How Do I Choose the Best Associate's Degree Schools?

You might start your comparison of associate's degree schools by deciding which type of degree you want to earn and seeking a college that offers it. Likewise, your goals for earning the degree will influence the decision-making process. Such matters as tuition and payment plans might be significant factors as well. Additionally, you might consider any extra opportunities a school provides before making a choice.

Selecting an associate’s degree school, often referred to as a community college, often means determining whether you want to earn an occupational or transfer degree. While degree programs aren’t usually labeled this way, your mindset can prove important in selecting a school and an educational path. If you select an occupational degree, this means you pursue a course of education that helps you secure a job after graduation. On the other hand, a transfer degree is more focused on allowing you to transfer to a four-year college or university and apply your credits as you work towards a bachelor’s degree. Typically, the best associate’s degree school is the one that will help you meet these goals.

Some examples of occupational degree programs are those that prepare you for a career in health services, such as medical technology and nursing programs. Business and computer degree programs can help prepare you for administrative assistant, computer worker, and office jobs. If you are hoping to enter the workforce, you may do well to select a school that offers the type of occupational program you want, granting either a degree or a certificate. You might consider it a plus if the school has a good reputation for educating students in the major that interests you and offers job placement or referral services. Additionally, you may also place associate's degree schools that offer internship programs and cooperative study at the top of your list, as they can provide experience valuable in reaching your career goals.

While you can usually transfer to a four-year college from any two-year school, students often encounter problems with the transfer of credits. A four-year college or university is not required to accept all the credits earned at associate’s degree schools. Most do accept at least some transfer credits, but you could be left with a significant number of credits that do not transfer to some institutions. To avoid earning a bunch of credits that won’t apply to a four-year degree, you might choose an associate’s degree school based on its transfer agreements.

A transfer agreement is a contract a college or university makes with another school to accept associate’s degree credits towards the completion of a bachelor’s degree, without requiring the student to retake classes. For example, a student can take science courses at an associate’s degree school that satisfy core science requirements at a four-year institution. To ensure an easier transfer situation and more credit towards a bachelor’s degree, you may do well to select the colleges that interest you the most first and then choose an associate’s degree school based on its transfer agreements with these colleges.

Costs are also a factor when it comes to deciding where you should earn a degree or certificate. Associate's degree schools vary in terms of costs per credit, application fees, and enrollment fees. As such, affordability may be one of your main considerations. Many schools do offer financial aid, however, and some offer installment payment plans to make tuition costs easier to handle.