Page 11 - Spring 2019

The Bronx Institute at Lehman College • Bronx GEAR UP Network
www.TheBronxInstitute.org
Undecided? Explore your interests
If you truly have no idea what you want to study, that's okay—many schools don't require students to declare a major until sophomore year. That gives you four semesters to play the field. Make the most of any required general education courses— choose ones that interest you. Talk to professors, advisors, department heads, and other students. Find an internship off campus.
Exploring your interests will help you find your best fit major—and maybe even your ideal career.
Degree types
The degrees offered at two-year community colleges or trade schools are distinct from those offered at a four-year school. Two-year schools offer liberal arts associate degrees or associate degrees in vocational areas, such as marketing, business administration or criminal justice. You can also earn shorter-term certificates or diplomas to enter work in certain fields. Four-year schools offer bachelor's degrees, which include general education and program-specific
courses to prepare students for entry-level careers in a field of study.
Costs
Two-year community colleges are usually less expensive than four-year programs. The average cost at a four-year public school was $8,244, according to an October 2011 "CNN Money" article. Comparatively, a typical community college program costs around $3,000 per year. The price tag is much steeper at private schools. You often pay $15,000 to $20,000 in annual tuition for a typical in-state private college.
Some private schools cost in excess of $100,000 for a four-year degree.
SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT!
PSAT/NMSQT:
The preliminary SAT/National Scholarship Qualifying Test is a standardized exam that can qualify you for national merit-based scholarship programs!
SCHOLARSHIP WEBSITES: www. blackexcel.org www. hesc.org www.scholaraid.com www.srnexpress.com www.finaid.org www.collegedata.com www.fastweb.com
WITHOUT A COLLEGE DEGREE:
According to data most recently collected in 2016 by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, full- time workers age 25 and older without a high school diploma had median weekly earnings of $494 in the first quarter of 2016. That compares with a median of $679 for high school graduates who never attended college and $782 for workers with some college or an associate degree.
WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE:
Median weekly earnings were $1,155 for workers with a bachelor's degree and $1,435 for workers with an advanced degree—a master’s, professional, or doctoral degree.
Among college graduates with advanced degrees, the highest earning 10% of men—whose earnings were at or above the 90th percentile—made $3,871 or more per week; the 90th percentile for women with advanced degrees was $2,409 or more.
The Bronx Institute Bronx GEAR UP Network
ose a Major
11