Plan

Consider:

*location *cost *reputation *Program *class sizes *distance from home *school size *financial aid *clubs/activities *diversity *social life *faculty *career services *sports

No matter if you are pursuing a certificate, Associate's degree, or a Bachelor's degree, you will need to pick a program or a major. Bachelor's degree may have multiple majors and/ or minor (Examples: A student can be political science major and have a Spanish minor. Another student can have a double major in art and communications. Both can complete the degree in 4 years). Certificates and Associate's degrees can be more specific such as Carpentry, Electronics, or Welding.

No matter which degree you are pursuing, you may want to ask yourself a few questions. It is OK if you go to college undecided or if you change your major, but hopefully you can pick the right career cluster so you are on the right track and waste little to no time.

Picking a Program/Major Checklist:

• What types of jobs can you get with that program/major(s)?

• What is the job outlook like? Is the field growing or shrinking?

• What is the cost of the program?

• How much money can you earn in the field?

• Will you need to get an advanced degree to find a job in the field?

• Does the program/major align with your interests?

• Does the program/major align with your personality type?

• Does the program/major make you excited/ happy to go to college?

The curriculum of a college certificate program depends on the field being studied. Most certificate programs differ from degree programs because the curriculum focuses on one particular subject area. This allows you to effectively learn a particular skill or body of knowledge in a relatively short amount of time, usually about a year or less. Most certificate programs won't require you to complete general education requirements outside the focus of your field of study.

Michigan has many high-demand, high-wage jobs available that require a certificate or an associate degree to get started! These fields offer entry level and ongoing educational opportunities that could increase your potential for professional growth, promotion, and higher wages over time as well as lead to a meaningful career