In today’s world of career education, students have more choices than ever before. In the old days, “going to college” literally meant going to a far-off school and living in an ivy-covered dormitory for months at a time. Not any more! Today’s students can often choose to live on campus, commute from home, or even get their degree through Internet programs that don’t require travel.

Let’s look at the advantages and disadvantages of each.

• Living on campus. This is the old-fashioned way. Larger colleges and universities often have residence halls specifically designed for students, and may include dining facilities and recreational opportunities. Residence halls are located on or near campus, so that students can walk to class. Residence halls provide a sense of fellowship and security, which is a benefit for students who may be living away from home for the first time. The downside? Living on campus can be expensive, with room and board fees often costing nearly as much as tuition. For adult students with families, moving away from home for months every year may not be an option.

• Commuting. If you choose to attend a college or career training school near your home, commuting may be the perfect solution. Many career colleges are located near major population enters, and cater to students who commute from home by offering flexible day, evening, or even weekend classes. Commuting means that you have greater freedom when juggling work, family, and school responsibilities. You’ll save big bucks, too, compared with living in a residence hall.

Many excellent career colleges don’t have residence halls because they serve the local population, so if you’re applying to a career training school in your community you may expect to commute. At Education-For-Careers, you can locate many of the career colleges that are nearest to your community.

• Distance Learning. Forget the clichés about “mail-order” degrees. Thanks to the Internet, many schools are offering certificates, bachelor’s degrees, and even master’s degrees through challenging online programs. These distance learning programs are often taught by the same instructors who teach on campus, use the same textbooks and resources, and offer personal feedback and interaction with fellow students.

Distance learning may be the right choice if the program that you want is not available in your community, or if your work and family schedule make it difficult to attend class on campus. Through distance learning you can get the work done according to your schedule—day, night, weekends, whenever!

Many technical schools that require hands-on training—such as auto mechanic, HVAC, or computer repair schools—offer a split program. In this case, students complete part of their studies online, and then attend class on campus for the second half of their training. This is an effective solution that is becoming increasingly popular, because it combines the efficiency of the Internet with the experience of hands-on training.

Live on campus? Commute? Distance learning? The choices today are greater than ever. Check out the schools on Education-For-Careers and contact the ones that have the programs you need. See what options they offer. You may find that you can get career training more quickly and conveniently than you ever imagined.