Once everything is considered, how do I start finding the educational program that is right for me?

Whatever education level you are currently at and whatever your future education plans are, the general steps you should follow when deciding on a program are the same. Use these steps to help guide you through your decision-making process. Along the way, you can talk to people around you who can help. Your Correctional Counselor, the staff in the Education Department, a school or career center counselor, and family and friends can provide advice and support throughout this process.

FIND PROGRAMS THAT FIT YOUR NEEDS

Obviously, you want to find a program that meets the interests that you identified in the very beginning of this chapter (see “Setting Your Educational Goals,” PG. 842), but in order to find a program that truly fits your needs, must consider the practical factors that will impact your educational experience. You should think through the following questions to help you guide your decision:

    Do you want to study full or part-time?

Larger Schools v. Smaller Schools

Larger schools tend to have more diverse student populations, and a greater variety of extra-curricular activities and clubs. However, you may feel distracted and overwhelmed in this environment, and class size is larger which means less individual attention from the teacher.

    Is it more important for you to finish the program quickly or do you need to split your class time with other responsibilities?
    Would you prefer to go to a large school or a smaller school?
    Do you need to be in a classroom at all, or is distance learning a better option for you?
    Do you want to go to a public (state-funded) or private (privately owned) school?

RESEARCH SCHOOL/PROGRAM QUALITY

Evaluate the quality of each school or program by following these steps:[2717]

    Check for “accreditation” and other approval.
    Find out if the school or program is accredited. Accredited schools have been reviewed by an accrediting organization recognized by the U.S. Dep’t of Educ. (USDE) and meet established USDE requirements.[2718]
    If working in the field requires a license and certification, find out if the school or program is approved by the proper state licensing agency and the professional organization that grants certifications.[2719]
    Search for a school in the Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions & Programs (www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation). If a school is accredited, it will show up in the database.
    Find data on how well the school’s graduates are doing. Find out if the school has a Gainful Employment Disclosure, which should provide information about overall costs for students, average debt, graduation and job placement rates, and which occupations students are prepared for..[2720]
    Talk to people in the school or program. Ask current students, alumni (former students), and teachers how well the school or program prepares students for their field, and whether it helps students find jobs.[2721]
    Ask employers what they think of the program. Find employers in the field that you would want to work for and ask them to rate the program.

WARNING: BE CAREFUL OF SCHOOLS OR PROGRAMS THAT ARE SCAMS:

    Beware of for-profit schools that are out to take your money -- not to give you a quality education. These schools spend lots of money on recruiting, and little on teaching or career services for students. They also tend to charge higher tuition than public community colleges and are likely to leave you with high debt, poor training, and slim chances of finding a job. Following the research steps above will help you avoid these schools.[2722]Similarly, beware of “schools” or “programs” that are fake or out to scam you! There are “diploma mills” — companies selling diplomas. These companies promise to give you a certificate, diploma, or degree for very little work in a very short time. The credentials they offer have little or no value in the job market.[2723]Here are some warning signs that a “school” or “program” may be a scam or a diploma mill:It is not accredited, or it is accredited by an agency that is not nationally recognized;It requires little or no academic work, and involves minimal interaction with teachers;It allows you to earn a certificate in an unusually short period of time; It requires that you pay a flat fee for the credential; Its mailing address is a post office box or suite number;Its website ends in “.com” instead of “.edu”.[2724]
Why accreditation is important:
    Employers generally respect credentials from an accredited institution with a good reputation, and view job-seekers with such credentials more favorably.
    Credits from a non-accredited school, generally cannot be transferred to an accredited school.
    You must attend an accredited school to be eligible for government financial aid.

To learn more about accreditation and find out if the school or program you are interested in is accredited, check the following resources:

    U.S. Dep’t of Educ., Database of Accredited Postsecondary Institutions and Programs online at: http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ or by phone at: 1-888-247-8269.
    Council on Higher Education Accreditation online at: http://www.chea.org.
    Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (K-12 and non-degree granting postsecondary schools and programs) online at: http://www.acswasc.org/.
    Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges, Western Association of Schools and Colleges (associate degree-granting institutions) online at: http://www.accjc.org/.
    Western Association of Schools and Colleges, Senior College and University Commission (four-year colleges and universities) online at: http://www.wascsenior.org/.
    Distance Education Accrediting Commission (formerly Distance Education Training Council) at: http://www.deac.org/.

NOTE: All adult schools in CDCR facilities are fully accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC), and many CTE programs offer industry-standard certification.[2725]

APPLY!

  1. 2717

    Fed. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certificates: A Fast Track to Career, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, 15 (Winter 2012-2013). ↑

  2. 2718

    34 C.F.R. § 600.2. U.S. Dep’t of Educ. Office of Vocational and Adult Educ., Take Charge of Your Future: Get the Education and Training You Need ( 2012).; see also Anna Crayton & Nicole Lindahl, Back to School: A Guide to Continuing Your Education after Prison, Prisoner Reentry Institute, John Jay College of Criminal Justice (2010). There are many accrediting agencies out there, but only some are nationally recognized as legitimate. See Fed. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certificates: A Fast Track to Career, Occupational Outlook Quarterly p. 15 (Winter 2012-2013). Current lists of nationally recognized accrediting agencies are posted online by the U.S. Dep’t of Educ. and Council for Higher Education Accreditation. See Regional & National Institutional Accrediting Agencies, U.S. Dep’t. of Educ., www2.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditation_PG6.html; Recognized Accrediting Organizations, Council for Higher Educ. Accreditation (as of Jan. 2015), www.chea.org/pdf/CHEA_USDE_AllAccred.pdf; For more details on accreditation, see Diploma Mills & Accreditation—Accreditation, U.S. Dep’t of Educ., www2.ed.gov/students/prep/college/diplomamills/accreditation.html. ↑

  3. 2719

    See Fed. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certificates: A Fast Track to Career, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter 2002-03. ↑

  4. 2720

    Schools are legally required to provide this document if they receive federal funding. See Fed. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certificates: A Fast Track to Career, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter 2012-13 at 15-16. ↑

  5. 2721

    Fed. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certificates: A Fast Track to Career, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter 2012-13 at 15-16 . ↑

  6. 2722

    Fed. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certificates: A Fast Track to Career, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter 2012-13 at 14; see also Tips for Students to Consider Before Enrolling at a Private Postsecondary School, Cal. Dept. of Consumer Affairs Bureau for Private Postsecondary Educ., www.bppe.ca.gov/students/tips.shtml. ↑

  7. 2723

    Fed. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certificates: A Fast Track to Career, Occupational Outlook, Winter 2012-13 at 14; see also Council for Degree Mills: An Old Problem and a New Threat, Higher Educ. Accreditation, www.chea.org/degreemills/frmPaper.htm; Tami Abdollah, California Lawmakers Target Diploma Mills, on So. Cal. Pub. Radio (May 10, 2012), www.scpr.org/blogs/education/2012/05/10/6063/california-lawmakers-target-diploma-mills. ↑

  8. 2724

    Fed. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Certificates: A Fast Track to Career, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Winter 2012-13; see also Tami Abdollah, California Lawmakers Target Diploma Mills, on So. Cal. Pub. Radio (May 10, 2012), www.scpr.org/blogs/education/2012/05/10/6063/california-lawmakers-target-diploma-mills. ↑

  9. 2725

    Office of Correctional Education, Cal. Dep’t of Corr. & Rehab., http://www.cdcr.ca.gov/rehabilitation/oce.html. ↑