Online career colleges offer students the flexibility of earning a certificate or degree while maintaining their current lifestyle. Career colleges also focus on teaching courses that give students real, hands-on experience. As industries such as health care and technology continue to expand in the U.S., professionals will need to update their education and job skills to stay competitive in the workforce.

Types

Online career colleges differ based on factors such as the types of degrees and programs offered. Bryan College Online provides students with the option of choosing between online associate degree and diploma programs. Students can enroll in accounting, criminal justice, finance, marketing or travel agency operations. In comparison, Westwood College has online associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs ranging from graphic design and business, to medical assisting and automotive technology. U.S. Career Institute grants graduates with certificates in professional areas including legal transcription, office administration and medical coding. However, students can also enroll in one of their 10 associate degree programs.

Curriculum

Courses offered at online career colleges hone in on the skills required for student’s particular field or chosen area of emphasis. Byan College Online Associate Degree of Applied Science in Finance covers topics including entrepreneurial finance; investments, security analysis and portfolio management; money and banking; and fundraising for nonprofits. The Child Day Care Specialist Certificate program at the U.S. Career Institute covers child development, child psychology, health and safety, and state and local regulations for running day care businesses. Some online career colleges also break down courses into core, required and general education.

Requirements

Admissions requirements for online career colleges vary from program to program. Westwood College states that applicants must possess a high school diploma, GED or equivalent degree prior to applying to an associate or bachelor’s degree program. International applicants who are non-native English speakers must successfully complete an English proficiency exam. Moreover, prospective students must interview with a Westwood College representative, as well as provide transcripts and standardized test scores. In contrast, certificate only programs such as those offered at the U.S. Career Institute request that students complete a standard online application with their personal contact information, age, educational background, intended program and payment method for tuition. Official high school transcripts, test scores and personal essays are not required.

Financial Aid

Students attending online career colleges such as the U.S. Career Institute must pay their own tuition. No financial assistance is offered. However, students enrolling in one of Westwood College’s full-degree programs can apply for federal aid by submitting a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Additionally, full-time students can apply for new student, continuing education and matching scholarships. Additional materials, including recommendation letters and a personal essay, must be submitted along with the application. Bryan College Online admissions representatives direct students to federal financial aid resources, and help with applications for Federal Pell Grants, Stafford Loans and state loans and grants.

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Communication is becoming an increasingly important aspect of life in the 21st century. To be an effective communicator, writing skills are a must, whether you are writing an email, a text message or preparing a corporate presentation. However, it takes time to become an effective communicator and writer. Fortunately, you can improve your writing now, without spending days or even weeks on laborious writing drills.

Brevity and Simplicity

Brevity and simplicity are the two basic qualities of clear writing, according to Paula LaRocque, the author of “Championship Writing: 50 Ways to Improve Your Writing.” Accordingly, write in simple and easy-to-read sentences. To improve clarity, focus on the most interesting aspect of your subject matter. Also, begin your writing with general statements, providing further details in later paragraphs.

“That” or “Which”

A common problem with many sloppy sentences is the abuse of the “which” conjunction, according to an article by Jody Gilbert published on TechRepublic.com. To improve the “flow” of your writing, use conjunction “that” instead of “which” if the clause — the information following the conjunction — is essential and without it the sentence would not convey the intended meaning. For example, “The plane, which was to take off at 2 p.m., was delayed” would better read as “The plane that was to take off at 2 p.m. was delayed.” Always use commas to separate a non-essential clause beginning with “which.”

Wordiness

Wordiness is one of the chief enemies of a well-written text because it makes the writing appear unprofessional and distracts the reader. Common examples of wordy phrases include “make an effort” instead of “try,” “located at” instead of “at,” nodded his head” instead of “nodded” and “equally as good” instead of “equally good.”

Active Writing

Active writing means giving preference to active voice over passive voice. It requires the writer to eliminate “weak” words like “can,” “may” and “should,” going straight to the point instead. For example, “You should write in active voice,” reads better as, “Write in active voice.”

Referring to Organizations

While a company or an organization may consist of many people, referring to it as “they” is incorrect. To most people a collective group is still a single entity. Refer to a company as “they” when you are explicitly writing about the company’s employees.

“That” or “Who”

Use “who” when referring to people. For example, “Mr. Jones is the manager that promoted me” should read “Mr. Jones is the manager who promoted me.”

Cliches

Cliches come in three forms, according to Paula LaRocque. The first group includes indispensable cliches, or phrases, that are difficult to replace with conventional words with the same level of eloquence. An example would be “slept like a log.” Acceptable cliches are those that are easily recognizable yet are not easily predictable — for example, opening “a Pandora’s briefcase” when writing about lawyers. Avoid “fad-speak” and unoriginal cliches such as “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist” and “He is history.”

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