A few questions about trade schools and community colleges?

Getting a trade prior to advanced education is a win-win. It is never a bad thing to be able to fall back on a trade if things fall apart in the future. Whether or not your son has the maturity for college vs trade school is something you would know but as long as they are accredited and he pulls the grades any debt he takes on will pay off in the long run.

Trade schools are accredited by several regional and national accrediting bodies. The U.S. Department of Education lists an array recognized organizations on their website, including the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT).

http://www.ed.gov/admins/finaid/accred/accreditati...

http://www.detc.org/

http://www.accsct.org/

(((IWF)))

(((((IWF)))))

I don't know how it is in the states, but here in Canada, you get credit as a "mature student" when entering college after taking a break from High school. The only requirement here for getting into college here is Grade 12 English. Adults here can take that in a few weeks of night school. But I'm pretty sure there is some concession made even for that.

Academic Universities (like your colleges there) might be alittle more stringent.

I suppose the first thing you need to do is contact you local trade school and community college and find out what's required. Even your local high school guidance department should be able to answer a few questions for you. Your son would definitely benefit from some local community volunteerism as well. That goes a long way on an entrance application.

Wish I could be more help. These are the kinds of questions from my friends below the 49th that always frustrate me - because I want so much to help but only know my side of the story :(

hope yous can work it out soon.

love

rammie

I went to all of the above and finished all of the above. College tend to be more theory and you spend a lot of time learning subjects that are irrelevant. When you have so much to study, it's hard to learn because you're just cramming to pass all of the exams. When I came out, I couldn't even open up a computer. At the least, I have a degree which opens doors, gives me a false sense of pride, and less ppl put me down. Also, college is a great way to learn how to learn. Community college, I hear has a lot of courses similar to tech school, and it's cheaper. If you can get the same courses as tech school, do it because it's cheaper. Otherwise, it's a lot like 4 yr college. I just took basic classes and transferred to 4 yr. Tech school is a joke. PPl put it down because it's so bad. Most of the kids there aren't the brightest.Teachers generally are horrible. Overpriced, not enough equipments. Generally, the certification u get from the school isn't worth the paper it's printed on. However, if u stick to it, read all the books, and go get certified, which is external to the school, listen to teacher, do your stuff, keep ahead, u will be better off than u would at college. I went to tech school after college and I feel more confident than ever. I may brag about going there, I may not even admit that I went, but I feel more confident. I would brag about going to college, but I came out knowing nothing. When u go to tech school, u better be 100% sure you know what you're doing, otherwise u'll come out with a lot of money to pay back and no job. 90% of the kids in my tech school know nothing and it's a shame. I have no regrets, I do it all over it again. Also, in college, they might have a program, but no hands on. That's why I decided to go to a tech school rather than continue in a college. Make sure u sit in classes to see how they run.

You can have him attend a community College. Community Colleges often have a few Career trade Degree Programs at a very low cost. And thier Admissions standards are usually very lax just a GED is all it takes to gain entry. Hence The word Community in the Name Community Colleges. The Whole Community Can Attend. Community Colleges will accept anyone with rthe means to pay tution. They have remedial classes available as well

Trade schools are not bad. My husband went to trade school for carpentry many years ago, although he never really needed to use this to get a job throughout the years, it has saved us tons of money in home repairs.

The only thing with trade schools (in my area) that I have a problem with is that the credits are not transferable to a college or university of any kind. (or visa versa.)

Good Luck!!

**EDIT The trade schools that I have personally looked into lately are MORE expensive by several thousands of dollars for the same degree (nursing) then our local community college.

Well, you know my answer. I gotta troll tagging along with me the last couple of days, dangit.