An associate’s degree is a good way to get an educational credential in two years and either apply the education towards a bachelor’s degree or enter into the workforce. A bachelor’s degree takes much longer of course but it usually opens up job opportunities that command higher pay. No matter what your educational goals are (bachelor’s or associate’s degree or both), you need to begin your academic preparations when you are still in high school and the earlier the better. Let’s examine a few of the preparatory areas you should focus on in preparing to get your associate’s or bachelor’s degree:

Prepare for your associate’s or bachelor’s degree by polishing your writing skills. If there is one thing that you need to build it is your writing skills. Too many enter college without the proper skills to write position papers, argumentative essays, and research papers. There are even instances where first-semester college students do not even know how to cite references. Most colleges have you write an essay explaining your goals for your education as part of the admission process. So in high school, you want to make sure you take the required English and writing courses plus those recommended by your guidance counselor as college prep.

It is a good idea to take advanced Algebra in high school. Here again, seek the advice of your high school’s guidance counselor but make sure that you take Algebra that is at a level to prepare you for your associate’s or bachelor’s degree program. Even if you can take some pre-Calculus in high school it would be beneficial because more than likely your associate’s or bachelor’s degree program will require one semester of Calculus.

Also prepare yourself by taking history and science classes. And if your associate’s or bachelor’s degree program is in the nursing field, you would be wise to take some high school chemistry because you will probably take chemistry classes in college. When you take electives in high school, take those that can help you with your associate’s or bachelor’s degree. For example, if your career plans are to get into some architectural degree program, you can maybe take drafting in high school as an elective.

Make sure you have the information required to send your transcripts. This is an administrative matter but too often the student is not prepared. When you leave high school, make sure you have the address information necessary so that you can request your transcripts be sent to the college you are applying to for your associate’s or bachelor’s degree. You will have to be able to write to the office where your transcripts are and request that they send them directly to the college. These are “official transcripts” because you are never in the link when the transcript office sends the documents.

Your associate’s or bachelor’s degree program might be in a field requiring legal checks. For example, if your associate’s degree program is in childcare, you more than likely will have to submit to a background check for any future employment. It would be good to build your list of references while in high school. Get information as to prior addresses and employers so they can be contacted as well. This background check could even be part of the process while you are in your educational program so it is good to prepare for it ahead of time.

Tags: associate's degree, bachelor's degree, college preparation