Most high school graduates plan to get some kind of higher education. That’s a natural desire because college or university degrees significantly improve their holders’ job and career prospects. But getting a degree is usually rather difficult. It involves spending a lot of time and money – oftentimes, with unpredictable outcomes.
The difficulties that applicants and students face include financial issues like having to pay student loans, combining on-campus classes and part-time – or sometimes even full-time – jobs, coping with academic anxiety and stress, and more.
So, smart students often look for faster and easier ways to get college or university degrees. If you are one of such learners, we’ve got good news for you! There are indeed several ways that can facilitate your route to graduation from uni. Read on to find them out.
Taking AP Classes
If you’re sure that you’re going to continue your education at a college or university, the wisest thing to do is to start preparing for it at high school. Taking AP classes is the most popular option for such preparation.
AP (Advanced Placement) is a special program by College Board offering college-level classes for high school students. At the end of each course of the program, students have to pass an exam. The results are evaluated in a range from 1 to 5. The higher scores can be converted to college credits that give students an opportunity to skip some introductory courses.
AP exams usually include several tests and essays. Here is a tip for you – it is possible to pay for essay from time to time during a semester. Yet, be sure to learn something from the examples you obtain from writing services in order to prepare yourself for future academic assignments.
Choosing Online Degree Programs
Online programs are still considered by many as being inferior to on-campus ones. This is especially the case if we’re talking about high-profile universities like Oxford, Harvard, and alike. But the truth is, such programs can be very beneficial for well-organized students.
While it’s true that online education may offer fewer opportunities in terms of networking and using the educational institution’s campus capacities, it has a lot of attractive features, too. Among them are the following:
- lower tuition costs;
- increased flexibility;
- no need to relocate if you choose to study abroad;
- more opportunities to study and work (travel, have a family, etc.) while getting a degree;
- online programs are often shorter.
So, if you’re quite confident in your organizational skills and commitment, go for it!
Getting Credits for Previous Experience
If you already have some experience in the field that you’re going to study at university, you can try to get credit for it. Many higher education institutions offer this option to their applicants. So, if you’re thinking about going this way, be sure to check if it’s possible at a college or university of your choice.
Also, this way is usually not suitable for those freshly out of high school for the simple reason that the majority of young people couldn’t have any significant work/life experience. Though, of course, there are some exceptions.
But for those who have taken a gap year, done military service, or tried entrepreneurship, getting credit for work/life experience is an attractive option. It can help in reducing tuition costs and the amount of time spent on getting a degree. If you’re interested in this option, check CLEP and DANTES (DSST) programs.
Transferring From a Community College
Community colleges exist in many countries, but they are especially popular in the US. These are the means to participate in college transfer academic programs. The idea is that it’s much easier to enroll in a 2-year community college. You won’t have to go through all the difficulties and stress of enrolling in a traditional 4-year college.
Another thing that is very important in this scheme is significantly reduced tuition costs. Community colleges are cheaper than even an online program at an established 4-year school.
Choosing One of Easier Majors
Let’s be honest: some majors are easier than others. So, if you want to get your Bachelor’s degree or even a Master’s without too much hassle, one of the smartest ways to do it is to choose from the easiest ones.
However, be aware that some majors that may seem easy for students who are inclined to certain subjects – literature, psychology, public relations, etc. – may turn out to be extremely difficult if you have neither talent nor the inclination to study related disciplines. So, be realistic and don’t choose certain majors just because someone told you they are easy.
Taking a Gap Year
“How can taking a gap year help me get a degree easily?” – you would probably ask. The answer is simple: it will give you the time to deliberate.
Sometimes young people freshly out of high school don’t really know what they’re going to do with their lives next. Still, they feel the pressure to go on studying and get any sort of higher education just because they need to have some degree.
In such cases, getting that degree is seldom easy. Students usually feel confused and frustrated, they often change majors, and can’t get committed enough to their studies. For such young people taking a gap year is the best possible decision as it helps them get some perspective.
Final Words
Now you see – if you really want to get your university degree faster and easier, it is quite possible. However, many of the options that we’ve reviewed in this article require some effort, too. So don’t expect that your degree will be given to you on a silver plate.
You will need to work anyway, but the amount of time and money you’ll spend on getting higher education may vary significantly. So, use as many options to facilitate your way to getting a degree as possible!
