If you've been contemplating returning to school as part of your plan to build a new lifestyle friendly career, now is the time to get your plans in order for the fall. Read on for links to some very useful resources:
Adult Education Classes: I love going to my town's continuing education classes. It's a really fun and inexpensive way to test out new areas of interest. Adult-ed programs give you the chance to dabble in learning a new skill (e.g. cake decorating, digital photography or public speaking) without the investment of time or money required by degreed programs. While there, talk with your teacher and other students to find out about other classes and resources to help you do further exploration.
Certificate Programs: I am a huge fan of certificate programs for people who are looking to boost their expertise and earn specialized credentials without the investment required by a full-blown degree program. Certificate programs can range in length from a few months to two years. You can earn a certificate in areas as diverse as Non-Profit Administration, Wedding Planning, or Employee Benefits Administration. Consult your community colleges and local universities to learn more about their certificate offerings.
Workshops/Seminars: If you really just want to test the waters before signing up for classes, look into local workshops and seminars. Two resources to help you find suitable programs are Seminarinformation.com and (for people in major metro areas) The Learning Annex.
Online Resources for Locating College Programs: If you ultimately decide to go the traditional college degree route, Petersons.com and Princetonreview.com both have excellent search features that help you locate degree, certificate and online programs.
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