Life After High School: My First Resume Tool

That first resume can be a stumper. Exactly what goes on a resume when you have limited education and work experience right after high school? The answer is anything you can think of that reflects positively upon you. Awards, even academic ones, show you are a go-getter and set goals. Volunteering at local organizations and hobbies highlight where you have strengths and passion.

To make an automated first resume, try the My First Resume tool from CareerKids.com. If you are already graduated from high school, and have held jobs before, try the My First Resume for Adults.

The tool allows you to just see a sample resume based on your life experiences. Here is a sample first resume completed by LifeAfterHighSchool.info using My First Resume for Adults. This is not a professional resume to turn in for a job. Why?

* The skills are very generalized. Use that as inspiration to write about your own skills, and if possible tie them to an act. For example, "Entrepreneurial: took flyers door-to-door to advertise my babysitting services in my neighborhood. Increased my requests for babysitting by 5 new families."

* Keep it short and simple, the skills list on the sample resume is too long, employers do not expect someone directly out of high school to have the resume of someone 5 years past high school graduation. Never lie on your first resume.

* You can use alternate forms of resumes that make sense for your life experience. A strict outline is best for someone with many previous positions or line items. In a functional resume, you list descriptions of your duties, goals, and achievements at that position directly under the position name. This helps the hiring agent to understand exactly what you did in the roles you held.

How to Use This Tool

• Make a practice resume just to see an idea of what it could look like.
• Email the file to yourself, and copy and paste it into any word processing software (Word, OpenOffice.org's Writer)
• Adjust the resume so it fits your life experiences and the job you are applying to for employment.
• Follow the 5 First Resume Writing Tips

Life After High School : 5 First Resume Writing Tips

Resume guides are great, but they are generally written for people with years of accolades and work experience. How do you write a resume when in your life after high school you have only held one or two jobs, and are still working on your education? Here are some tips for fleshing out that first resume.

• Absolutely no spelling mistakes. Your resume is a reflection of your attention to detail, if you turn in a first resume with errors what is the employer to think? Print your resume and cover it up with a sheet a paper. Raising the piece of paper line by line from the bottom first, read each word from right to left. This will ensure you look at each word on its own merit. When you read sentences left to right, your brain likes to correct any mistakes you see automatically. You can't rely on spell check as the computer tool will not catch correctly spelled words used in an incorrect context. i.e. “Their I maintained the file system, keep an Outlook calendar, and developed document templates to speed up document generation.”

• If you are still working on your education, it is permissible to include your course of study information with an expected graduation date. For example: Pursuing a Bachelor's of Science in Computer Science, concentration in IT Networking, minor coursework in Communication Studies. Expected graduation date May 2012.
  
  
• If you can't support working while going to school, seek out volunteer opportunities with some relation to your intended career. Majoring in journalism? Find some places to publish your work without payment (local publications and magazines are a great place to start). Planning on a medical career? Organize a blood donation event with the Red Cross at your university. Business administration your game? Volunteer to provide office hours for a local non-profit.
  
  
• Include skills you have as a result of independent study or hobbies that relate to the position. If your job is going to include public speaking, include your acting skills honed at a local community theatre or even in high school drama. You can also include any duties you fulfilled for a club or organization if you held an elected or appointed position.
  
  
• Find valuable references that are not related to you and include them at the bottom. Speak to your references first and let them know you are including them on your resume. A good reference is someone who has worked with you in some capacity such as during a volunteer project or even on a group school project. If possible, try to choose someone who was in a leadership role over you.

Your first resume is going to look fairly sparse, but using the above resume writing tips will help you flesh it out to a full page. Be generous with white space in between items and make sure your first resume is a positive outline of your accomplishments to date. As long as you are not applying for a position inappropriate for your education and experience, submitting a polished resume will place you head and shoulders above the competition.

To generate a first resume in 5 minutes, try the My First Resume Tool

Life Lessons: Insurance Needs When You Are No Longer a Dependent

A major milestone for any young adult is losing dependent status from his parents. A literal rite of passage, it's now up to you to setup protections in your life. This article looks at the protections and insurances every adult beginning their life needs for success.

Insurance is meant as coverage when things go wrong. You wreck your car, you get sick, or your apartment burns down. Insurance is primarily calculated by the likelihood you will need it. Insurance companies collect premiums, and they use this money for interest gaining business activities, and pay out money to customers as needed. Bad insurance companies use unreasonable excuses to deny coverage; you must read all terms and paperwork carefully!

One of the things you run into with insurance companies are deductibles and copays. A deductible or co pay is the amount you must pay BEFORE the insurance company offers any coverage. For example, a car repair that costs $800, but you have a $1,000 deductible means you will foot the entire bill yourself. If the car repair was $1,800, the insurance company would only pay $800 of the repair.

ALWAYS KEEP THE AMOUNT OF YOUR DEDUCTIBLES AVAILABLE IN SHORT TERM SAVINGS.

Insurance Coverage Every Adult Needs

Car Insurance

This is now a requirement in nearly every state when you register a vehicle for license plate tags. Failure to provide evidence of appropriate insurance results in a penalty fee for being an uninsured motorist. Same charge can occur if you are pulled over and do not have your insurance card with you. Car insurance has many types of products including comprehensive coverage, liability insurance, and road side assistance. A poor driving record, of accidents or tickets, can prevent you from car insurance with a reputable and affordable company.

Medical Insurance and Dental Insurance

Most people secure medical insurance and dental insurance as benefits at work. However, working in a small company, or at part-time status may make health insurance unavailable. Anyone can purchase an individual plan from a medical insurance or dental insurance company. The benefits of buying as a group, which is how your company does it, are that the insurance companies generally offer lower rates in exchange for the large number of captive customers.

It is important you take note of caps when it comes to medical insurance and dental insurance. Once you reach your cap of total coverage in a year, you are no longer insured until the next calendar year. Also, just as a poor driving record impacts your car insurance rates, poor health decisions like drinking and smoking also raise your health insurance rates.

Renter's Insurance

You have stuff. What happens if there is a fire or theft and you lose your stuff? How will you afford to replace it? This is why renter's insurance exists. Many companies offer renter's insurance to cover the physical possessions in your apartment or car. Your landlord's insurance for the property doesn't cover your possessions. For affordable renter's insurance rates, see if your car insurance company also offers renter's insurance. By purchasing more than one insurance product with a company, customers usually receive a discount.

Life Insurance

Life insurance is an optional insurance, not one you technically benefit from, after all you are dead. Life insurance provides money based on your policy to beneficiaries you designate after your death. Some life insurance policies also pay out in the event of disability, such as the loss of a limb or eye. Unless you have children or a spouse, your life insurance policy should only offer funds to perhaps cover the cost of your funeral.

There are other types of insurances for when you purchase a home, or another type of vehicle such as a boat. Insurance is important to have for anything you would want to repair or replace if anything happens and the cost of that repair or replacement exceeds your savings. This includes your own body, so don't skimp on health insurance or life insurance.

Life After High School: College Options Explained

Going to college is a complex decision today. There are essentially two starting points: a two-year college degree program (Associate's Degree) or a four-year college degree program (Bachelor's Degree). From there every just builds. Eventually, you need a Bachelor's Degree to move on to graduate schools for a Master's or Doctoral degree.

Before reading more, do you know Is College Right For You?

College Option: Community College

Community colleges offer a variety of degree opportunities: professional certificates, diplomas, and associate's degrees. Community colleges receive funding from the state and are considered public institutions. An old fashioned term for a community college would be junior college, when there was less of a technical focus and only students interested in going on to a university were attending.

Community colleges are a great way to shave off the cost of obtaining a Bachelor's Degree by either completing an acceptable Associate's degree first or simply taking some of your general education credits  there. Check with your intended 4 year school for acceptance prior to embarking on a course of study at the community college. Most local state funded colleges and universities accept some course credit from the local community college.

Community colleges are great places for those looking for education specifically tied to employment. Professors are often local business leaders or experts in the field. Other students are also usually working full-time. This makes networking super easy for finding your next career.

College Option: 4 Year College or University


A traditional college or university is one of the most common options chosen by graduating seniors from high schools. It is considered by some families to be a rite of passage into adulthood and loyalty to one school isn't unusual. Admission to the college or university might also be easier for the applying student if they have legacy status, meaning a close relative is an alumni.

4 year universities and colleges offer what is called a liberal arts education. This means students graduate with not just a focus in one area, but the Bachelor's degree reflects an education in numerous subjects across the spectrum. Before starting on work in a specific major, such as accounting, engineering, or political science, students complete general education requirements. These are low level courses in other disciplines to make the student a well-rounded graduate.

Completion of a 4 year degree, or Bachelor's degree, is a requirement for most graduate level coursework (some graduate programs will consider work experience as in the field training). A Bachelor's degree also notably brings the student a higher salary upon entering the work force. The biggest problem facing students with a Bachelor's degree is making sure they have some work experience that relates to their desired career field. Proper career development planning is vital for juniors and seniors pursuing a Bachelor's degree.




College Option: Graduate School


Graduate school is a departure from the liberal arts education supplied by a 4 year college. Graduate schools offer an advanced focus on a single area of study so graduating students are considered an expert in that area. Popular graduate programs include Master's of Business Administration (MBAs), medical school, dental school, pharmaceutical school, and Master degrees in most undergraduate subject matters. For example, a student can major in Political Science for an undergraduate degree, but then study for a Master's of Public Administration at graduate school. Or, the same student could pursue a law degree at law school.

Entry requirements for graduate school are very tough. Admissions doesn't just look at your undergraduate GPA, but also your test scores on standardized tests (such as LSATs for law school, MCATS for medical school, GRE for social science graduate programs, and GMAT for applied science and technical graduate programs). 

Life After High School: Work and College Balance

Striking a work and college balance is tricky. More adults are forgoing the traditional 4-year college experience and entering the work force for many reasons. College is expensive, so working is required to raise tuition money or become eligible for employer tuition assistance programs. Yet, for the student, BOTH work and school are vitally important in life after high school, but which one wins in a scheduling conflict?

Work Schedules + Class Schedules = Chaos

If you want any kind of leeway for both work and college, you need to let your boss and professors know about your other commitments. 

• Use your syllabus and let work know you need a relaxed schedule around major exams and papers.
• Try to complete assignments early, just in case something comes up and you need to work.
• Don't try to take a full course load while working full time. Ideally, work, class time, and study time shouldn't exceed 65 hours a week.
• Many students take only one of two classes while working full time, focus on the quality of your coursework, not the quantity.

College Programs Ideal for Working

Every college is a business; no students means no tuition. With this in mind, more college programs are offering a wider variety of class schedules to accomodate working students. Make sure your chosen college program offers one of the following options to make balancing work and college easier.

• Online classes allow working students to go to class with more flexibility. There are still deadlines for completing coursework, and working students should expect weekly deadlines for writing forum posts and turning in homework for class participation.
• Modified semester schedules, such as 8 week accelerated pacing classes, allow working students to finish more classes per year. Colleges acknowledge working students can't juggle 4 classes all at once over 16 weeks, but could manage 2 classes for 8 weeks. 
• Evening classes are held one or two nights per week for an extended period of time. This option works for anyone with a rigid work schedule, or the ability to designate nights off.

Getting Off Balance Has a Snowball Effect

With two very large commitments in life, work and college, there is very little room for error. Miss work to finish school work and your monthly budget is thrown off. Miss school to work and you jeopardize all of your hard work and the money you paid for tuition and books. 

• Try to add padding in your schedule so you aren't tempted to say to yourself "I'm going to be late to class anyway, I might as well not go."
• Find colleagues or other students in a similar situation, balancing work and college, and hold one another accountable.
• Maintain a healthy lifestyle of sleep, diet, and exercise to prevent the extra commitments from contributing to illness.

A smart work and college balance is the key to preventing burn out for either or both. If you constantly feel like you are rushing to make it all jive, you probably have too much on your plate. Try reducing hours at work or dropping back to one less class. Before dropping a class, speak with your program adviser to see how that will affect your graduation timetable. 

Life After High School: Deciding If You're College Material

The following article isn't meant to be offensive, but it is a great quick inventory for anyone with niggling doubts about if a traditional 4 year college education is the right path in their life after high school. As Mr. Goldblatt points out, success in college doesn't require knowing a bunch of facts, or even the skills to find them, but an intellectual curiosity to learn.

The American Spectator: Who is College Material?

I can be honest and say college was easy for me. School has ALWAYS been easy for me, but don't ask me to kick a soccer ball, please. I had semesters of 2.08 GPAs and other semesters where I was on Dean's List. One semester wasn't harder than another. The semesters where I had poor grades I did not care about the subject matter. It wasn't challenging. It wasn't interesting. I only showed up on test days. In my defense, most classes took 10% off just from missing more than 2 class periods, so averaging an 80-85 as a final grade without even going, well let's just say I had more than one professor tell me there they've never seen a student pass while missing more than half the class periods.

Before stressing out on your SATs, or struggling to live up to Mom and Dad's expectations, ask yourself, "Do you like to learn?"

The next important question: "What do you like to learn?"

It is more than okay to enjoy learning things other than general liberal arts education subjects. Many people are successful learning technical skills (mechanical technicians, hair stylists, contractors, etc.), other people are successful honing and enhancing their natural abilities with just a few strategic classes. For example, people primarily in sales, may not need to a full degree to move up and be successful. However, many successful salesmen and women complete advanced training in negotiation, closing a sale, and improving listening skills to meet a consumer's needs.

Realize though that there is no getting away from improving your education. It may not be a 4 year college, but every profession requires some type of additional training. High school alone doesn't carry you to retirement.

Training can occur on the job, at conferences, in specialized courses at local universities and colleges, and even through professional clubs and organizations. Remember, for most resumes, a 4 year Bachelor's degree is just one little line under "Education." The rest is made up of real life experiences, other education opportunities, and accolades.

Under 21 A Credit Card Is Tough To Get, But You Don't Need It

Recent legislation, the CARD Act, requires anyone under the age of 21 to have either a cosigner or proof of substantial income to qualify for a credit card. The word "qualify" should be replaced with the word "trapped."

The credit system in America is primed to play on your emotions, not your common sense when it comes to your money. Too many people look at the convenience of a credit card without even considering the cost of using someone else's money. Credit cards come with interest rates, most that surpass historic usury laws (loan sharking), and annual fees. Both are very common when you have a young credit history.

Put it this way, would you borrow money from a friend if he wanted you to pay back more than 15% of the original amount you borrowed, and also charge you a fee just to be allowed to borrow the money in the first place?

Before thinking you need a credit history, think about what a credit history enables you do: borrow more money at slightly better rates. It doesn't really save you money, as other articles claim. You still lose money on the deal, just a little less. But a loss is a loss.

Here is your golden opportunity to not live on your credit. In fact, think of it this way: when you rely on your credit score to obtain things you need in life, like a car, groceries, and other purchases, you are trading on your good name. While a good reputation is important, how well do you know these companies that you are willing to give them control over your good name? Welcome to the bizarre world of FICO credit scores, where they claim to reward good credit behavior but can lower your score because you paid off a balance.

You do need a positive credit history for other things in life, such as renting an apartment and even for some jobs. However, this is not only obtained through credit cards. Using credit card accounts isn't a great plan to build good credit as even with the restrictions of the CARD act, credit card companies have figured out work arounds and still impose outrageous fees and interest rates. It isn't just called revolving credit because the balances are supposed to come and go; the terms of the "loan" also appear to revolve around the whim of a company out to make money.

Instead, build your credit score with more stable banking actions and limit non-variable borrowing:

• Start a relationship with a bank or credit union as early as possible. This means open a checking and savings account, keep it in great shape (no overdrafts or falling below account minimums), and try to use the same bank for other products. Their interest rate might be slightly higher than BankXYZ down the street, but a little extra pain now will  pay off later when you are a long-standing customer. Plus, their lending practices are more likely to take your full financial picture into consideration, not just the bare minimum needed to satisfy federal regulations. Your local bank has slightly more interest in making sure you don't fail on the loan than a bank you've never had an account with. If you are turned down for lending, find out the reason why and carefully consider if fulfilling the shortcomings is your better interest before seeking the loan.
• Borrow a small loan amount for a used vehicle and after one year of making regular payments, pay off the loan. To do this, you need to have the money for the car up front. This is a very smart financial move as there is no penalty for paying an account off early.
• Education loans are smarter for tuition costs than using a credit card. First, interest rates are much lower for educational loans, especially those backed by the federal government. The federal student loan program is anticipated to see an expansion during the current administration. Second, educational loans are treated differently, in a positive way, when calculating credit scores in comparison to the same amount owed on a credit card. Applying for federal student loans is a more lengthy process, but the pay offs are worth it.

Don't feel that you need to somehow convince your parents into cosigning on a credit card with you to build up a credit history. This could be a terrible idea if your parents do not have the best credit. It takes years for items to fall off your credit history, and having a joint account with someone with a poor credit history could impact you ability to get lending in the future. While it would be nice if one's credit history wasn't used for unrelated actions, such as renting an apartment, the reality is everyone needs a good or great FICO credit score. The way to get a great FICO credit score doesn't necessarily require credit cards to achieve.

Bans Aside, The Apple iPad is Not an Ideal Solution for Campus

Israel has banned the Apple iPad over concerns about it hogging wireless bandwidth. More articles came out with potential bans on top university campuses this fall, also due to networking issues. However, by and large, the Apple iPad is not an ideal computing solution for anyone hitting the books this fall.

Multitasking Is a Must

Ask anyone who has ever written a paper for college and he or she will tell you, multi-tasking is a must. You need a browser open with tabs dedicated to research sources, a tab explaining how to cite everything, and a tab or two open to your favorite social media where you can procrastinate and complain about writing said paper. That's just one application. You next need a word processing application open, and unless you are part of the select few who work best in silence, some type of motivational music playing. The Apple iPad lost you at music and one other application open.

Ergonomics Please

You type a lot in college. From emails to friends and families, to captioning all sixty of the shameful pictures you took at the party last night, typing is the new handwriting. Aside from math, most of your classes will require typed assignments. Professors gave up on reading handwriting last decade. Typing on the Apple iPad is fine for short bouts, but prolonged typing on such a small keyboard will wreak havoc on your joints. Carpal tunnel is only appropriate for jokes in college, not actual visits to the university health center.

Plug Ins A Notta

Without even a simple USB connection, the Apple iPad is severely limited in how much it can play well with others. Other peripherals you may have that is, such as a camera, printer, or even a web cam for those late night college humor video sessions. Sure, you can pay for an adapter, but the odds of having the said adapter when you want it in the mess of a standard dorm room? You'll be lucky to find your iPad!

Bottom line, for the money get a decent laptop or one of the slightly larger net books (some have a nearly standard sized keyboard) for the $500-$800 you would spend on an Apple iPad. Toshiba has some great economy priced laptops, personal testing of the Satellite series survived two plus years of moving across country and international travel. My husband even dropped his Toshiba Satellite down a submarine hatch, and it lives to tell the tale (with a broken plastic corner). Oh, and to save yourself some more change when it comes to college computing? Don't buy any student package of software until you check for free open source alternatives (www.openoffice.org).

New Type of Internship: Learn How to Farm!

Internships are a vital part of career development planning. They act as trial runs at new careers. Paid and unpaid, any internship can provide vital experience and networking contacts.

One way to ensure job security-- everyone has to eat! The recent improvements in community supported agriculture (CSAs) are developing into novel internship opportunities for the upcoming generation. A local piece about one such program, Growing New Farmers Incubator Pilot made me dig a little deeper. A little research, and it turns out there are numerous farming internships around the country.

Here is where recent high school graduates and those with college degrees can benefit the timeless agricultural business: technology. More modern farms are using web based technology, email, databases, and real-time inventory levels to fill up-to-the-moment orders for farmer's markets, high-end chefs and restaurants, and specialty grocery stores.

In the Charleston, SC area, the average farmer is 59 years old. This means within 10-20 years, there will be a large gap in supplies of locally grown produce. Many communities in the United States are facing the same plight. Yet this could easily turn into a golden opportunity for graduates looking to bring farming into the 21st century.

• Not into farming but love computers? Consider a consulting business to provide web interfaces for small, independent farms.
• Before you graduate, look for a volunteer position with a local farm. It could pave the way to a paid position later on. Remember volunteering is what you do to pad your resume while someone else is still paying for your food and a roof over your head.
• Don't think farming doesn't require an education. Savvy growers learn the latest in farming technologies. In fact, many famous college started out as farming schools (think Texas A&M, where A stands for agriculture). 2 and 4 year degree programs cover everything from growing the crops, selling the crops, and even becoming a crop inspector.
• Average salaries range from $30,00-$60,000 for ranch manager, and similar salaries for agricultural inspecter (Salary.com)

College Degrees Explained: What Exactly is a Bachelor's Degree?

The number of college degrees available to a student these days is mind boggling. There are professional certificates, associate's degrees, bachelor's degrees, master's degrees, and finally doctorates. It would appear a bachelor's degree falls in the middle, but degrees don't exactly work that way. Today's post-secondary educational system hinges on what do you want to do with that diploma?

A bachelor's degree offers an educational journey that is equal parts specialized focus (major and minor coursework) and broad coverage of every subject (a liberal arts education). You might major in Mathematics, but you will be required to take classes in Foreign Language, too. There is also little technical education or experience beyond a token computing course in office suite productivity.

A typical bachelor's degree is 120 credit hours. A credit hour is the time actually spent at lecture per week, rounded up. A class meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9:00 AM until 10:15 AM would be considered 3 credit hours. Labs are funny creatures, most require anywhere from three to five hours each week in class but only count for 1-2 credit hours. This is done to balance grade weighting for GPA calculation.

Of the 120 credit hours for a bachelor's degree, about 50-60 will be classified as general education courses. This is the basic coursework every student must complete regardless of his or her major. General education requirements, also called gen eds, are divided into categories with a certain amount of credit hours required for the category.

For example, one popular gen ed requirement is in the Social Sciences. This includes Political Science, Psychology, Social Work, and Philosophy. A student may be required to take 6 credit hours, or roughly 2 classes from the list of qualifying courses in those areas. All of these classes will be introductory courses, 100-200 level, so very little previous knowledge of political science, psychology, social work, or philosophy is needed.

There will also be stand alone course requirements for gen ed satisfaction. This includes classes like Public Speaking, some type of ethics course (might be written into each major), and foreign language courses.

A major is just the 30-40 credit hours of upper level coursework a student chooses to focus on. Each major will have “core classes,” three or four classes everyone in the major takes at some point. It is vital you stay on top of prerequisites, or classes you need to complete before taking others. The major will also include “electives,” or classes you choose from a list within the subject matter.

Minor coursework is conducted in a similar way to major coursework, but usually comprises of only 12-18 credit hours. Each university department offers course tracks for minor coursework, just as they do for major coursework. A growing trend for undergraduate students is to forgo a minor in favor of a greater variety in coursework. For example, a student majoring in business may choose to divide her major between courses developing writing skills and knowledge of computing systems.

An undergraduate bachelor's degree will only get you so far, and that may only be the interview room, where employment is concerned. Students should not believe the myth that a degree alone will land you a good job. It is imperative along with the education there is practical experience. This means moving beyond typical college student jobs and maybe surviving a few semesters where you are stretched thin.  

Save Money on College Costs: The 5 Year Master's Program

College is now attainable for most adults. Part-time, online courses, and evening courses have removed major barriers to obtaining a Bachelor's degree. Employers still need a measuring stick to identify candidates willing to go the extra mile. In many professions, that extra mile is a Master's degree.

Traditional universities are capitalizing on the increased demand for graduate degrees. Conventional wisdom always recommended college students get a graduate degree at a different institution than where their undergraduate degree was completed. This advice is becoming little more than a kudos as a college education is more about transitioning into a career rather than remaining in academia.

One of the biggest bangs for the undergraduate's buck is a 5 year Master's degree program at their undergraduate college or university. Students interested in a 5 year program should know and declare their degree intentions early. Most 5 year Master's degree programs have strict tracks for course offerings. Deviating from the recommended course tracks, even as early as the first semester, will tack on extra time needed to complete the program.

Popular 5 year Master's degrees include teaching degrees, nursing degrees, and business degrees. 5 year programs are typically offered for the professions most often requiring a Master's degree for entry to mid-level employment. Universities then use this as a selling point to potential students considering another school. Why go somewhere else and take 6 years to get two degrees when we can get you there in 5 years?

A Master's degree is still meaningless without qualified work experience. A savvy college student entering into a profession keen on graduate degrees should look for a 5 year Master's program with a paid internship included in the degree structure. Remember, education is only learning about doing something. Employers want to see qualified candidates with the proper education who can also demonstrate they can do the work.

Save Money on College Costs: Take Gen Eds at a Community College

Half of a 4 year college degree is nothing but general education classes. Roughly 60 credits, or two full years, of college is offered at deeply discounted prices at your local community college. For private colleges and universities, students should check with the Registrar and Course Catalog for acceptance of specific courses.

State funded colleges, also known as public universities, are required by law in some areas to have acceptance policies with state funded community colleges. Even without the requirement, most public colleges work closely with community colleges to match general education requirements with their course offerings. The more basic and universal a course requirement is, the more likely you can find it at a community college much cheaper.

Don't fret about the quality of the community college class. At even top institutions, lower level course offerings (Gen Eds) are handled by adjunct faculty. An adjunct faculty member is like a moonlighting professor-- he or she also teaches at other institutions. Guess what other institutions adjunct faculty teach at? Community colleges! Not wanting to waste effort, classes at both the community college and four year university frequently use the exact same textbook and syllabus.

Defraying the cost of a four year degree isn't without a little tradeoff. Student activities are often lackluster at community colleges in comparison to traditional four year universities. But, community colleges specifically cater to students with other demands on their time, such as a job.

Community colleges offer a wider variety of class times than four year colleges because their student population is not in residence. This can also lead to accelerated college degree completion, as many community colleges offer alternative semester divisions, enabling students to complete more courses in less time. Just make sure you watch for any policy from the four year college or university requiring the last thirty to forty credit hours prior to graduation completed at that institution and no other.

Besides, if your chief concern about going to college is the activities, you are probably going for the wrong reason. Although if you are really concerned about living the college lifestyle, consider dual enrollment. Take one or two courses at the more expensive and fancy four year institution, and a few gen eds at the community college.

And what about the students who worked and saved money by going to community college for the first two years? Well, when you both graduate with the exact same degree in a graduation ceremony from the exact same school, their resume won't need filler like “Organized the Intramural Frisbee Golf Tournament.”

Life Lessons: Birth Certificate, Social Security Card, Driver's License, and Insurance Cards Are Important Documents You Need After 18

After high school, it's now up to you to manage your life. There are certain documents that your parents should have, but now need to be in your possession. Documents such as your birth certificate, Social Security card, driver's license, and insurance cards are needed for everything from securing a first apartment to becoming legally employed.

Keep your birth certificate, social security card, and copies of your driver's license and insurance information in a safe place. Other than your insurance cards and driver's licenses, the originals should never be carried daily in your wallet or purse. A safe place is a folder in a filing box, in a marked envelope in a desk, or some other stationary location with a small level of protection against bending and wear. Otherwise, you are just inviting identity theft.
       

Birth Certificate

A birth certificate is a vital piece of information; it proves your citizenship. With a government-issued photo I.D., a birth certificate acts as a second form of identification for passports, marriage licenses, voter registration, and many other official actions. States issue birth certificates, and each looks slightly different. If your parents cannot locate your birth certificate, request a copy from your state's Vital Records department. If you were born in a hospital, you have a birth certificate on file. In the remote situation you do not have a birth certificate on file with your state of birth, the Vital Records department can also direct you to the procedure of creating a certificate of live birth. http://vitalrec.com/birthcertificates/

Social Security Card

Memorize your social security number (SSN). Originally, this number was set up by the U.S. Government strictly for retirement purposes. Because it is unique to every U.S. citizen, the uses of the social security number soared. Now, you use your social security number to verify your identity in banking, on credit applications, for taxes, military service, and businesses can request your SSN to create a unique identifier for your account.

Second to knowing your social security number forwards, backwards, and in your sleep, is actually possessing the card. A social security card is a thin paper card that you may not laminate. There are very few occasions you need to produce the actual card, so it does no good to carry it around daily. If your social security card is lost, visit http://www.ssa.gov/ssnumber/ for help.

   

Driver's License/ State I.D.

This is the one vital piece of identification that breaks the rules: carry it with you ALWAYS. If you go running, find someplace it can tuck into. A driver's license is a universal form of identification anywhere you go in the United States. Like birth certificates, driver's licenses are issued by each state and look different. If you can't qualify for a driver's license, obtain a state I.D. card. They are also issued at your local DMV. Both state I.D. cards and driver's licenses require the above official documentation to obtain. For replacement cards, visit your local DMV http://www.dmv-department-of-motor-vehicles.com/.

Insurance Cards

The two primary forms of insurance are car and medical insurance. You need your car insurance information anytime you are in your vehicle. In the event of an accident, or pull over, you will need to share this information with authorities.

Medical insurance cards are important for you to see a doctor, to fill a prescription, or in the event of an emergency. Medical insurance cards are improving everyday, some insurers offer cards that include medical history information for the patient. This includes information such as existing conditions, allergies, and previous medical problems. As emergency medicine improves in technology, EMTs and doctors can scan these medical insurance cards for quick patient history, even if the patient is unconscious.

Contact your insurance provider for new copies of your insurance cards if you do not have them, or if your parents would like to hold onto to a copy as well.