construction, or interior design. Courses in office technology, accounting, business mathematics, computer applications, human resources, and business law would be expected, regardless of industry.
Sources: Occupation Outlook Handbook, 2008-09
My mission is to empower youth with: - The knowledge about career possibilities, and the education and training needed to attain them - The creative-thinking and emotional skills that make for good career decisions and which employers prefer; - And the resilience needed to flourish in life.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Monday, February 09, 2009
Building a Career? Look into Construction Management and Cleveland State University
Economic forecasts aside, the long-run job prospects in Construction Management are much better than average, from the perspective of salary and chance of hire.
The number of construction management jobs will grow 15.7% between 2006 and 2016. The median salary in 2006 was $73,700.
A bachelor’s degree in construction science, construction management, building science, or civil engineering or architecture are preferred and work experience is also expected, whether through an internship, a cooperative education program, or a job in the industry. The traditional path to advancement begins with long-term experience as, for example, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, or electrical installation.
In Northeast Ohio, five colleges have relevant four-year programs that would qualify you, after work experience, for a construction management opportunity:
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland State University
Kent State University
The University of Akron
Youngstown State University
For example, Cleveland State University’s Engineering program has made “large investments have been made in new labs and the renovation of classrooms and office space…” Its co-op program enables students to alternate between classes and work at many (related) “prominent companies”.
According to the Dean’s report in spring 2008, 63% of the faculty graduated from the top 26 engineering schools in the United States, including MIT, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, Texas A&M and a variety of others. The Visiting Scholar program has hosted scholars from Carnegie Mellon University and internationally from Myong Ji University and Dankook University in South Korea, Fujian University and Shanghai Polytechnic University in China, Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil and JNTU in India.
In the Cleveland marketplace, there are an estimated 970,000 construction management positions, with an average hourly wage of $42.55 and an average annual salary of $88,510.
According to the Occupational Outlook, construction managers “plan, direct, coordinate, or budget…activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems”. Construction managers help conceptualize the development of a construction project and organize, schedule, and implement related activities with the help of supervisory subordinates. Specialties such as carpentry or plumbing are included in this profession, and job titles include general superintendents, project managers, and constructors.
The biggest employers of construction managers include petroleum and related wholesale, investment pools or funds, and travel accommodations. Most managers are involved with nonresidential, residential, building equipment, foundation, structure and exterior contactors.
Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, http://www.csuohio.edu/engineering/
The number of construction management jobs will grow 15.7% between 2006 and 2016. The median salary in 2006 was $73,700.
A bachelor’s degree in construction science, construction management, building science, or civil engineering or architecture are preferred and work experience is also expected, whether through an internship, a cooperative education program, or a job in the industry. The traditional path to advancement begins with long-term experience as, for example, carpentry, masonry, plumbing, or electrical installation.
In Northeast Ohio, five colleges have relevant four-year programs that would qualify you, after work experience, for a construction management opportunity:
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland State University
Kent State University
The University of Akron
Youngstown State University
For example, Cleveland State University’s Engineering program has made “large investments have been made in new labs and the renovation of classrooms and office space…” Its co-op program enables students to alternate between classes and work at many (related) “prominent companies”.
According to the Dean’s report in spring 2008, 63% of the faculty graduated from the top 26 engineering schools in the United States, including MIT, Princeton, Carnegie Mellon, Purdue, Texas A&M and a variety of others. The Visiting Scholar program has hosted scholars from Carnegie Mellon University and internationally from Myong Ji University and Dankook University in South Korea, Fujian University and Shanghai Polytechnic University in China, Federal University of Sao Carlos in Brazil and JNTU in India.
In the Cleveland marketplace, there are an estimated 970,000 construction management positions, with an average hourly wage of $42.55 and an average annual salary of $88,510.
According to the Occupational Outlook, construction managers “plan, direct, coordinate, or budget…activities concerned with the construction and maintenance of structures, facilities, and systems”. Construction managers help conceptualize the development of a construction project and organize, schedule, and implement related activities with the help of supervisory subordinates. Specialties such as carpentry or plumbing are included in this profession, and job titles include general superintendents, project managers, and constructors.
The biggest employers of construction managers include petroleum and related wholesale, investment pools or funds, and travel accommodations. Most managers are involved with nonresidential, residential, building equipment, foundation, structure and exterior contactors.
Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, http://www.csuohio.edu/engineering/
Sunday, January 25, 2009
Case Western Reserve University -- and several others in Northeast Ohio -- offers Best Odds for Hiring and High Pay in the Computer Science Field
Northeast Ohio has always been a tough job market. Unless you have a rich uncle -- it's paramount to have a solid strategy for your college education and career.
If you take the trouble to identify a top-paying occupation early in your college career, would you also want to know about where you can find a top-rated academic program, locally?
-- Or, would you also be interested in finding a top-rated program, locally and at the lowest cost?
Answering these questions may seem unwieldy.
You could define your "best fit" college by finding one that gives you a top education in a top paying, promising field. Of course, for most students, it's not quite that crystal clear. Your college lifestyle is also an important consideration.
In Ohio, Case Western Reserve University and The Ohio State University both offer a top rated program in Computer Science, according to both The Gourman Report and Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges. (The Gourman report was acquired by The Princeton Review in 1997.)
Rugg's includes Denison University in its best Computer Science majors list in the "most selective" category.
Hiram College and Kent State University are also included, although considered by Rugg's to be "very", not "most" selective in admitting students.
Baldwin-Wallace College and Mount Union College also make the cut in the more general, "selective" category.
Majors in computer and information sciences, computer systems analysis, networking and telecommunications or information technology can leads to a position as network systems and data communications analyst, the best job for college graduates, as defined by Laurence Shatkin.
Shatkin and Michael Farr, authors of the "200 Best Jobs for College Graduates", say that Systems analysts design, test and evaluate systems such as intranets and local area networks. The average starting salary is $40,100 and there will be over 35,000 openings for them annually, through 2016.
Sources: Forbes, 1/9/09
Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges, 2006
The Gourman Report, 1997
If you take the trouble to identify a top-paying occupation early in your college career, would you also want to know about where you can find a top-rated academic program, locally?
-- Or, would you also be interested in finding a top-rated program, locally and at the lowest cost?
Answering these questions may seem unwieldy.
You could define your "best fit" college by finding one that gives you a top education in a top paying, promising field. Of course, for most students, it's not quite that crystal clear. Your college lifestyle is also an important consideration.
In Ohio, Case Western Reserve University and The Ohio State University both offer a top rated program in Computer Science, according to both The Gourman Report and Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges. (The Gourman report was acquired by The Princeton Review in 1997.)
Rugg's includes Denison University in its best Computer Science majors list in the "most selective" category.
Hiram College and Kent State University are also included, although considered by Rugg's to be "very", not "most" selective in admitting students.
Baldwin-Wallace College and Mount Union College also make the cut in the more general, "selective" category.
Majors in computer and information sciences, computer systems analysis, networking and telecommunications or information technology can leads to a position as network systems and data communications analyst, the best job for college graduates, as defined by Laurence Shatkin.
Shatkin and Michael Farr, authors of the "200 Best Jobs for College Graduates", say that Systems analysts design, test and evaluate systems such as intranets and local area networks. The average starting salary is $40,100 and there will be over 35,000 openings for them annually, through 2016.
Sources: Forbes, 1/9/09
Rugg's Recommendations on the Colleges, 2006
The Gourman Report, 1997
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Even High Demand Degree-Holders Need to Get Smart about Developing "Soft" Skills
College Graduates! Do You Know Who is Hiring? Or Who is Being Hired?
Don’t overlook the importance of proving your soft skills to employers when entering the job market for the first time. Everyone – regardless of your degree -- has to overcome employer bias against recent college graduates.
Employers want communication and team work skills but they believe that young people lack them. You will be better off in this flat job market, if you can demonstrate your team work experience and individual contributions from college classes, extracurricular experience, internships and “first jobs”.
According to the 2009 Job Outlook Survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the job market is flat. And it's more competitive. There are more job-seekers; recent graduates and job changers are pursing the same positions.
Engineers, accountants and computer scientists with "people smarts" will be very competitive in the 2009 job market.
The highest demand is for bachelor's degrees are in the following fields:
Accounting
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Computer Science
Business Administration/Management
Economics/Finance
Information Sciences & Systems
Computer Engineering
Management Information Systems
Marketing/Marketing Management
At the master's degree level, the highest demand is for:
M.B.A.
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Accounting
These hiring trends are likely to continue for awhile, so undergraduate students who are considering one of these majors will be well-advised to confirm that decision.
Where Should you Target your Job Search?
If you're a newly minted degree-holder in Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Business Administration/Management, the Federal Government is the best place to seek a job.
If you're an MBA, you will lead the pack at 60% of employers surveyed by NACE.
Who's Hiring by Employer Type
(Bachelor's Degree)
Accounting:
Accounting (public)
Financial Services
Utilities
Government (Federal)
Mechanical engineering
Government (Federal)
Chemicals & Allied Products
Food & Beverage Processing
Electrical engineering:
Government (Federal)
Electrical & electronic machinery & equipment manufacturers
Chemicals & allied products
Computer Science:
Computer software development& data processing services
Communication Services
Government (Federal)
Business Admin./Mgmt.:
Insurance
Financial Services
Food & Beverage Processing
Government (Federal)
Associate degree holders in business, engineering, drafting, design, and computer-aided design (CAD) are also in demand. Industries that are doing the most hiring for associate degrees are utility companies, research organizations, communications services, electrical/electronic machinery and equipment manufacturers.
High Demand "Soft" Skills
Employers want skills that they say recent college graduate lack; most importantly:
1. Communication skills, especially writing
2. Strong work ethic
3. Teamwork skills (works well with others)
4. Initiative
5. Analytical skills
6. Computer skills
7. Flexibility/adaptability
8. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
9. Problem-solving skills
10. Technical skills
High GPAs and Internships are Other Ways to Get Over the Hurdles
Over 50% of employers use a GPA cutoff of 3.0 to screen out candidates. Adding an internship or two in your field will show an employer that you’ve tested your new knowledge.
Even better, internships are a foot in the door. Employers often use them for try-outs; a talent pool for future employees. So, even if it's an unpaid internship, if it's with a desirable future employer, you should seriously consider it!
Don’t overlook the importance of proving your soft skills to employers when entering the job market for the first time. Everyone – regardless of your degree -- has to overcome employer bias against recent college graduates.
Employers want communication and team work skills but they believe that young people lack them. You will be better off in this flat job market, if you can demonstrate your team work experience and individual contributions from college classes, extracurricular experience, internships and “first jobs”.
According to the 2009 Job Outlook Survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the job market is flat. And it's more competitive. There are more job-seekers; recent graduates and job changers are pursing the same positions.
Engineers, accountants and computer scientists with "people smarts" will be very competitive in the 2009 job market.
The highest demand is for bachelor's degrees are in the following fields:
Accounting
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Computer Science
Business Administration/Management
Economics/Finance
Information Sciences & Systems
Computer Engineering
Management Information Systems
Marketing/Marketing Management
At the master's degree level, the highest demand is for:
M.B.A.
Electrical Engineering
Mechanical Engineering
Computer Science
Accounting
These hiring trends are likely to continue for awhile, so undergraduate students who are considering one of these majors will be well-advised to confirm that decision.
Where Should you Target your Job Search?
If you're a newly minted degree-holder in Accounting, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Business Administration/Management, the Federal Government is the best place to seek a job.
If you're an MBA, you will lead the pack at 60% of employers surveyed by NACE.
Who's Hiring by Employer Type
(Bachelor's Degree)
Accounting:
Accounting (public)
Financial Services
Utilities
Government (Federal)
Mechanical engineering
Government (Federal)
Chemicals & Allied Products
Food & Beverage Processing
Electrical engineering:
Government (Federal)
Electrical & electronic machinery & equipment manufacturers
Chemicals & allied products
Computer Science:
Computer software development& data processing services
Communication Services
Government (Federal)
Business Admin./Mgmt.:
Insurance
Financial Services
Food & Beverage Processing
Government (Federal)
Associate degree holders in business, engineering, drafting, design, and computer-aided design (CAD) are also in demand. Industries that are doing the most hiring for associate degrees are utility companies, research organizations, communications services, electrical/electronic machinery and equipment manufacturers.
High Demand "Soft" Skills
Employers want skills that they say recent college graduate lack; most importantly:
1. Communication skills, especially writing
2. Strong work ethic
3. Teamwork skills (works well with others)
4. Initiative
5. Analytical skills
6. Computer skills
7. Flexibility/adaptability
8. Interpersonal skills (relates well to others)
9. Problem-solving skills
10. Technical skills
High GPAs and Internships are Other Ways to Get Over the Hurdles
Over 50% of employers use a GPA cutoff of 3.0 to screen out candidates. Adding an internship or two in your field will show an employer that you’ve tested your new knowledge.
Even better, internships are a foot in the door. Employers often use them for try-outs; a talent pool for future employees. So, even if it's an unpaid internship, if it's with a desirable future employer, you should seriously consider it!
Sunday, January 04, 2009
Innovative, Cross-Disciplinary Golf Management Program at Ohio State University
Try telling mom and dad that you want to major in “golf”.
Even the savviest college shopper might never ask him- or herself:
“What do science, business, and golf have in common?”
Ohio State University (OSU) provides all the right justifications for turning your golf passion into a lucrative career. The right facilities, broad cross-disciplinary coursework and specializations, premiere faculty and intensive professional networking can make you a sought-after candidate in a $62 billion industry.
OSU' s creative four-and-a-half year Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program collaborated across three academic departments and with a leading professional association to offer high-potential student golfers an opportunity to make their passion into a career. The program combines the academic requirements of The Ohio State University with the golf business knowledge and golf aptitude expectations.
The OSU College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) houses the program, which is delivered by the Horticulture & Crop Science Department. CFAES, the College of Education and Human Ecology, the Fisher College of Business, and the OSU Athletics Department partnered to develop the program, which is sanctioned by the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA). PGA requires students to become Class A PGA professionals after graduation
Why OSU? Why a Career in – of all things – Golf!?
According to program officials, about $4.4 billion of (the $62 million golf industry) is produced in Ohio, according to a PGA study. “The starting median salary for someone going through a PGM program is about $50,000 and can eventually reach six figures,” program literature points out.
Ohio is fifth among U.S. states for the number of golf courses (~ 800). Most of them serve as sites for OSU PGM students to conduct internships.
Ohio State was the 18th institution in the United States to implement a Professional Golf Management program, and has the distinction of offering the only PGM program in Ohio, and only the second in the Midwest.
What’s Involved with a Golf Management Major at OSU?
Applicants to the PGM program must be admitted to the University and provide proof of an 18-hole golf handicap of 10 or better. This provides evidence that PGM students have the potential to pass the PGA of America’s Playing Ability Test (PAT).
This degree is multi-disciplinary and incorporates on-campus courses required to complete the major and the General Education Curriculum. Students must also complete the course requirements for a minor in many areas of interest, such as General Business, Agribusiness, Coaching Education or Exercise Science.
All students majoring in PGM at Ohio State complete at least 16 months (five academic quarters) of internships prior to graduation.
Courses are offered in finance, personnel management, marketing, merchandising, plant science, inventory control, lesson planning, individual and group teaching, and social and professional interactions. Students learn to operate a golf course or resort, studying accounting, food and beverage management, event planning, turfgrass science - while honing their golf skills and teaching expertise.
A range of internship opportunities allow OSU PGM students to gain a breadth of experience in the golf industry, as well as focus on specific career interest areas. Students intern at high quality sites across the United States and internationally at university, municipal, public, private and semi-private courses/clubs, resorts, retail stores, learning centers, golf club manufacturers, and sport management companies.
The program is led by Dr. Ray Miller, who has been a member of the faculty at The Ohio State University since 1985 and was previously employed in the chemical industry and served as an environmental consultant.
"(Our PGM students) begin gaining the knowledge and skills required to become a resort manager, club pro, equipment representative or instructor in the golf industry," Dr, Miller notes.
"Other schools, especially the smaller ones, are very 'golfcentric,'" Miller says. "Even though students might learn human resource management or restaurant management, their programs are really focused on the golf part of that. Our students here, even if they decide to get out of golf, will have a broad enough background to do other things in life."
Dr. Miller helps students succeed in their academic program to become members of the Professional Golfer's Association of America. He carries a 7 handicap.
I’m Interested! What Do I Need to Do Next?
Prospective students must show proof of an 18-hole golf handicap of 10 or better. Proof of this handicap may be established by any one of the following:
· Confirmation of playing ability form signed by a high school golf coach
· Confirmation of playing ability form signed by a PGA of America member
· Current United States Golf Association Handicap card
· Confirmation of Playing Ability form - download form
Students can also visit the PGM website at pgm.osu.edu or call Mary Rose Molinaro at 1-866-367-5268 for further information.
Source: http://hcs.osu.edu/pgm/
Even the savviest college shopper might never ask him- or herself:
“What do science, business, and golf have in common?”
Ohio State University (OSU) provides all the right justifications for turning your golf passion into a lucrative career. The right facilities, broad cross-disciplinary coursework and specializations, premiere faculty and intensive professional networking can make you a sought-after candidate in a $62 billion industry.
OSU' s creative four-and-a-half year Professional Golf Management (PGM) Program collaborated across three academic departments and with a leading professional association to offer high-potential student golfers an opportunity to make their passion into a career. The program combines the academic requirements of The Ohio State University with the golf business knowledge and golf aptitude expectations.
The OSU College of Food, Agricultural and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) houses the program, which is delivered by the Horticulture & Crop Science Department. CFAES, the College of Education and Human Ecology, the Fisher College of Business, and the OSU Athletics Department partnered to develop the program, which is sanctioned by the Professional Golfers' Association (PGA). PGA requires students to become Class A PGA professionals after graduation
Why OSU? Why a Career in – of all things – Golf!?
According to program officials, about $4.4 billion of (the $62 million golf industry) is produced in Ohio, according to a PGA study. “The starting median salary for someone going through a PGM program is about $50,000 and can eventually reach six figures,” program literature points out.
Ohio is fifth among U.S. states for the number of golf courses (~ 800). Most of them serve as sites for OSU PGM students to conduct internships.
Ohio State was the 18th institution in the United States to implement a Professional Golf Management program, and has the distinction of offering the only PGM program in Ohio, and only the second in the Midwest.
What’s Involved with a Golf Management Major at OSU?
Applicants to the PGM program must be admitted to the University and provide proof of an 18-hole golf handicap of 10 or better. This provides evidence that PGM students have the potential to pass the PGA of America’s Playing Ability Test (PAT).
This degree is multi-disciplinary and incorporates on-campus courses required to complete the major and the General Education Curriculum. Students must also complete the course requirements for a minor in many areas of interest, such as General Business, Agribusiness, Coaching Education or Exercise Science.
All students majoring in PGM at Ohio State complete at least 16 months (five academic quarters) of internships prior to graduation.
Courses are offered in finance, personnel management, marketing, merchandising, plant science, inventory control, lesson planning, individual and group teaching, and social and professional interactions. Students learn to operate a golf course or resort, studying accounting, food and beverage management, event planning, turfgrass science - while honing their golf skills and teaching expertise.
A range of internship opportunities allow OSU PGM students to gain a breadth of experience in the golf industry, as well as focus on specific career interest areas. Students intern at high quality sites across the United States and internationally at university, municipal, public, private and semi-private courses/clubs, resorts, retail stores, learning centers, golf club manufacturers, and sport management companies.
The program is led by Dr. Ray Miller, who has been a member of the faculty at The Ohio State University since 1985 and was previously employed in the chemical industry and served as an environmental consultant.
"(Our PGM students) begin gaining the knowledge and skills required to become a resort manager, club pro, equipment representative or instructor in the golf industry," Dr, Miller notes.
"Other schools, especially the smaller ones, are very 'golfcentric,'" Miller says. "Even though students might learn human resource management or restaurant management, their programs are really focused on the golf part of that. Our students here, even if they decide to get out of golf, will have a broad enough background to do other things in life."
Dr. Miller helps students succeed in their academic program to become members of the Professional Golfer's Association of America. He carries a 7 handicap.
I’m Interested! What Do I Need to Do Next?
Prospective students must show proof of an 18-hole golf handicap of 10 or better. Proof of this handicap may be established by any one of the following:
· Confirmation of playing ability form signed by a high school golf coach
· Confirmation of playing ability form signed by a PGA of America member
· Current United States Golf Association Handicap card
· Confirmation of Playing Ability form - download form
Students can also visit the PGM website at pgm.osu.edu or call Mary Rose Molinaro at 1-866-367-5268 for further information.
Source: http://hcs.osu.edu/pgm/
Thursday, January 01, 2009
College Majors that Pay the Most!
In August 2008, Payscale, Inc. released its annual rankings for college majors that result in the highest salaries, based on data from 10 million users.
When looking at private sector jobs (excluding social work and education) and excluding graduate degrees, Computer Engineering is one of the highest paid occupations with the greatest demand. Furthermore, Computer Engineering achieves this salary range in under five years of experience.
The only downside of this occupation is that job growth isn’t particularly high and salaries don’t tend to grow with experience.
According to the College Board, "Computer engineering technology students learn the technical skills they need to help computer engineers design computer hardware and software. Class topics include computer electronics and programming, computer installation and testing, and report writing."
Nearest to Northeast Ohio, the Firelands campus of Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Huron offers an associate degree in Computer Engineering. For information, contact:
Admission Office
One University Drive
Huron, OH 44839 (419) 433-5560
Fax: (419) 372-0604 fireadm@bgsu.edu
Contact: Debralee Divers Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
According to the IEEE Computer Society:
"Computers are used in almost every aspect of today’s life: in automobile engines, microwave ovens, video games, watches, telephones, desktops at home and work, mainframe computers in government and industry, and in supercomputers extending the frontiers of science and technology. The computer, network and Internet industries are the fastest growing segments of our economy and of the new millennium."
BGSU says that "students who are interested in computer and network engineering technology can pursue a four-year bachelor’s degree or a two-year associate degree. Technologists with the bachelor’s degree may work creating scientific and engineering advances or producing high quality products and are more likely than the technician to take on a project-leadership role after a year or two of experience.
A student with a two-year degree can enter the industry as a member of an engineering team working with engineers, technologists and other engineering technicians. Technicians are often involved in the maintenance, repair, installation, industrial application, testing, trouble-shooting, sales and field service of computer and network systems. They are expected to keep up with the latest technological advancements.
Typical job titles include: computer systems specialist, computer support specialist, computer maintenance technician, software engineering technician, installation technician, field engineer, field service representative, systems integrator and applications specialist, and systems support technician."
BGSU's Program Requirements Include:
Communications (6 hours minimum), General Studies (6 hours minimum), Basic Courses (20 hours minimum) and Electronics and Computer Technology Major (37 hours minimum) covering:
Design (DESN 104)Manufacturing (MFG 112) or Basic Computer-Aided Design (DESN 131)Energy, Power, Instrumentation and Control (ECT 191)
Electric Circuits (ECT 240)
Electronic Circuits (ECT 241)
Digital Electronic Components and Systems (ECT 249)
Real Time Microcomputer Systems for Industrial Control (ECT 250)
Programmable Logic Controllers (ECT 310 or ECT 248)
Electrical Measurements and Instrumentation (ECT 247)
Digital Computer Analysis (ECT 349)
Network & Internet Principles (CST 181)
Network & Internet Implementation (CST 281)
Employment Outlook
The U.S. Dept. of Labor expects the computer and network engineering technology career to be the fastest growing field well into the 21st century. According to the latest figures from the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, computer support specialists and computer engineers are the top two fastest growing occupations through 2008. Projected growth employment rates exceed 90 percent.
So, knowing the trade-offs in picking a major is critical. If you’re out for the quickest return on your investment in college, and you’re willing to stick out a tough academic program, don’t want to pursue a graduate degree and are fascinated with how computers work, Computer Engineering could be the perfect choice for you!
Sources:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=5304488
http://www.firelands.bgsu.edu/academics/asas_eeet-ect.html
www.collegeboard.com
When looking at private sector jobs (excluding social work and education) and excluding graduate degrees, Computer Engineering is one of the highest paid occupations with the greatest demand. Furthermore, Computer Engineering achieves this salary range in under five years of experience.
The only downside of this occupation is that job growth isn’t particularly high and salaries don’t tend to grow with experience.
According to the College Board, "Computer engineering technology students learn the technical skills they need to help computer engineers design computer hardware and software. Class topics include computer electronics and programming, computer installation and testing, and report writing."
Nearest to Northeast Ohio, the Firelands campus of Bowling Green State University (BGSU) in Huron offers an associate degree in Computer Engineering. For information, contact:
Admission Office
One University Drive
Huron, OH 44839 (419) 433-5560
Fax: (419) 372-0604 fireadm@bgsu.edu
Contact: Debralee Divers Director of Admissions and Financial Aid
According to the IEEE Computer Society:
"Computers are used in almost every aspect of today’s life: in automobile engines, microwave ovens, video games, watches, telephones, desktops at home and work, mainframe computers in government and industry, and in supercomputers extending the frontiers of science and technology. The computer, network and Internet industries are the fastest growing segments of our economy and of the new millennium."
BGSU says that "students who are interested in computer and network engineering technology can pursue a four-year bachelor’s degree or a two-year associate degree. Technologists with the bachelor’s degree may work creating scientific and engineering advances or producing high quality products and are more likely than the technician to take on a project-leadership role after a year or two of experience.
A student with a two-year degree can enter the industry as a member of an engineering team working with engineers, technologists and other engineering technicians. Technicians are often involved in the maintenance, repair, installation, industrial application, testing, trouble-shooting, sales and field service of computer and network systems. They are expected to keep up with the latest technological advancements.
Typical job titles include: computer systems specialist, computer support specialist, computer maintenance technician, software engineering technician, installation technician, field engineer, field service representative, systems integrator and applications specialist, and systems support technician."
BGSU's Program Requirements Include:
Communications (6 hours minimum), General Studies (6 hours minimum), Basic Courses (20 hours minimum) and Electronics and Computer Technology Major (37 hours minimum) covering:
Design (DESN 104)Manufacturing (MFG 112) or Basic Computer-Aided Design (DESN 131)Energy, Power, Instrumentation and Control (ECT 191)
Electric Circuits (ECT 240)
Electronic Circuits (ECT 241)
Digital Electronic Components and Systems (ECT 249)
Real Time Microcomputer Systems for Industrial Control (ECT 250)
Programmable Logic Controllers (ECT 310 or ECT 248)
Electrical Measurements and Instrumentation (ECT 247)
Digital Computer Analysis (ECT 349)
Network & Internet Principles (CST 181)
Network & Internet Implementation (CST 281)
Employment Outlook
The U.S. Dept. of Labor expects the computer and network engineering technology career to be the fastest growing field well into the 21st century. According to the latest figures from the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services, computer support specialists and computer engineers are the top two fastest growing occupations through 2008. Projected growth employment rates exceed 90 percent.
So, knowing the trade-offs in picking a major is critical. If you’re out for the quickest return on your investment in college, and you’re willing to stick out a tough academic program, don’t want to pursue a graduate degree and are fascinated with how computers work, Computer Engineering could be the perfect choice for you!
Sources:
http://www.abcnews.go.com/print?id=5304488
http://www.firelands.bgsu.edu/academics/asas_eeet-ect.html
www.collegeboard.com
Friday, August 22, 2008
Get Fit for New Job Prospects in Sports and Exercise at New Cuyahoga Community College Program!
If you're a fitness nut in Northeast Ohio, you can now turn your passion for activity into a job opportunity through a new program at Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C). According to a press release from Tri-C, a new associate degree program, Sport and Exercise Studies (SES), launches this Fall 2008.
The degree prepares students for positions such as:
• Fitness Specialist
• Personal Trainer
• Recreation Director
• Program Manager/Director
• Group Fitness Instructor
• Health Fitness Instructor
• Sport Coach
The U.S. Department of Labor says that jobs for fitness workers are expected to increase 27 percent over the 2006-2016 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations; due to rapid job growth in health clubs, fitness facilities, and other settings.
In May 2007, for example, according to the Department of Labor, there were 6450 jobs for fitness trainers and aerobics instructors in the state of Ohio. the median hourly salary was $9.82 and the median annual salary was $25,000. In the Cleveland/Elyria/Mentor region specifically, there were 1150 jobs, with a median hourly pay rate of $12.35 or an annual salary of $20,020.
In May 2006, median annual earnings nationwide of fitness trainers and aerobics instructors were $25,910, not including self-employed workers. Earnings of successful self-employed personal trainers can be much higher. The largest numbers of fitness workers in 2006 were in the following industries:
Median Salary
General medical and surgical hospitals $29,640
Local government $27,720
Fitness and recreational sports centers $27,200
Other schools and instruction $22,770
Civic and social organizations $22,630
In order to advance in this field, the Department of Labor says "A bachelor’s degree in exercise science, physical education, kinesiology (the study of muscles, especially the mechanics of human motion), or a related area, along with experience, usually is required to advance to management positions in a health club or fitness center. Some organizations require a master’s degree. As in other occupations, managerial skills are also needed to advance to supervisory or managerial positions. College courses in management, business administration, accounting, and personnel management may be helpful, but many fitness companies have corporate universities in which they train employees for management positions.
Personal trainers may advance to head trainer, with responsibility for hiring and overseeing the personal training staff and for bringing in new personal training clients. Group fitness instructors may be promoted to group exercise director, responsible for hiring instructors and coordinating exercise classes. Later, a worker might become the fitness director, who manages the fitness budget and staff. Workers might also become the general manager, whose main focus is the financial aspects of an organization, particularly setting and achieving sales goals; in a small fitness center, however, the general manager is usually involved with all aspects of running the facility. Some workers go into business for themselves and open their own fitness centers."
Coursework for the degree includes anatomy and physiology; instructional techniques of cardiorespiratory, flexibility, and resistance training; sport injury care; CPR and first aid; sport management; fitness coaching; exercise physiology; kinesiology; exercise testing; exercise program design; personal training and group fitness instructor certification preparation; and practicum experience.
Tri-C's program includes classes in:
Principles of Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Muscular Strength and Conditioning
Sport Injury Care
First Aid
CPR
AED
Sport Management
Exercise Physiology
Fitness and Wellness Coaching
Kinesiology
Students can enroll now for fall classes, which are available at all three main campuses. Fall courses include SES 1000: introduction to sport and exercise studies; SES 1040: instructional techniques of training; and SES 1200: fitness and wellness coaching.
For more information about fitness careers and training, contact:
IDEA Health and Fitness Association, 10455 Pacific Center Court., San Diego, CA 92121-4339.
National Strength and Conditioning Association, 1885 Bob Johnson Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Internet: http://www.nsca-lift.org/
For information about personal trainer and group fitness instructor certifications, contact:
American College of Sports Medicine, P.O. Box 1440, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1440. Internet: http://www.acsm.org/
American Council on Exercise, 4851 Paramount Dr., San Diego, CA 92123. Internet: http://www.acefitness.org/
National Academy of Sports Medicine, 26632 Agoura Rd., Calabasas, CA 91302. Internet: http://www.nasm.org/
NSCA Certification Commission, 3333 Landmark Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504. Internet: http://www.nsca-cc.org/
For information about Pilates certification and training programs, contact:
Pilates Method Alliance, P.O. Box 370906, Miami, FL 33137-0906. Internet: http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/
For information on yoga teacher training programs, contact:
Yoga Alliance, 7801 Old Branch Ave., Suite 400, Clinton, MD 20735. Internet: http://www.yogaalliance.org/
To find accredited fitness certification programs, contact:
National Commission for Certifying Agencies, 2025 M St., NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Internet: http://www.noca.org/ncca/accredorg.htm
For information about health clubs and sports clubs, contact:
International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, 263 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210. Internet: http://www.ihrsa.org/
Sources:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos296.htm
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes399031.htm
http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/sportsmanagement/Pages/default.aspx
http://data.bls.gov/oes/occupation.do
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
The degree prepares students for positions such as:
• Fitness Specialist
• Personal Trainer
• Recreation Director
• Program Manager/Director
• Group Fitness Instructor
• Health Fitness Instructor
• Sport Coach
The U.S. Department of Labor says that jobs for fitness workers are expected to increase 27 percent over the 2006-2016 decade, much faster than the average for all occupations; due to rapid job growth in health clubs, fitness facilities, and other settings.
In May 2007, for example, according to the Department of Labor, there were 6450 jobs for fitness trainers and aerobics instructors in the state of Ohio. the median hourly salary was $9.82 and the median annual salary was $25,000. In the Cleveland/Elyria/Mentor region specifically, there were 1150 jobs, with a median hourly pay rate of $12.35 or an annual salary of $20,020.
In May 2006, median annual earnings nationwide of fitness trainers and aerobics instructors were $25,910, not including self-employed workers. Earnings of successful self-employed personal trainers can be much higher. The largest numbers of fitness workers in 2006 were in the following industries:
Median Salary
General medical and surgical hospitals $29,640
Local government $27,720
Fitness and recreational sports centers $27,200
Other schools and instruction $22,770
Civic and social organizations $22,630
In order to advance in this field, the Department of Labor says "A bachelor’s degree in exercise science, physical education, kinesiology (the study of muscles, especially the mechanics of human motion), or a related area, along with experience, usually is required to advance to management positions in a health club or fitness center. Some organizations require a master’s degree. As in other occupations, managerial skills are also needed to advance to supervisory or managerial positions. College courses in management, business administration, accounting, and personnel management may be helpful, but many fitness companies have corporate universities in which they train employees for management positions.
Personal trainers may advance to head trainer, with responsibility for hiring and overseeing the personal training staff and for bringing in new personal training clients. Group fitness instructors may be promoted to group exercise director, responsible for hiring instructors and coordinating exercise classes. Later, a worker might become the fitness director, who manages the fitness budget and staff. Workers might also become the general manager, whose main focus is the financial aspects of an organization, particularly setting and achieving sales goals; in a small fitness center, however, the general manager is usually involved with all aspects of running the facility. Some workers go into business for themselves and open their own fitness centers."
Coursework for the degree includes anatomy and physiology; instructional techniques of cardiorespiratory, flexibility, and resistance training; sport injury care; CPR and first aid; sport management; fitness coaching; exercise physiology; kinesiology; exercise testing; exercise program design; personal training and group fitness instructor certification preparation; and practicum experience.
Tri-C's program includes classes in:
Principles of Cardiorespiratory Fitness
Muscular Strength and Conditioning
Sport Injury Care
First Aid
CPR
AED
Sport Management
Exercise Physiology
Fitness and Wellness Coaching
Kinesiology
Students can enroll now for fall classes, which are available at all three main campuses. Fall courses include SES 1000: introduction to sport and exercise studies; SES 1040: instructional techniques of training; and SES 1200: fitness and wellness coaching.
For more information about fitness careers and training, contact:
IDEA Health and Fitness Association, 10455 Pacific Center Court., San Diego, CA 92121-4339.
National Strength and Conditioning Association, 1885 Bob Johnson Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80906. Internet: http://www.nsca-lift.org/
For information about personal trainer and group fitness instructor certifications, contact:
American College of Sports Medicine, P.O. Box 1440, Indianapolis, IN 46206-1440. Internet: http://www.acsm.org/
American Council on Exercise, 4851 Paramount Dr., San Diego, CA 92123. Internet: http://www.acefitness.org/
National Academy of Sports Medicine, 26632 Agoura Rd., Calabasas, CA 91302. Internet: http://www.nasm.org/
NSCA Certification Commission, 3333 Landmark Circle, Lincoln, NE 68504. Internet: http://www.nsca-cc.org/
For information about Pilates certification and training programs, contact:
Pilates Method Alliance, P.O. Box 370906, Miami, FL 33137-0906. Internet: http://www.pilatesmethodalliance.org/
For information on yoga teacher training programs, contact:
Yoga Alliance, 7801 Old Branch Ave., Suite 400, Clinton, MD 20735. Internet: http://www.yogaalliance.org/
To find accredited fitness certification programs, contact:
National Commission for Certifying Agencies, 2025 M St., NW., Suite 800, Washington, DC 20036. Internet: http://www.noca.org/ncca/accredorg.htm
For information about health clubs and sports clubs, contact:
International Health, Racquet, and Sportsclub Association, 263 Summer St., Boston, MA 02210. Internet: http://www.ihrsa.org/
Sources:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos296.htm
http://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes399031.htm
http://www.tri-c.edu/programs/sportsmanagement/Pages/default.aspx
http://data.bls.gov/oes/occupation.do
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
12 Local Colleges Named "Best Colleges" by Forbes
Forbes Magazine has developed an "alternative" to the highly read US News and World Report college rankings. In its August 2008 issue, Forbes teamed with Dr. Richard Vedder, an economist at Ohio University, and the Center for College Affordability and Productivity, to rank 569 undergraduate institutions based on the quality of the education they provide, and how much their students achieve.
Whether you buy into the methodology of any ranking system, somehow it's always compelling to see who made the list and to try to figure out why, especially if you're close to making your own "college shopping decision".
In Northeast Ohio, 12 colleges were selected by Forbes to be among the top 15% in the nation:
Rank College Cost ($) Size of Freshman Class
51 Oberlin College 48,070 742
123 College of Wooster 41,432 543
152 John Carroll University 37,224 720
206 Hiram College 25,160 NA
232 Baldwin-Wallace College 32,862 740
390 Mount Union College 30,850 593
403 Case Western Reserve University 45,826 1,133
481 Ohio Northern University 40,575 722
482 Kent State University 21,020 3,800
500 University of Akron, Main Campus19,789 4,109
505 Bowling Green State University 20,156 3,241
564 University of Toledo 20,700 NA
Compiling data from a "variety of sources", Forbes strove to answer the following questions:
- How good will my professors be?
- Will the school help me achieve notable career success?
- If I have to borrow to pay for college, how deeply will I go into debt?
- What are the chances I will graduate in four years?
- Are students and faculty recognized nationally, or even globally?
So first, you have to agree that these are the right questions. They certainly appear to answer some key questions that parents have about payback of their investment in tuition toward a successful job future for their children.
Forbes combines quantitative and qualitative measures (numerical measures and accumulated opinions). And so should parents. Like the US News and World Report version, the Forbes (and other) rankings offers "indicators" for families in their choice of college. But it still comes down to the fit of the individual student with the college (often a "gut feel"), as well as the opportunities initially offered by the college (financial and otherwise), that set up the student for success in higher education.
And other data sources suggest that -- once you get out into the work world -- successful employment simply doesn't have anything to do with where you went to school and what your major was. Getting hired -- and staying employed -- ultimately depends on proficiency in soft skills, like interpersonal communication and self-motivation; even if you land the "hot job" for which you are academically prepared.
But Forbes did come up with the following conclusions from its research:
Students strongly prefer smaller schools to big ones.
Big state schools performed poorly.
Small liberal arts schools faired very well.
Readers are reminded that the U.S. Department of Education, there are more than 4,000 college campuses in the U.S.. So the "decision set" is much larger than these rankings would suggest. The editors also recognize that it's fairly "absurd" to rank colleges with "mock precision", when the process of individual choice is so much more complex. But "when families have to make a decision with a six-figure price tag and lifelong impact, .....they deserve all the information they can get."
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
Whether you buy into the methodology of any ranking system, somehow it's always compelling to see who made the list and to try to figure out why, especially if you're close to making your own "college shopping decision".
In Northeast Ohio, 12 colleges were selected by Forbes to be among the top 15% in the nation:
Rank College Cost ($) Size of Freshman Class
51 Oberlin College 48,070 742
123 College of Wooster 41,432 543
152 John Carroll University 37,224 720
206 Hiram College 25,160 NA
232 Baldwin-Wallace College 32,862 740
390 Mount Union College 30,850 593
403 Case Western Reserve University 45,826 1,133
481 Ohio Northern University 40,575 722
482 Kent State University 21,020 3,800
500 University of Akron, Main Campus19,789 4,109
505 Bowling Green State University 20,156 3,241
564 University of Toledo 20,700 NA
Compiling data from a "variety of sources", Forbes strove to answer the following questions:
- How good will my professors be?
- Will the school help me achieve notable career success?
- If I have to borrow to pay for college, how deeply will I go into debt?
- What are the chances I will graduate in four years?
- Are students and faculty recognized nationally, or even globally?
So first, you have to agree that these are the right questions. They certainly appear to answer some key questions that parents have about payback of their investment in tuition toward a successful job future for their children.
Forbes combines quantitative and qualitative measures (numerical measures and accumulated opinions). And so should parents. Like the US News and World Report version, the Forbes (and other) rankings offers "indicators" for families in their choice of college. But it still comes down to the fit of the individual student with the college (often a "gut feel"), as well as the opportunities initially offered by the college (financial and otherwise), that set up the student for success in higher education.
And other data sources suggest that -- once you get out into the work world -- successful employment simply doesn't have anything to do with where you went to school and what your major was. Getting hired -- and staying employed -- ultimately depends on proficiency in soft skills, like interpersonal communication and self-motivation; even if you land the "hot job" for which you are academically prepared.
But Forbes did come up with the following conclusions from its research:
Students strongly prefer smaller schools to big ones.
Big state schools performed poorly.
Small liberal arts schools faired very well.
Readers are reminded that the U.S. Department of Education, there are more than 4,000 college campuses in the U.S.. So the "decision set" is much larger than these rankings would suggest. The editors also recognize that it's fairly "absurd" to rank colleges with "mock precision", when the process of individual choice is so much more complex. But "when families have to make a decision with a six-figure price tag and lifelong impact, .....they deserve all the information they can get."
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
Job Growth in Computer Software Engineering to Continue; Local Colleges Offer Programs
The Computer Software Engineering profession will have much faster than average growth through 2016, according to The US Department of Labor. The number of jobs is projected to grow by 37.9% between 2000 and 2010. “There will be strong demand for software engineers as businesses and other organizations continue to adopt and integrate new technologies.”
As of May 2007, there were 18,860 computer software engineers in the applications category in Ohio, not including self-employed workers. Nationwide, the median average earnings are $79,780.
The following information was compiled from http://www.bls.gov/emp/
What’s the Job Like?
Computer software engineers “develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.”
As with most occupations, advancement opportunities for computer software engineers increase with experience. Entry-level computer software engineers often test designs, but ass they become more experienced, they begin to help design and develop software. They can advance to a project manager, manager of information systems, or chief information officer role, especially if they have business skills and training. With several years of experience or expertise, there are lucrative opportunities working as systems designers or independent consultants.
What Kind of Training, Education and Skills are Required?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science and practical experience working with computers. Nearly 85% of job holders aged 25-44 have a bachelor’s degree. The usual college major for applications software engineers is computer science or software engineering. Systems software engineers often study computer science or computer information systems. Graduate degrees are preferred for some of the more complex jobs. In 2006, about 80 percent of workers had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Academic programs in software engineering may offer the program as a degree option or in conjunction with computer science degrees. Because of increasing emphasis on computer security, software engineers with advanced degrees in areas such as mathematics and systems design will be sought after by software developers, government agencies, and consulting firms.
Most employers prefer applicants who have at least a bachelor’s degree and broad knowledge of, and experience with, a variety of computer systems and technologies. Students seeking software engineering jobs enhance their employment opportunities by participating in internships or co-ops. These experiences provide students with broad knowledge and experience, making them more attractive to employers. Inexperienced college graduates may be hired by large computer and consulting firms that train new employees in intensive, company-based programs.
People interested in jobs as computer software engineers must have strong problem-solving and analytical skills. They also must be able to communicate effectively with team members, other staff, and the customers they meet. Because they often deal with a number of tasks simultaneously, they must be able to concentrate and pay close attention to detail.
To help keep up with changing technology, workers may take continuing education and professional development seminars offered by employers, software vendors, colleges and universities, private training institutions, and professional computing societies. Computer software engineers also need skills related to the industry in which they work.
Where in Northeast Ohio can I Major in Computer Science or Software Engineering?
According to The College Board, the following colleges near Northeast Ohio offer a major in Computer Engineering, Computer Software or Software Engineering:
Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Bowling Green State University: Firelands College, Huron, OH
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Cuyahoga Community College: Eastern Campus, Highland Hills, OH
North Central State College, Mansfield, OH
Ohio Business College: Sandusky, Sandusky, OH
Owens Community College: Toledo, Toledo, OH
Penn State Beaver, Monaca, PA
Penn State Shenango, Sharon, PA
Stark State College of Technology, North Canton, OH
University of Akron, Akron, OH
University of Toledo Toledo, OH
Wayne County Community College Detroit, MI
Youngstown State University,Youngstown, OH
In exploring these programs, it’s always a good idea to speak directly to the faculty and current or recently graduated students to fully understand:
- Whether the program has an applications or hardware emphasis,
- What the job placement rate is of the graduates
- What specials features, such as internship support, are provided by the college and what the “hallmarks” of the program are.
Academic program rankings are not easy to find, but contacting the professional development department in a trade association is usually a good way to get some unbiased opinions.
Who Employs Computer Software Engineers?
The industries that have the most openings for computer software engineers, in the applications classification, are as follows:
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
168,080 jobs
$41.40 average hourly wage
$86,110 average annual wage
Software Publishers
35,940 jobs
$42.77 average hourly wage
$88,970 average annual wage
Management of Companies and Enterprises
26,610 jobs
$40.93 average hourly wage
$85,130 average annual wage
Insurance Carriers
17,590 jobs
$37.98 average hourly wage
$79,000 average annual wage
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
15,360 jobs
$45.27 average hourly wage
$94,160 averqage annual wage
What are the Job Expectations?
In the Computer Systems Design and Related Services Industry, workers averaged 38.3 hours per week, compared with 33.9 for all industries combined. Many workers in this industry worked more than the standard 40-hour work week—about 19 percent work 50 or more hours a week. For many professionals and technical specialists, evening or weekend work is commonly necessary to meet deadlines or solve problems. Professionals working for large establishments may have less freedom in planning their schedule than do consultants for very small firms, whose work may be more varied. Only about 7 percent of the workers in the computer systems design and related services industry work part time, compared with 15 percent of workers throughout all industries.
Most workers in the computer systems design and related services industry work in clean, quiet offices. Those in facilities management and maintenance may work in computer operations centers. Given the technology available today, however, more work can be done from remote locations using fax machines, e-mail, and especially the Internet. For example, systems analysts may work from home with their computers linked directly to computers at their employer or a client. Computer support specialists, likewise, can tap into a customer’s computer remotely in order to identify and fix problems. Even programmers and consultants, who often relocate to a customer’s place of business while working on a project, may perform work from offsite locations.
Those who work with personal computers for extended periods may experience musculoskeletal strain, eye problems, stress, or repetitive motion illnesses, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Further information about computer careers is available from:
http://www.bls.gov/emp/
Association for Computing Machinery, 2 Penn Plaza, Suite 701, New York, NY 10121-0701. Internet: http://www.acm.org/
National Workforce Center for Emerging Technologies, 3000 Landerholm Circle SE., Bellevue, WA 98007. Internet: http://www.nwcet.org/
University of Washington Computer Science and Engineering Department, AC101 Paul G. Allen Center, Box 352350, 185 Stevens Way, Seattle, WA 98195-2350. Internet: http://www.cs.washington.edu/WhyCSE/
Jill Bernaciak
Owner
http://www.whatsyourmajor.net/
440-668-3446
What's Your Major? SM
P.O. Box 321
Berea, OH 44017-9918
As of May 2007, there were 18,860 computer software engineers in the applications category in Ohio, not including self-employed workers. Nationwide, the median average earnings are $79,780.
The following information was compiled from http://www.bls.gov/emp/
What’s the Job Like?
Computer software engineers “develop, create, and modify general computer applications software or specialized utility programs. Analyze user needs and develop software solutions. Design software or customize software for client use with the aim of optimizing operational efficiency. May analyze and design databases within an application area, working individually or coordinating database development as part of a team.”
As with most occupations, advancement opportunities for computer software engineers increase with experience. Entry-level computer software engineers often test designs, but ass they become more experienced, they begin to help design and develop software. They can advance to a project manager, manager of information systems, or chief information officer role, especially if they have business skills and training. With several years of experience or expertise, there are lucrative opportunities working as systems designers or independent consultants.
What Kind of Training, Education and Skills are Required?
You need at least a bachelor’s degree in computer engineering or computer science and practical experience working with computers. Nearly 85% of job holders aged 25-44 have a bachelor’s degree. The usual college major for applications software engineers is computer science or software engineering. Systems software engineers often study computer science or computer information systems. Graduate degrees are preferred for some of the more complex jobs. In 2006, about 80 percent of workers had a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Academic programs in software engineering may offer the program as a degree option or in conjunction with computer science degrees. Because of increasing emphasis on computer security, software engineers with advanced degrees in areas such as mathematics and systems design will be sought after by software developers, government agencies, and consulting firms.
Most employers prefer applicants who have at least a bachelor’s degree and broad knowledge of, and experience with, a variety of computer systems and technologies. Students seeking software engineering jobs enhance their employment opportunities by participating in internships or co-ops. These experiences provide students with broad knowledge and experience, making them more attractive to employers. Inexperienced college graduates may be hired by large computer and consulting firms that train new employees in intensive, company-based programs.
People interested in jobs as computer software engineers must have strong problem-solving and analytical skills. They also must be able to communicate effectively with team members, other staff, and the customers they meet. Because they often deal with a number of tasks simultaneously, they must be able to concentrate and pay close attention to detail.
To help keep up with changing technology, workers may take continuing education and professional development seminars offered by employers, software vendors, colleges and universities, private training institutions, and professional computing societies. Computer software engineers also need skills related to the industry in which they work.
Where in Northeast Ohio can I Major in Computer Science or Software Engineering?
According to The College Board, the following colleges near Northeast Ohio offer a major in Computer Engineering, Computer Software or Software Engineering:
Allegheny College, Meadville, PA
Bowling Green State University: Firelands College, Huron, OH
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
Cuyahoga Community College: Eastern Campus, Highland Hills, OH
North Central State College, Mansfield, OH
Ohio Business College: Sandusky, Sandusky, OH
Owens Community College: Toledo, Toledo, OH
Penn State Beaver, Monaca, PA
Penn State Shenango, Sharon, PA
Stark State College of Technology, North Canton, OH
University of Akron, Akron, OH
University of Toledo Toledo, OH
Wayne County Community College Detroit, MI
Youngstown State University,Youngstown, OH
In exploring these programs, it’s always a good idea to speak directly to the faculty and current or recently graduated students to fully understand:
- Whether the program has an applications or hardware emphasis,
- What the job placement rate is of the graduates
- What specials features, such as internship support, are provided by the college and what the “hallmarks” of the program are.
Academic program rankings are not easy to find, but contacting the professional development department in a trade association is usually a good way to get some unbiased opinions.
Who Employs Computer Software Engineers?
The industries that have the most openings for computer software engineers, in the applications classification, are as follows:
Computer Systems Design and Related Services
168,080 jobs
$41.40 average hourly wage
$86,110 average annual wage
Software Publishers
35,940 jobs
$42.77 average hourly wage
$88,970 average annual wage
Management of Companies and Enterprises
26,610 jobs
$40.93 average hourly wage
$85,130 average annual wage
Insurance Carriers
17,590 jobs
$37.98 average hourly wage
$79,000 average annual wage
Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
15,360 jobs
$45.27 average hourly wage
$94,160 averqage annual wage
What are the Job Expectations?
In the Computer Systems Design and Related Services Industry, workers averaged 38.3 hours per week, compared with 33.9 for all industries combined. Many workers in this industry worked more than the standard 40-hour work week—about 19 percent work 50 or more hours a week. For many professionals and technical specialists, evening or weekend work is commonly necessary to meet deadlines or solve problems. Professionals working for large establishments may have less freedom in planning their schedule than do consultants for very small firms, whose work may be more varied. Only about 7 percent of the workers in the computer systems design and related services industry work part time, compared with 15 percent of workers throughout all industries.
Most workers in the computer systems design and related services industry work in clean, quiet offices. Those in facilities management and maintenance may work in computer operations centers. Given the technology available today, however, more work can be done from remote locations using fax machines, e-mail, and especially the Internet. For example, systems analysts may work from home with their computers linked directly to computers at their employer or a client. Computer support specialists, likewise, can tap into a customer’s computer remotely in order to identify and fix problems. Even programmers and consultants, who often relocate to a customer’s place of business while working on a project, may perform work from offsite locations.
Those who work with personal computers for extended periods may experience musculoskeletal strain, eye problems, stress, or repetitive motion illnesses, such as carpal tunnel syndrome.
Further information about computer careers is available from:
http://www.bls.gov/emp/
Association for Computing Machinery, 2 Penn Plaza, Suite 701, New York, NY 10121-0701. Internet: http://www.acm.org/
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Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Ethical Standards Evolve in College Consulting
According to two recent articles in “Inside Higher Ed,” the College Consulting profession continues to be defined -- and refined -- by market responses to practices in the field.
No longer is it acceptable for members of IECA (the Independent Education Consultants Association, which is the leading professional association) to serve in dual roles as an “insider” (my word for a college admissions officer) and also as a Independent College Consultant. IECA members are practitioners who provide objective guidance in helping students find the college that fits them best.
This is good news for practitioners and clients alike. Some of us practice in regions that are not well penetrated by consultants, nor well understood by prospective clients. Our region needs trust-worthy and low-cost services to meet the needs of an under-served student population. IECA’s revised ethics code supports us in gaining trust from clients.
The articles and sources follow.
New Ethics Rules for Admissions Consultants
When news broke this spring that some college admissions counselors also were moonlighting as private admissions consultants, many college admissions experts were angry not only at the conflict of interest, but at the fact that the ethics code for private admissions consultants didn’t ban the practice.
Now it does. The Independent Educational Consultants Association has changed its ethics code to bar people who work in college admissions from also working as private college admissions consultants. This represents a major shift for the association, which until now has only required that consultants report such dual roles and pledge to avoid conflicts. Critics have charged that it is fundamentally wrong for someone who has access to inside information about admissions practices to simultaneously be advising clients on the admissions process, however much disclosure is involved.
The association has made other changes in its ethics rules as well. Gifts from colleges that have a value of more than $50 will now be banned. In addition, it will now be official association policy that Web sites and other promotional material must be designed to decrease, rather than encourage, anxiety over the admissions process. That means that boasting about admit rates of clients or scary text about the high rejection rates at many elite colleges will disqualify private counselors from group membership.
In the month since it enacted the new rules, the association has already turned away about six prospective members, saying that they don’t meet the new standards.
“We think colleges should only want to work with consultants that are above reproach,” said Mark Sklarow, executive director of the association. The idea of the tougher rules, in the wake of criticism over conflicts of interest, is to show that “we’re not doing anything unethical, immoral, underhanded. If we are not playing to parent anxieties, we can work together more effectively.”
The dual role — of college admissions counselors simultaneously working as consultants — captured attention this spring. But Sklarow said that the association went beyond that because of other problems that have been surfacing. For example, he said that the ban on gifts in excess of $50 is being adopted because of an escalation of “giving” to consultants by some admissions officers.
Many of the gifts were associated with visits to campuses arranged by admissions offices. While reimbursement for travel expenses associated with those visits will still be permitted, gifts that are added on will not. For example, Sklarow said that admissions consultants reported being offered tickets to National Football League games by one college, or offered professional massages while visiting another college. (He declined to identify the colleges, and said that the massages were literally just that, and were not a euphemism for other services.)
While Sklarow said he wasn’t bothered by colleges giving admissions consultants a T-shirt or hat, or paying for educational visits, the trend has been “from being about educational expenses to gratuitous giving.” The ban on giving goes both ways — so admissions offices that have been receiving swag from consultants may need to expect more modest fruit baskets this Christmas.
The other new ethics requirement — that counselors have a responsibility to reduce student and parent anxiety — is more subjective than the measures about conflict of interest. But Sklarow said it may be particularly important. Some private admissions consultants — including some of the most prominent — regularly give talks or have material on their Web sites that play off of the frenzy that some parents feel about the college admissions process. Sklarow said that eventually, the association will review all materials used by all members — and that for now, it will review any materials from those seeking membership — and will use this to block such material.
“If we look at a Web site or materials that emphasize getting in as opposed to a good match, that is immediate grounds” for rejection, Sklarow said. Already, he added, a number of members have changed their Web sites. Sklarow stressed that he doesn’t view removal of such materials as hurting anyone. Many critics have noted that the highest end consultants tend to specialize in exceptionally talented, well educated clients — those who would have gotten in anyway in many cases, so having a high admit rate may not say much.
“I’d rather know how many of you have kids you have worked with who are happy and thriving,” Sklarow said.
Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers, has been a leading critic on conflict of interest in admissions, and he applauded the tougher stance being taken by the private counselors. He said it was “astonishing” that some of these rules haven’t been in place previously, but that he found the new rules “quite positive” and “necessary ingredients for ethical behavior.”
Nassirian said that the rules on minimizing family anxiety may be among the most significant changes. Far too many counselors, he said, have built their businesses on “ominous information” and “cynical capitalizing on the fears and lack of information of families.”
At the same time, Nassirian said that he has concerns about the private counseling industry, even as practiced by “the most ethical” of its members, under these new guidelines. “This is something that is done for a fee, and inherently the ‘haves’ benefit,” he said. When the college admissions process for wealthier students is eased and enhanced by private counselors — while others don’t have access — “is this equitable?” he asked.
— Scott Jaschik
The original story and user comments can be viewed online at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/29/ethics.
Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2008/07/29/ethics
Admissions Official and Consultant — at the Same Time
Some in college admissions worry about a “revolving door” ethics problem in which officials of top colleges leave their positions to set up or join companies that advise students and families on how to get into college.
At the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a senior admissions official didn’t quit; she set up a consulting business for applicants while working in admissions at Penn. Judith S. Hodara even noted her Wharton job title (senior associate director of admissions for the M.B.A. program) on the Web site of her company, IvyStone Educational Consultants.
On Thursday, shortly after receiving a voicemail and e-mail from a reporter about her consulting job, Hodara took down her company’s Web site. Later Thursday, Penn released a statement: “This matter came to our attention yesterday and we have since reviewed the situation. In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict of interest, Ms. Hodara has resigned from all outside consulting activities.”
Asked if Penn considered the arrangement appropriate, a university spokeswoman said via e-mail: “Penn does not consider this type of situation to be appropriate, which is why it has been ended.”
Penn officials and Hodara did not respond to questions about whether IvyStone clients ever applied to Penn.
For Hodara, this is the second gig outside of Penn she gave up this week. After Inside Higher Ed reported that she had been serving on an advisory board for a company in Japan that is paid by clients to help them win admission into top M.B.A. programs in the United States, she resigned from that position. In a statement, she said: “Since accepting this position, I’ve done no work with the company, I have attended no meetings, and I have received no compensation. To avoid the appearance of any possible conflict of interest I’ve resigned from the committee effective immediately.”
Earlier, she had defended her role on the company as ethical because she was not involved in counseling clients, only providing advice to company employees who did so.
IvyStone, however, offered services that were direct consulting. While Hodara took down the company’s Web site, archived versions of it are available online through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine and show that the company offered counseling on a per-visit arrangement up through a three-year package, that counseling covered developing a list of colleges, planning for campus visits, simulated admissions interviews, and help to “present the ‘best you’ there is.” Material on the company’s Web site as of Thursday morning noted that Hodara had previously worked in undergraduate admissions at Penn.
“I have first-hand admissions experience as Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania where I read and counseled more than 10,000 applicants, both from the U.S. and abroad. I am currently a Senior Associate Director of Admissions at the Wharton School M.B.A. Program, and I also maintain a strong pulse on the undergraduate process,” said Hodara in a Q&A posted on the company’s Web site.
Lloyd Thacker, founder of the Education Conservancy, a group committed to reforming college admissions, said he was shocked to hear that an admissions officer had a consulting business for applicants on the side. “I would hope anybody in the profession would say that this is unethical, wrong and should not happen,” he said.
There is no evidence that Hodara in any way hid her outside activities. In a biography for a podcast, she noted both her Wharton job and her business.
Thacker said that the situation leaves him with many questions: “Why didn’t the college know about her doing business on the side. If people did know, why didn’t the college do something about it?”
— Scott Jaschik
The original story and user comments can be viewed online at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/02/01/wharton.
Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2008/02/01/wharton
No longer is it acceptable for members of IECA (the Independent Education Consultants Association, which is the leading professional association) to serve in dual roles as an “insider” (my word for a college admissions officer) and also as a Independent College Consultant. IECA members are practitioners who provide objective guidance in helping students find the college that fits them best.
This is good news for practitioners and clients alike. Some of us practice in regions that are not well penetrated by consultants, nor well understood by prospective clients. Our region needs trust-worthy and low-cost services to meet the needs of an under-served student population. IECA’s revised ethics code supports us in gaining trust from clients.
The articles and sources follow.
New Ethics Rules for Admissions Consultants
When news broke this spring that some college admissions counselors also were moonlighting as private admissions consultants, many college admissions experts were angry not only at the conflict of interest, but at the fact that the ethics code for private admissions consultants didn’t ban the practice.
Now it does. The Independent Educational Consultants Association has changed its ethics code to bar people who work in college admissions from also working as private college admissions consultants. This represents a major shift for the association, which until now has only required that consultants report such dual roles and pledge to avoid conflicts. Critics have charged that it is fundamentally wrong for someone who has access to inside information about admissions practices to simultaneously be advising clients on the admissions process, however much disclosure is involved.
The association has made other changes in its ethics rules as well. Gifts from colleges that have a value of more than $50 will now be banned. In addition, it will now be official association policy that Web sites and other promotional material must be designed to decrease, rather than encourage, anxiety over the admissions process. That means that boasting about admit rates of clients or scary text about the high rejection rates at many elite colleges will disqualify private counselors from group membership.
In the month since it enacted the new rules, the association has already turned away about six prospective members, saying that they don’t meet the new standards.
“We think colleges should only want to work with consultants that are above reproach,” said Mark Sklarow, executive director of the association. The idea of the tougher rules, in the wake of criticism over conflicts of interest, is to show that “we’re not doing anything unethical, immoral, underhanded. If we are not playing to parent anxieties, we can work together more effectively.”
The dual role — of college admissions counselors simultaneously working as consultants — captured attention this spring. But Sklarow said that the association went beyond that because of other problems that have been surfacing. For example, he said that the ban on gifts in excess of $50 is being adopted because of an escalation of “giving” to consultants by some admissions officers.
Many of the gifts were associated with visits to campuses arranged by admissions offices. While reimbursement for travel expenses associated with those visits will still be permitted, gifts that are added on will not. For example, Sklarow said that admissions consultants reported being offered tickets to National Football League games by one college, or offered professional massages while visiting another college. (He declined to identify the colleges, and said that the massages were literally just that, and were not a euphemism for other services.)
While Sklarow said he wasn’t bothered by colleges giving admissions consultants a T-shirt or hat, or paying for educational visits, the trend has been “from being about educational expenses to gratuitous giving.” The ban on giving goes both ways — so admissions offices that have been receiving swag from consultants may need to expect more modest fruit baskets this Christmas.
The other new ethics requirement — that counselors have a responsibility to reduce student and parent anxiety — is more subjective than the measures about conflict of interest. But Sklarow said it may be particularly important. Some private admissions consultants — including some of the most prominent — regularly give talks or have material on their Web sites that play off of the frenzy that some parents feel about the college admissions process. Sklarow said that eventually, the association will review all materials used by all members — and that for now, it will review any materials from those seeking membership — and will use this to block such material.
“If we look at a Web site or materials that emphasize getting in as opposed to a good match, that is immediate grounds” for rejection, Sklarow said. Already, he added, a number of members have changed their Web sites. Sklarow stressed that he doesn’t view removal of such materials as hurting anyone. Many critics have noted that the highest end consultants tend to specialize in exceptionally talented, well educated clients — those who would have gotten in anyway in many cases, so having a high admit rate may not say much.
“I’d rather know how many of you have kids you have worked with who are happy and thriving,” Sklarow said.
Barmak Nassirian, associate executive director of the American Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admission Officers, has been a leading critic on conflict of interest in admissions, and he applauded the tougher stance being taken by the private counselors. He said it was “astonishing” that some of these rules haven’t been in place previously, but that he found the new rules “quite positive” and “necessary ingredients for ethical behavior.”
Nassirian said that the rules on minimizing family anxiety may be among the most significant changes. Far too many counselors, he said, have built their businesses on “ominous information” and “cynical capitalizing on the fears and lack of information of families.”
At the same time, Nassirian said that he has concerns about the private counseling industry, even as practiced by “the most ethical” of its members, under these new guidelines. “This is something that is done for a fee, and inherently the ‘haves’ benefit,” he said. When the college admissions process for wealthier students is eased and enhanced by private counselors — while others don’t have access — “is this equitable?” he asked.
— Scott Jaschik
The original story and user comments can be viewed online at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/07/29/ethics.
Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2008/07/29/ethics
Admissions Official and Consultant — at the Same Time
Some in college admissions worry about a “revolving door” ethics problem in which officials of top colleges leave their positions to set up or join companies that advise students and families on how to get into college.
At the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, a senior admissions official didn’t quit; she set up a consulting business for applicants while working in admissions at Penn. Judith S. Hodara even noted her Wharton job title (senior associate director of admissions for the M.B.A. program) on the Web site of her company, IvyStone Educational Consultants.
On Thursday, shortly after receiving a voicemail and e-mail from a reporter about her consulting job, Hodara took down her company’s Web site. Later Thursday, Penn released a statement: “This matter came to our attention yesterday and we have since reviewed the situation. In order to avoid even an appearance of conflict of interest, Ms. Hodara has resigned from all outside consulting activities.”
Asked if Penn considered the arrangement appropriate, a university spokeswoman said via e-mail: “Penn does not consider this type of situation to be appropriate, which is why it has been ended.”
Penn officials and Hodara did not respond to questions about whether IvyStone clients ever applied to Penn.
For Hodara, this is the second gig outside of Penn she gave up this week. After Inside Higher Ed reported that she had been serving on an advisory board for a company in Japan that is paid by clients to help them win admission into top M.B.A. programs in the United States, she resigned from that position. In a statement, she said: “Since accepting this position, I’ve done no work with the company, I have attended no meetings, and I have received no compensation. To avoid the appearance of any possible conflict of interest I’ve resigned from the committee effective immediately.”
Earlier, she had defended her role on the company as ethical because she was not involved in counseling clients, only providing advice to company employees who did so.
IvyStone, however, offered services that were direct consulting. While Hodara took down the company’s Web site, archived versions of it are available online through the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine and show that the company offered counseling on a per-visit arrangement up through a three-year package, that counseling covered developing a list of colleges, planning for campus visits, simulated admissions interviews, and help to “present the ‘best you’ there is.” Material on the company’s Web site as of Thursday morning noted that Hodara had previously worked in undergraduate admissions at Penn.
“I have first-hand admissions experience as Associate Director of Admissions at the University of Pennsylvania where I read and counseled more than 10,000 applicants, both from the U.S. and abroad. I am currently a Senior Associate Director of Admissions at the Wharton School M.B.A. Program, and I also maintain a strong pulse on the undergraduate process,” said Hodara in a Q&A posted on the company’s Web site.
Lloyd Thacker, founder of the Education Conservancy, a group committed to reforming college admissions, said he was shocked to hear that an admissions officer had a consulting business for applicants on the side. “I would hope anybody in the profession would say that this is unethical, wrong and should not happen,” he said.
There is no evidence that Hodara in any way hid her outside activities. In a biography for a podcast, she noted both her Wharton job and her business.
Thacker said that the situation leaves him with many questions: “Why didn’t the college know about her doing business on the side. If people did know, why didn’t the college do something about it?”
— Scott Jaschik
The original story and user comments can be viewed online at http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2008/02/01/wharton.
Source: http://www.insidehighered.com/layout/set/print/news/2008/02/01/wharton
Sunday, November 26, 2006
Is "Student Quality" the Only Determinant of "College Quality?"
Is "Student Quality" the Only Determinant of the Quality of a College Education?
In Atlantic Monthly's November 2005 issue, Richard H. Hersh, former president of Trinity College and author of "Declining by Degrees" points to research showing "that simply going to college, any college, makes a major difference in a young person's psychological development: students come away with improved cognitive skills, greater verbal and quantitative competence, and different political, social, and religious attitudes and values. But although the researchers found wide variations in learning within each college or university, they were unable to uncover significant differences between colleges once the quality of the entering students was taken into account."
For more information, read Hersh's article at: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200511/measuring-college-quality.
Richard H. Hersh is a former president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Trinity College; a co-director of the Collegiate Learning Assessment Project; and co-editor of Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk.
In Atlantic Monthly's November 2005 issue, Richard H. Hersh, former president of Trinity College and author of "Declining by Degrees" points to research showing "that simply going to college, any college, makes a major difference in a young person's psychological development: students come away with improved cognitive skills, greater verbal and quantitative competence, and different political, social, and religious attitudes and values. But although the researchers found wide variations in learning within each college or university, they were unable to uncover significant differences between colleges once the quality of the entering students was taken into account."
For more information, read Hersh's article at: http://www.theatlantic.com/doc/200511/measuring-college-quality.
Richard H. Hersh is a former president of Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Trinity College; a co-director of the Collegiate Learning Assessment Project; and co-editor of Declining by Degrees: Higher Education at Risk.
Monday, November 20, 2006
Wednesday, November 15, 2006
Social Tone on Campus
A Mom’s Eye View of Campus Life ™
First in a Series
© What’s Your Major? SM
Liberal, Conservative or Moderate…..Oh My!
The social tone, or campus culture, is one of the most important factors that can make or break your child’s happiness at a college. It’s also one of the most difficult campus qualities to understand.
Steven W. Lawry, president of Antioch College, points out that “‘campus culture’ and ‘campus climate’ can be very difficult terms to define or phenomena to describe…they are characterized largely by a complex set of values and value judgments, they are also terms that don’t easily invite agreement….”
College is the first opportunity to get new and challenging inputs that will shape your child’s self-image and passions. But a bad reaction to campus life could show itself in your child’s detachment, boredom or feeling of isolation.
It’s important that your child “own” this aspect of college selection. Your role requires a shift from being a decision-maker to a decision-facilitator.
Diversity Rules!
Colleges strive for diversity, as one of the most important influences that shape learning. Diversity can take many forms: political, religious, social, economic or even geographic. The impact of these diversities on a student’s experience at a college is palpable, once living there. But it is difficult to anticipate from a traditional college tour. And the diversity statistics reported by a specific college often stop with the number of minority or international students enrolled.
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) defines educational enrichment, in part, as a result of the “serious conversations” students have with people who are “very different from you”, in addition to those who are of a different race or ethnicity. However, for your child to receive knowledge effectively at college, he or she must feel comfortable with the living and learning environment. An urban, northern-bred student might be miserable at a southern, rural campus. Success depends on “what” the current climate on campus actually is, how pervasive it is in the classroom and in student housing, and how your child responds. You can make your child aware of the benefits of diversity and encourage openness.
It’s Isn’t Easy Being….Liberal
Academia is all about foraging new ideas, so you might assume that most colleges offer a liberal living and learning environment. There are no published statistics about whether a college is liberal, conservative or moderate. You have to assess this intuitively, and judge whether your child will fit in.
At top liberal schools, The Princeton Review says that "a bohemian ideal is enforced” and the environment is "Utopian-liberal", giving a parent a pretty clear idea of what lifestyle is expected. "Hippies, hipsters, and geek chic" are common sights on the Bard College campus, the most liberal campus, according to U.S. News and World Report. However, students say that the reality is that "most people here are friendly, social, and pretty normal." On the other hand, "If you're uncreative or conservative you probably wouldn't fit in."
The Princeton Review provides rankings of 361 colleges, based on such touchy-feely aspects of campus life as political persuasion, marijuana and drug use, the prevalence of religion, the popularity of student government, and the students’ level of acceptance of the gay community on campus. Of Warren Wilson College, The Review says: "(It’s) mildly famous" for their "extreme liberalism…a haven for hippies and very left-wing people. (Students are) identifiable by their dread locks, Phish t-shirts, [and] political buttons, (and they) "like good organic wholesome food" and "hand-rolled cigarettes" and typically know "some botanical-ornithological basics." Students say that: “Wilson is known as a hippie college, but there is a startling diversity of other kinds of alterna-creatures here.”
So It’s Cool to Be Conservative?
Conservatism reaches the classroom, according to Young American’s Foundation top Ten Conservative College’s list. A stated mission and programs that emphasize can identify a conservative college:
· Principles of smaller government
· Strong national defense
· Free enterprise
· Traditional values
Furthermore, according to YAF, conservative studies center on Western Civilization “instead of straying toward the study of Marxism, feminism, sexuality, postmodernism, and other modern distractions…”.
Hillsdale College, the “most conservative” on The Princeton Review’s list supports: ‘limited government,’ its role as ‘a defender of free markets and conservative values,’ and its emphasis on learning from ‘original texts’, (which) is appreciated by its largely ‘conservative, white, (and) Christian’ students...”. Students agree that “‘typical students are smart and religious’ at Hillsdale; they ‘go to church every Sunday and (their) religious beliefs come out in (how they speak and act)’.”
At other top conservative colleges, the Princeton Review says:
· “Students here ‘do not accept anything other than 100 percent manners, 100 percent class, 100 percent preppy, and 100 percent conservative all the time.’".
· “…(there is) a campus environment "full of Christians that get along great with each other, but have a hard time knowing how to treat anyone that isn't exactly like them."
Two-thirds (63%) of the students surveyed in the 2004-05 Post-Secondary Planning survey from the National Research Center for College & University Relations (NRCCUR) prefer a “moderate social environment” on campus, 12% prefer a conservative environment and 25% prefer a liberal environment. Furthermore, more than 40% of the students prefer a denominational church-related college, and Catholic or Baptist schools are most favored.
That said, the larger the campus, the more likely it is that extreme liberalism or conservatism will not dominate the environment. On the other hand, minority groups can cling together at larger schools, making it harder to experience diversity, unless diversity is “institutionalized” – made a priority -- in the classroom and student housing environments.
Collaborative Versus Intense Learning Environments
Bottom line, a supportive academic and social environment is the single best indicator of student satisfaction, according to the NSSE. In fact, when NSSE results are statistically compared with US News and World Report college rankings, a “supportive campus environment” is best correlated best with colleges that retain second-year students and have the highest graduation rates. You should compare the retention and graduation rates for the colleges on your final list by looking them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine.
Collaborative learning, by definition, puts the professor and the student on the same side. Learning is a result of the social experience working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product. College advisor Loren Pope, author of “Colleges That Change Lives,” says that collaborative/supportive environments encourage campus living and learning between students, and with faculty, where students “explore their interests, goals, spirituality, and values in myriad ways.”
Brown University positions itself as the best of all possible colleges experiences, with a “collaborative university-college model”; one “in which faculty are as committed to teaching as they are to research, embracing a curriculum that requires students to be architects of their education.” An example of collaborative learning-in-practice are “interdisciplinary courses”, available on many campuses, which enable students to enter and leave with very different technical skills, but learn to master the skill of collaboration. These courses require the collaboration of teachers from different departments. An indication of a college’s level of commitment to collaborative learning is the number of interdisciplinary courses they offer.
On a recent tour of the College of William & Mary, a tour guide explained that learning there is completely collaborative. According to the guide, a student experiences this right in the classroom, where the “tone” of instruction is encouraging, not competitive.
The Hierarchy of Needs at Competitive Colleges: Food, Clothing, Shelter….and Studying?
If your child wants to be in a highly selective academic environment, but would thrive best in a collaborative learning environment, you should insist on specific examples of the school’s philosophy in practice. Make sure that that philosophy is not just randomly realized. It should truly impact all students.
To contrast with collaborative learning, the “Students Guide to Colleges” uses the term “intellectual fervor” to rate how much students from selected colleges talk about academics: “All the time, sometimes, or hardly ever.” An obsession with learning can be a positive or negative experience for your child. It is not an attribute of campus life that a college is likely to advertise.
A student describes an intense learning environment as “a culture of doing things the hard way…(with) competitions of how many hours you spend studying before you sleep/take a shower.” Likewise, you can get a sampling of opinions about the intensity of academic competition on campus by asking randomly selected students.
A recent graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), recently attended summer course at Columbia’s film program, putting him in the position to compare the two learning environments. He preferred the “much less intense” atmosphere at CIA, because the “intensity” of Columbia’s students limited his day-to-day experiences with fellow students and his ability to learn through others.
Georgetown University could be expected to have an intensely competitive learning environment. In their information sessions, a parent was recently told that, while it’s highly competitive to get in to Georgetown, once in, the students “pull each other through the program” and become like a family. It would be best to confirm statements like this by asking for specific examples of institutionalized collaborative/supportive programs and philosophy from “unofficial” college representatives.
Sizing Up Your College Choices
The best time to dig deep into a college’s culture is after you’ve determined that the college meets your academic and financial and practical needs, and you’ve visited once. When you’re ready to put together your final list of eight to ten colleges that meet all of your basic criteria, you need further evaluate your child’s chances for success at them:
1. Read about the college’s mission statement and strategic plan, and look at the President’s message, on the web site. Ask to see the most recent student satisfaction survey, which should be on file in the President’s office.
2. Don’t assume that a college that is affiliated with a religious institution will express that heritage in daily campus life. The influence of that institution may or may not be dominant on campus.
3. Ask the tour guide and college representatives about the social tone, campus culture (or campus climate) and to provide examples of how they experience it.
4. Visit your final choice colleges a second time, after you’ve been accepted but before you accept the financial aid offer. On this visit:
ü Pay attention to verbiage used in event posters, student newspapers, and presentations. And ask random students on campus for their opinion about the campus climate.
ü Take advantage of overnight stay programs that are commonly offered by the Admissions Department.
ü Have your child visit or call the residence halls, explaining that he/she is a prospective student and ask the same questions that you asked of the tour guides and official representatives.
5. To fully understand how diversity and collaborative learning impacts daily campus life, take the extra effort to interview faculty members (especially those in your child’s field of study). Be sure to ask for specific examples or data, about the following questions:
How does the institution encourage activities where students from different backgrounds meet and work together? Ask for examples where the activities impacted the majority of students, not just members of club or academic program.
How often do students work in teams to complete assignments, solve problems, or apply course content?
How frequently do students engage in service learning or take part in community-based projects, to fulfill class requirements?
How many students collaborate on research with faculty members?
How many interdisciplinary courses are offered? Are they open to all students?
How many students are involved with living and learning communities? How is the faculty involved with these communities?
7. Since retention and graduation rates are correlated with student satisfaction, look them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine, and compare your final choice colleges.
8. Consult student-written guides and forums about campus life, which are available for selected campuses. The most popular guides are:
“The Insider’s Guide to The Colleges,” The Yale Daily News
“Students’ Guide to Colleges”, the Penguin Group
“The Big Book of Colleges ‘07”, College Prowler
Visit online forums, where you can read comments and pose questions to experienced parents and students:
www.collegeconfidential.com
www.campusdirt.com
9. You may want to have a discussion with your child about the importance of campus diversity and culture to his or her happiness as a student. But don’t expect tremendous insight. Your child’s personality is still in a formative stage and he or she has a limited worldview.
10. Resist the urge to judge the campus morals and values, superficially. What you think is best for your child might not, in fact, be best. Listen beyond what your child says about a campus. He or she wants to please you and may be telling you what you want to hear. Look for signs of genuine enthusiasm.
First in a Series
© What’s Your Major? SM
Liberal, Conservative or Moderate…..Oh My!
The social tone, or campus culture, is one of the most important factors that can make or break your child’s happiness at a college. It’s also one of the most difficult campus qualities to understand.
Steven W. Lawry, president of Antioch College, points out that “‘campus culture’ and ‘campus climate’ can be very difficult terms to define or phenomena to describe…they are characterized largely by a complex set of values and value judgments, they are also terms that don’t easily invite agreement….”
College is the first opportunity to get new and challenging inputs that will shape your child’s self-image and passions. But a bad reaction to campus life could show itself in your child’s detachment, boredom or feeling of isolation.
It’s important that your child “own” this aspect of college selection. Your role requires a shift from being a decision-maker to a decision-facilitator.
Diversity Rules!
Colleges strive for diversity, as one of the most important influences that shape learning. Diversity can take many forms: political, religious, social, economic or even geographic. The impact of these diversities on a student’s experience at a college is palpable, once living there. But it is difficult to anticipate from a traditional college tour. And the diversity statistics reported by a specific college often stop with the number of minority or international students enrolled.
The National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) defines educational enrichment, in part, as a result of the “serious conversations” students have with people who are “very different from you”, in addition to those who are of a different race or ethnicity. However, for your child to receive knowledge effectively at college, he or she must feel comfortable with the living and learning environment. An urban, northern-bred student might be miserable at a southern, rural campus. Success depends on “what” the current climate on campus actually is, how pervasive it is in the classroom and in student housing, and how your child responds. You can make your child aware of the benefits of diversity and encourage openness.
It’s Isn’t Easy Being….Liberal
Academia is all about foraging new ideas, so you might assume that most colleges offer a liberal living and learning environment. There are no published statistics about whether a college is liberal, conservative or moderate. You have to assess this intuitively, and judge whether your child will fit in.
At top liberal schools, The Princeton Review says that "a bohemian ideal is enforced” and the environment is "Utopian-liberal", giving a parent a pretty clear idea of what lifestyle is expected. "Hippies, hipsters, and geek chic" are common sights on the Bard College campus, the most liberal campus, according to U.S. News and World Report. However, students say that the reality is that "most people here are friendly, social, and pretty normal." On the other hand, "If you're uncreative or conservative you probably wouldn't fit in."
The Princeton Review provides rankings of 361 colleges, based on such touchy-feely aspects of campus life as political persuasion, marijuana and drug use, the prevalence of religion, the popularity of student government, and the students’ level of acceptance of the gay community on campus. Of Warren Wilson College, The Review says: "(It’s) mildly famous" for their "extreme liberalism…a haven for hippies and very left-wing people. (Students are) identifiable by their dread locks, Phish t-shirts, [and] political buttons, (and they) "like good organic wholesome food" and "hand-rolled cigarettes" and typically know "some botanical-ornithological basics." Students say that: “Wilson is known as a hippie college, but there is a startling diversity of other kinds of alterna-creatures here.”
So It’s Cool to Be Conservative?
Conservatism reaches the classroom, according to Young American’s Foundation top Ten Conservative College’s list. A stated mission and programs that emphasize can identify a conservative college:
· Principles of smaller government
· Strong national defense
· Free enterprise
· Traditional values
Furthermore, according to YAF, conservative studies center on Western Civilization “instead of straying toward the study of Marxism, feminism, sexuality, postmodernism, and other modern distractions…”.
Hillsdale College, the “most conservative” on The Princeton Review’s list supports: ‘limited government,’ its role as ‘a defender of free markets and conservative values,’ and its emphasis on learning from ‘original texts’, (which) is appreciated by its largely ‘conservative, white, (and) Christian’ students...”. Students agree that “‘typical students are smart and religious’ at Hillsdale; they ‘go to church every Sunday and (their) religious beliefs come out in (how they speak and act)’.”
At other top conservative colleges, the Princeton Review says:
· “Students here ‘do not accept anything other than 100 percent manners, 100 percent class, 100 percent preppy, and 100 percent conservative all the time.’".
· “…(there is) a campus environment "full of Christians that get along great with each other, but have a hard time knowing how to treat anyone that isn't exactly like them."
Two-thirds (63%) of the students surveyed in the 2004-05 Post-Secondary Planning survey from the National Research Center for College & University Relations (NRCCUR) prefer a “moderate social environment” on campus, 12% prefer a conservative environment and 25% prefer a liberal environment. Furthermore, more than 40% of the students prefer a denominational church-related college, and Catholic or Baptist schools are most favored.
That said, the larger the campus, the more likely it is that extreme liberalism or conservatism will not dominate the environment. On the other hand, minority groups can cling together at larger schools, making it harder to experience diversity, unless diversity is “institutionalized” – made a priority -- in the classroom and student housing environments.
Collaborative Versus Intense Learning Environments
Bottom line, a supportive academic and social environment is the single best indicator of student satisfaction, according to the NSSE. In fact, when NSSE results are statistically compared with US News and World Report college rankings, a “supportive campus environment” is best correlated best with colleges that retain second-year students and have the highest graduation rates. You should compare the retention and graduation rates for the colleges on your final list by looking them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine.
Collaborative learning, by definition, puts the professor and the student on the same side. Learning is a result of the social experience working together to solve a problem, complete a task, or create a product. College advisor Loren Pope, author of “Colleges That Change Lives,” says that collaborative/supportive environments encourage campus living and learning between students, and with faculty, where students “explore their interests, goals, spirituality, and values in myriad ways.”
Brown University positions itself as the best of all possible colleges experiences, with a “collaborative university-college model”; one “in which faculty are as committed to teaching as they are to research, embracing a curriculum that requires students to be architects of their education.” An example of collaborative learning-in-practice are “interdisciplinary courses”, available on many campuses, which enable students to enter and leave with very different technical skills, but learn to master the skill of collaboration. These courses require the collaboration of teachers from different departments. An indication of a college’s level of commitment to collaborative learning is the number of interdisciplinary courses they offer.
On a recent tour of the College of William & Mary, a tour guide explained that learning there is completely collaborative. According to the guide, a student experiences this right in the classroom, where the “tone” of instruction is encouraging, not competitive.
The Hierarchy of Needs at Competitive Colleges: Food, Clothing, Shelter….and Studying?
If your child wants to be in a highly selective academic environment, but would thrive best in a collaborative learning environment, you should insist on specific examples of the school’s philosophy in practice. Make sure that that philosophy is not just randomly realized. It should truly impact all students.
To contrast with collaborative learning, the “Students Guide to Colleges” uses the term “intellectual fervor” to rate how much students from selected colleges talk about academics: “All the time, sometimes, or hardly ever.” An obsession with learning can be a positive or negative experience for your child. It is not an attribute of campus life that a college is likely to advertise.
A student describes an intense learning environment as “a culture of doing things the hard way…(with) competitions of how many hours you spend studying before you sleep/take a shower.” Likewise, you can get a sampling of opinions about the intensity of academic competition on campus by asking randomly selected students.
A recent graduate of the Cleveland Institute of Art (CIA), recently attended summer course at Columbia’s film program, putting him in the position to compare the two learning environments. He preferred the “much less intense” atmosphere at CIA, because the “intensity” of Columbia’s students limited his day-to-day experiences with fellow students and his ability to learn through others.
Georgetown University could be expected to have an intensely competitive learning environment. In their information sessions, a parent was recently told that, while it’s highly competitive to get in to Georgetown, once in, the students “pull each other through the program” and become like a family. It would be best to confirm statements like this by asking for specific examples of institutionalized collaborative/supportive programs and philosophy from “unofficial” college representatives.
Sizing Up Your College Choices
The best time to dig deep into a college’s culture is after you’ve determined that the college meets your academic and financial and practical needs, and you’ve visited once. When you’re ready to put together your final list of eight to ten colleges that meet all of your basic criteria, you need further evaluate your child’s chances for success at them:
1. Read about the college’s mission statement and strategic plan, and look at the President’s message, on the web site. Ask to see the most recent student satisfaction survey, which should be on file in the President’s office.
2. Don’t assume that a college that is affiliated with a religious institution will express that heritage in daily campus life. The influence of that institution may or may not be dominant on campus.
3. Ask the tour guide and college representatives about the social tone, campus culture (or campus climate) and to provide examples of how they experience it.
4. Visit your final choice colleges a second time, after you’ve been accepted but before you accept the financial aid offer. On this visit:
ü Pay attention to verbiage used in event posters, student newspapers, and presentations. And ask random students on campus for their opinion about the campus climate.
ü Take advantage of overnight stay programs that are commonly offered by the Admissions Department.
ü Have your child visit or call the residence halls, explaining that he/she is a prospective student and ask the same questions that you asked of the tour guides and official representatives.
5. To fully understand how diversity and collaborative learning impacts daily campus life, take the extra effort to interview faculty members (especially those in your child’s field of study). Be sure to ask for specific examples or data, about the following questions:
How does the institution encourage activities where students from different backgrounds meet and work together? Ask for examples where the activities impacted the majority of students, not just members of club or academic program.
How often do students work in teams to complete assignments, solve problems, or apply course content?
How frequently do students engage in service learning or take part in community-based projects, to fulfill class requirements?
How many students collaborate on research with faculty members?
How many interdisciplinary courses are offered? Are they open to all students?
How many students are involved with living and learning communities? How is the faculty involved with these communities?
7. Since retention and graduation rates are correlated with student satisfaction, look them up on the College Board College Matchmaker, or other, college search engine, and compare your final choice colleges.
8. Consult student-written guides and forums about campus life, which are available for selected campuses. The most popular guides are:
“The Insider’s Guide to The Colleges,” The Yale Daily News
“Students’ Guide to Colleges”, the Penguin Group
“The Big Book of Colleges ‘07”, College Prowler
Visit online forums, where you can read comments and pose questions to experienced parents and students:
www.collegeconfidential.com
www.campusdirt.com
9. You may want to have a discussion with your child about the importance of campus diversity and culture to his or her happiness as a student. But don’t expect tremendous insight. Your child’s personality is still in a formative stage and he or she has a limited worldview.
10. Resist the urge to judge the campus morals and values, superficially. What you think is best for your child might not, in fact, be best. Listen beyond what your child says about a campus. He or she wants to please you and may be telling you what you want to hear. Look for signs of genuine enthusiasm.
Monday, October 16, 2006
Thursday, October 12, 2006
SAT and ACT Concordance
According to Nancy Rawlings from ACT, who presented at the National Association for College Admissions Counseling Conference in Pittsburgh last week, ACT and The College Board will join together to conduct a concordance study to determine how the ACT Composite Exam correlates with the new SAT Total scores.
Tables on how the ACT English and Writing Tests correlate with the new SAT writing test will be available in January 2007.
Rawlings also said that 62% of colleges are not requiring writing tests, at the current time.
Tables on how the ACT English and Writing Tests correlate with the new SAT writing test will be available in January 2007.
Rawlings also said that 62% of colleges are not requiring writing tests, at the current time.
Monday, October 09, 2006
More Help Needed for the Non-College Bound
According to “The 70% Solution: Meeting the Need for High Skills” by Kenneth Hoyt, http://www.ericdigests.org/2001-3/70.htm) about 70% of high school graduates enter college each fall, but only 30% of them are predicted to eventually earn a four-year college degree. Hoyt directed the Counseling for High Skills (CHS) project at Kansas State University, which was founded in 1992 with a $3.3 million grant from the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund.
Hoyt references the 1997 Occupational Outlook Quarterly, which projected that no more than 25% of job openings between 1996 and 2006 would require a college degree or more. In fact, almost two in five job openings expected required no more than two to three weeks of on-the-job training and no specified kind or amount of formal education.
The CHS project goals were to provide training for high school counselors in order to make this shift in the needs of students. Hoyt conducted a survey of 39,940 currently enrolled students in 2,145 sub-baccalaureate career-oriented programs in 361 postsecondary institutions in 14 states.
Results show a high level of motivation to learn by these students and a high-perceived rate of success and satisfaction with employment after graduating from the program. However, friends were the most common source of information about the program that they chose to attend. Only one out of ten students said their high school counselor provided this information.
Hoyt is calling for a shift in focus among high school counselors to accommodate the needs of students who are bound for sub-baccalaureate programs. Specifically, he recommends that counselors “recognize and emphasize that the concept of ‘excellence’ is applicable to all kinds and levels of education” and that there be an emphasis on more variety of opportunities for quality postsecondary career-oriented education that are available at the sub-baccalaureate level without devaluing the social and economic benefits of four-year colleges.
Furthermore, he suggests that the nearly 300,000 four-year college graduates for each year receive preparation and placement help to secure employment in occupations not requiring a four-year college degree. This is a comprehensive and meaningful study that demonstrates unmet need in high school guidance and the negative societal impact, if the situation is left unchecked. Like Dr. Kenneth Gray’s book, “Other Ways to Win,” the much-needed change is said to begin with a change in counselor attitudes. Hoyt believes this change in attitudes will occur when counselor receive adequate information about this need.
Hoyt references the 1997 Occupational Outlook Quarterly, which projected that no more than 25% of job openings between 1996 and 2006 would require a college degree or more. In fact, almost two in five job openings expected required no more than two to three weeks of on-the-job training and no specified kind or amount of formal education.
The CHS project goals were to provide training for high school counselors in order to make this shift in the needs of students. Hoyt conducted a survey of 39,940 currently enrolled students in 2,145 sub-baccalaureate career-oriented programs in 361 postsecondary institutions in 14 states.
Results show a high level of motivation to learn by these students and a high-perceived rate of success and satisfaction with employment after graduating from the program. However, friends were the most common source of information about the program that they chose to attend. Only one out of ten students said their high school counselor provided this information.
Hoyt is calling for a shift in focus among high school counselors to accommodate the needs of students who are bound for sub-baccalaureate programs. Specifically, he recommends that counselors “recognize and emphasize that the concept of ‘excellence’ is applicable to all kinds and levels of education” and that there be an emphasis on more variety of opportunities for quality postsecondary career-oriented education that are available at the sub-baccalaureate level without devaluing the social and economic benefits of four-year colleges.
Furthermore, he suggests that the nearly 300,000 four-year college graduates for each year receive preparation and placement help to secure employment in occupations not requiring a four-year college degree. This is a comprehensive and meaningful study that demonstrates unmet need in high school guidance and the negative societal impact, if the situation is left unchecked. Like Dr. Kenneth Gray’s book, “Other Ways to Win,” the much-needed change is said to begin with a change in counselor attitudes. Hoyt believes this change in attitudes will occur when counselor receive adequate information about this need.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Do Colleges "Lie" with Statistics?
I reviewed an article by Newsweek reporter and college/career advisor Marty Nemko’s “How Some Colleges Deceive Students, Parents”, which can be found at:
http://www.martynemko.com/pub/articles/college-deception.shtm.
Dr. Nemko is the author of “The All-in-One College Guide: a more-results, less-stress guide to choosing, getting into, finding the money for, and making the most of college.” He was dubbed, “The Ralph Nader of Education” by ABC-TV and holds a PhD specializing in evaluation of education from the University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Nemko finds fault with several key statistics reported by colleges in the context of admissions recruiting. As I read the article, I changed my view on a key issue. I originally thought I was going to say that Nemko is fueling the fire of dissatisfaction. I maintain, though, that, for its flaws, we do have a college admissions process that strives to meet divergent, and admirable goals in ensuring equal access, while still maintaining a competitive environment that pushes colleges to excel; to ensure their survival and “thrival” (my word).
I had some misconceptions, though. I thought that most reported statistics in the FAQs distributed by school were consistent in their context. Additionally, I thought that most independent college guide books further ensure consistency by serving as the clearinghouse for such data.
I now realize that the FAQs certainly have the potential to be misleading and incomplete and that I need to pay better attention to any footnoting or “extra words” in the description of the statistic. Also guide books can certainly be outdated, and I don’t know how often this happens. However, on campus visits, I have been “corrected” on data reported in The Fiske Guide (or the admissions officer “spun” it another way for me, and I didn’t perceive the subtle difference). And I have read that sometimes colleges “miss” the opportunity to provide all the leading guides with all the updated needed in time for publication. (Would Dr. Nemko suggest this is intentional in a “down” year?)
Either way, bottom line, it’s a good idea to check the most critical facts, when using these data for final college selection, especially if they are important criteria in the decision.
Mr. Nemko dives deeper yet by accusing some colleges of actually “hiding” (read: misrepresenting) their total cost of attendance and graduation rates, since the average four-year graduation rate is lower than many students expect. (He quotes the four-year graduation rate at 37% at the time of his writing. Note the article is not dated.) It’s true that a fifth or sixth year can be a highly significant additional and unplanned cost, but this is largely within the control of the student. So I think Nemko’s furor is only partially justified on this point.
There are several other issues that Dr. Nemko has with reported statistics. However, for most of them, I feel he has failed to show intent to “lie with statistics”, as he puts it, since he has not shown examples where disclosures aren’t published along with the statistic. Naturally colleges are looking to present themselves in the best light, so the buyer must beware. However, when I go on campus visits, I think it’s amusing that statistics are quoted…or asked about….as if they mean anything to the individual student’s choice to attend. A statistic is only a directional indicator and, as an advisor, I am looking for all important indicators to be positive, when making a recommendation.
However, what’s important is different to different clients. The most important data points in the final analysis are invariably qualitative. I have never heard of a situation where a data point variance against another college has swayed a decision to attend or not to attend a specific school. So do colleges “lie with statistics”? I think they might “massage” the data to a most favorable point. But if we conclude that they “lie”, I say, so what?!
I do like Dr. Nemko’s suggestion to check on the diversity of a campus (assuming it’s important to some students) not by statistics, but by what kind of diversity classes are offered and what resources are available. And I like Dr. Nemko’s warning on guaranteed multi-year financial aid packages, i.e., to check if they will be adjusted for inflation or if the composition of the package will shift toward a higher percentage of loan versus grant over time. However, I have yet to meet a financial aid officer who has any authority to speculate or promise on these matters. So I highly doubt if a written commitment can be attained, as Dr. Nemko advises.
http://www.martynemko.com/pub/articles/college-deception.shtm.
Dr. Nemko is the author of “The All-in-One College Guide: a more-results, less-stress guide to choosing, getting into, finding the money for, and making the most of college.” He was dubbed, “The Ralph Nader of Education” by ABC-TV and holds a PhD specializing in evaluation of education from the University of California, Berkeley.
Dr. Nemko finds fault with several key statistics reported by colleges in the context of admissions recruiting. As I read the article, I changed my view on a key issue. I originally thought I was going to say that Nemko is fueling the fire of dissatisfaction. I maintain, though, that, for its flaws, we do have a college admissions process that strives to meet divergent, and admirable goals in ensuring equal access, while still maintaining a competitive environment that pushes colleges to excel; to ensure their survival and “thrival” (my word).
I had some misconceptions, though. I thought that most reported statistics in the FAQs distributed by school were consistent in their context. Additionally, I thought that most independent college guide books further ensure consistency by serving as the clearinghouse for such data.
I now realize that the FAQs certainly have the potential to be misleading and incomplete and that I need to pay better attention to any footnoting or “extra words” in the description of the statistic. Also guide books can certainly be outdated, and I don’t know how often this happens. However, on campus visits, I have been “corrected” on data reported in The Fiske Guide (or the admissions officer “spun” it another way for me, and I didn’t perceive the subtle difference). And I have read that sometimes colleges “miss” the opportunity to provide all the leading guides with all the updated needed in time for publication. (Would Dr. Nemko suggest this is intentional in a “down” year?)
Either way, bottom line, it’s a good idea to check the most critical facts, when using these data for final college selection, especially if they are important criteria in the decision.
Mr. Nemko dives deeper yet by accusing some colleges of actually “hiding” (read: misrepresenting) their total cost of attendance and graduation rates, since the average four-year graduation rate is lower than many students expect. (He quotes the four-year graduation rate at 37% at the time of his writing. Note the article is not dated.) It’s true that a fifth or sixth year can be a highly significant additional and unplanned cost, but this is largely within the control of the student. So I think Nemko’s furor is only partially justified on this point.
There are several other issues that Dr. Nemko has with reported statistics. However, for most of them, I feel he has failed to show intent to “lie with statistics”, as he puts it, since he has not shown examples where disclosures aren’t published along with the statistic. Naturally colleges are looking to present themselves in the best light, so the buyer must beware. However, when I go on campus visits, I think it’s amusing that statistics are quoted…or asked about….as if they mean anything to the individual student’s choice to attend. A statistic is only a directional indicator and, as an advisor, I am looking for all important indicators to be positive, when making a recommendation.
However, what’s important is different to different clients. The most important data points in the final analysis are invariably qualitative. I have never heard of a situation where a data point variance against another college has swayed a decision to attend or not to attend a specific school. So do colleges “lie with statistics”? I think they might “massage” the data to a most favorable point. But if we conclude that they “lie”, I say, so what?!
I do like Dr. Nemko’s suggestion to check on the diversity of a campus (assuming it’s important to some students) not by statistics, but by what kind of diversity classes are offered and what resources are available. And I like Dr. Nemko’s warning on guaranteed multi-year financial aid packages, i.e., to check if they will be adjusted for inflation or if the composition of the package will shift toward a higher percentage of loan versus grant over time. However, I have yet to meet a financial aid officer who has any authority to speculate or promise on these matters. So I highly doubt if a written commitment can be attained, as Dr. Nemko advises.
Saturday, October 07, 2006
Holland's Theory
Holland’s Theory
About five years ago, I discovered John Holland’s work in correlating personality types with occupational classifications while researching Multiple Intelligences Theory, in work as a children’s educational publisher and marketing director.
An unexpected result of this research was that Holland’s work validated my desire to make a career change. I had been having an increasing sense of dissatisfaction with my job over ten years’ time, despite a track record of success, in a creative environment that offered challenging peers and assignments.
Over time, in my work, I had had an increasingly gnawing sense of not doing anything important, although my awards and appointments suggested otherwise. After researching standards for career education for work, witnessing my high school children’s struggles with career awareness, and acknowledging that my own career had evolved more through luck than through planning or preferences, my curiosity about Holland’s Theory was peaked. I took the Self-Directed Interest Survey.
At first, I was troubled and confused by the results, which indicated an overlap between the Enterprising and Social categories, since I actually thought of myself as Artistic. (This week’s readings clarify, however, that two or more categories are quire common.) As a marketer, the Enterprising label made sense but the Social category took me by surprise.
Although I had started my undergraduate studies in secondary education, I had never completed my certification, thinking the job was wrong for me, being a twenty-one-year old college graduate, and having been intimidated by my student teaching experience: supervising eighteen-year-old boys in remedial reading.
Since 1978, then, I had not envisioned myself in a helping profession. I felt that I was on an irrevocable career track, which was my destiny. It was 1998 now, and I found that I had force-fit myself into a profession that, while “creative” (and satisfying my Artistic self-concept), defined success by profits, rather than by bringing “good work to the world“ (which is how I thought of the helping professions and what I increasingly wanted, as I was affected by corporate management decisions being made that seemed incongruous).
I had justified my occupation to myself until this time, because I believed (from parental influence) that being “responsible” meant “making the best financial situation for my family.” My efforts to create “good work” were transferred to a corporate environment, which paid very well and satisfied me for awhile, since I worked in the “social expressions” (greeting card) industry and then in the children’s education business. I felt that the product itself brought a better quality of life to the world.
Inwardly, however, my self-concept was not fully realized through my work, because I always felt that working in a corporate environment, supervising the creators of these wonderful products, was a step away from the personal satisfaction for which I was looking.
When I started to reexamine the career fields identified under the “Social” category, I recalled how much I enjoyed my Psychology classes in college. It had never occurred to me to modify my undergraduate path in education. I had not had the benefit of a career counselor or advisor to guide me, when I had the bad experience in student teaching, and needed to plan for the future. Also, intellectually, my parents had me playing second fiddle to my math-inclined older brother. Lacking confidence in my teaching ability, I backed away from getting the certification and completed college with a “Bachelor of Arts” in Speech and Theatre Arts, which was the only degree I could have completed by my desired graduation date. I never considered taking a different direction, (for example, staying in school a little longer to complete a Psychology degree).
In 2001, however, I decided to make the change that I knew by now was right for me. I was able to envision a fork in the road in my work as an educational publisher, and I developed a workbook for families called “What’s Your Major?” I presented the work to the local community college and was hired to teach some classes, based on my book. The experience was so rewarding that I decided to become an independent educational consultant, which will satisfy my self-concept as a Social personality.
About five years ago, I discovered John Holland’s work in correlating personality types with occupational classifications while researching Multiple Intelligences Theory, in work as a children’s educational publisher and marketing director.
An unexpected result of this research was that Holland’s work validated my desire to make a career change. I had been having an increasing sense of dissatisfaction with my job over ten years’ time, despite a track record of success, in a creative environment that offered challenging peers and assignments.
Over time, in my work, I had had an increasingly gnawing sense of not doing anything important, although my awards and appointments suggested otherwise. After researching standards for career education for work, witnessing my high school children’s struggles with career awareness, and acknowledging that my own career had evolved more through luck than through planning or preferences, my curiosity about Holland’s Theory was peaked. I took the Self-Directed Interest Survey.
At first, I was troubled and confused by the results, which indicated an overlap between the Enterprising and Social categories, since I actually thought of myself as Artistic. (This week’s readings clarify, however, that two or more categories are quire common.) As a marketer, the Enterprising label made sense but the Social category took me by surprise.
Although I had started my undergraduate studies in secondary education, I had never completed my certification, thinking the job was wrong for me, being a twenty-one-year old college graduate, and having been intimidated by my student teaching experience: supervising eighteen-year-old boys in remedial reading.
Since 1978, then, I had not envisioned myself in a helping profession. I felt that I was on an irrevocable career track, which was my destiny. It was 1998 now, and I found that I had force-fit myself into a profession that, while “creative” (and satisfying my Artistic self-concept), defined success by profits, rather than by bringing “good work to the world“ (which is how I thought of the helping professions and what I increasingly wanted, as I was affected by corporate management decisions being made that seemed incongruous).
I had justified my occupation to myself until this time, because I believed (from parental influence) that being “responsible” meant “making the best financial situation for my family.” My efforts to create “good work” were transferred to a corporate environment, which paid very well and satisfied me for awhile, since I worked in the “social expressions” (greeting card) industry and then in the children’s education business. I felt that the product itself brought a better quality of life to the world.
Inwardly, however, my self-concept was not fully realized through my work, because I always felt that working in a corporate environment, supervising the creators of these wonderful products, was a step away from the personal satisfaction for which I was looking.
When I started to reexamine the career fields identified under the “Social” category, I recalled how much I enjoyed my Psychology classes in college. It had never occurred to me to modify my undergraduate path in education. I had not had the benefit of a career counselor or advisor to guide me, when I had the bad experience in student teaching, and needed to plan for the future. Also, intellectually, my parents had me playing second fiddle to my math-inclined older brother. Lacking confidence in my teaching ability, I backed away from getting the certification and completed college with a “Bachelor of Arts” in Speech and Theatre Arts, which was the only degree I could have completed by my desired graduation date. I never considered taking a different direction, (for example, staying in school a little longer to complete a Psychology degree).
In 2001, however, I decided to make the change that I knew by now was right for me. I was able to envision a fork in the road in my work as an educational publisher, and I developed a workbook for families called “What’s Your Major?” I presented the work to the local community college and was hired to teach some classes, based on my book. The experience was so rewarding that I decided to become an independent educational consultant, which will satisfy my self-concept as a Social personality.
Friday, October 06, 2006
Work Importance Locator
The Work Importance Locator
ONET’s Work Importance Locator is a self-administered a card sorting device that uses a ranking and weighing process to analyze an individual’s needs from among six categories: Achievement, Independence, Recognition, Relationships, Support and Working Conditions. Further, the instrument facilitates the exploration of specific job that are organized in “zones” (categories), according to the level of preparation (experience, education and training) required.
My WIL results were consistent with my values, and also consistent with the Super Value Scale on some dimensions. In WIL, I received equal top scores (28 each) for “Independence” and “Relationships.” My next most important value was (at 22) Support.
In Super’s Value Scale, my top score was for Variety (91%) but independence, mental challenge and creativity were also high (86%). (In retrospect, those results suggest to me that I have high expectations for my job, and need to get a lot out of it.)
I administered the WIL to Chris, a college senior. He completed the sort without asking questions, after initial instructions were given. He scored high on Achievement (30) and Independence (28). Chris believes that he is an “outlier” in many facets of life, and that his WIL results are probably not typical. As a college senior, he initially felt that this test was too late in his education to be helpful, but I explained that he might make several job changes over his career life. Chris felt that the job choices were a broad sampling with a variety of skills represented, which gave a lot of data to consider. However, he thought some job titles were over-specified (i.e., “string musical instrument repair”), when a less broad description should also be relevant to the job zone.
Chris also argued that the value of “never being pressured to do something that things that go against my sense of right and wrong” (which he had rated a 4) was a measure of “Independence”, rather than “Relationships.” He also rated “being busy all the time” as low (1), explaining that he would not suffer if he didn’t have enough to do, because he has an active mind.
From this experience, I think the WIL is highly useful, and I attribute its effectiveness to the card sorting design. It encourages the client to make a complete map of what’s important to him, and to commit to the whole map in one conclusive step. Since the respondent can revisit the indicators as many times as he likes, I think the results should be more conclusive (compared with Super’s online Value Scale, where the client can not change answers or see ahead or behind into the (often repetitive) questions, which tend to be repetitive. The minor wording changes, without the benefit of being able to change answers, could cause a client to become unsettled and to reconsider previous answers). There is not chance of that in the WIL, which is why I prefer it to the Super Value Scale, although if we had tested both either on paper, or online, my conclusion might be different.
Based on my scores, I could see that the WIL does not capture “artistic” or “creative” job goals, and rather labels them “try out my own ideas”, which is not the same thing, in my opinion. I cannot explain why the Super Value Scale did not reflect my high priority for work relationships, like the WIL did. Thus, my only discomfort with the WIL is the limited number of variables, which are not verified through repetition, as with Super. However, my concern is somewhat offset by the tool’s “total picture” approach, giving the opportunity for complete consideration before scoring.
ONET’s Work Importance Locator is a self-administered a card sorting device that uses a ranking and weighing process to analyze an individual’s needs from among six categories: Achievement, Independence, Recognition, Relationships, Support and Working Conditions. Further, the instrument facilitates the exploration of specific job that are organized in “zones” (categories), according to the level of preparation (experience, education and training) required.
My WIL results were consistent with my values, and also consistent with the Super Value Scale on some dimensions. In WIL, I received equal top scores (28 each) for “Independence” and “Relationships.” My next most important value was (at 22) Support.
In Super’s Value Scale, my top score was for Variety (91%) but independence, mental challenge and creativity were also high (86%). (In retrospect, those results suggest to me that I have high expectations for my job, and need to get a lot out of it.)
I administered the WIL to Chris, a college senior. He completed the sort without asking questions, after initial instructions were given. He scored high on Achievement (30) and Independence (28). Chris believes that he is an “outlier” in many facets of life, and that his WIL results are probably not typical. As a college senior, he initially felt that this test was too late in his education to be helpful, but I explained that he might make several job changes over his career life. Chris felt that the job choices were a broad sampling with a variety of skills represented, which gave a lot of data to consider. However, he thought some job titles were over-specified (i.e., “string musical instrument repair”), when a less broad description should also be relevant to the job zone.
Chris also argued that the value of “never being pressured to do something that things that go against my sense of right and wrong” (which he had rated a 4) was a measure of “Independence”, rather than “Relationships.” He also rated “being busy all the time” as low (1), explaining that he would not suffer if he didn’t have enough to do, because he has an active mind.
From this experience, I think the WIL is highly useful, and I attribute its effectiveness to the card sorting design. It encourages the client to make a complete map of what’s important to him, and to commit to the whole map in one conclusive step. Since the respondent can revisit the indicators as many times as he likes, I think the results should be more conclusive (compared with Super’s online Value Scale, where the client can not change answers or see ahead or behind into the (often repetitive) questions, which tend to be repetitive. The minor wording changes, without the benefit of being able to change answers, could cause a client to become unsettled and to reconsider previous answers). There is not chance of that in the WIL, which is why I prefer it to the Super Value Scale, although if we had tested both either on paper, or online, my conclusion might be different.
Based on my scores, I could see that the WIL does not capture “artistic” or “creative” job goals, and rather labels them “try out my own ideas”, which is not the same thing, in my opinion. I cannot explain why the Super Value Scale did not reflect my high priority for work relationships, like the WIL did. Thus, my only discomfort with the WIL is the limited number of variables, which are not verified through repetition, as with Super. However, my concern is somewhat offset by the tool’s “total picture” approach, giving the opportunity for complete consideration before scoring.
Thursday, October 05, 2006
College Essay Tips
What has your essay got to do with your campus visit? Everything! In your college application essay, make it known if the college is your first choice, and why. On the college web site, research the college mission, history, president’s message, and program structure to get a full understanding of what you can expect as a student. Then visit when school is in session and talk to current students. The buildings will be open then, and you will see the level of congestion on campus. Ask students to describe the attributes of the college that exceeded their expectations (and what disappointed them.) Take the student-guided tour and get a feel for the lifestyle on campus; the “big programs”; whether academic orcampus organizations. If possible, speak with a student and instructor in your program. Try to connect with them and then ask for their support in the admissions process. Can they make a call or write a letter to the Admissions Department on your behalf?
Be true to your passions. The extracurricular activities that you discuss on your application should be selective, and reflect your core values. Do you truly excel in your extracurricular activities? You should be deeply and consistently involved, preferably in a leadership role. If you have championed something new or accomplished an important goal for an organization, make sure to show the impact that you’ve personally made. And if so, do you have leadership qualities that can make an impact on this campus? Describe your vision!
Be true to your passions. The extracurricular activities that you discuss on your application should be selective, and reflect your core values. Do you truly excel in your extracurricular activities? You should be deeply and consistently involved, preferably in a leadership role. If you have championed something new or accomplished an important goal for an organization, make sure to show the impact that you’ve personally made. And if so, do you have leadership qualities that can make an impact on this campus? Describe your vision!
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