Finding the educational path that works for you Furthering your education is a major factor in succeeding in today’s workforce. There are many options available for those who are seeking to advance their education. Our state offers a wide selection of great public and private universities. This seems to be the first choice that comes to most people’s mind when they consider post-secondary education, but it is important to remember it is not the only available choice. With the rising rate of tuition, many are looking toward our state’s community colleges to offer a more affordable education. Ivy Tech Community College is the nation’s largest state-wide community college with single accreditation. One of the 23 campuses in our state is located in Ft. Wayne. Ivy Tech gives you the opportunity to obtain a college education without the high price tag. Colleges and Universities may not be the best option for everybody. There are several different fields and areas that you can enter with the appropriate training. The most important thing is finding the educational path that works best for you. Choosing a career is a big decision and it’s important you feel your decision will help lead you to a successful future. This year education has been addressed at the Statehouse in a variety of ways. We have worked on legislation that can lead to reducing college cost and getting more students graduated in four years. Senate Bill 182 is a great bill that will make it easier for college students to transfer their credits. The bill requires the Commission for Higher Education to create a common course numbering system for transferable credits. So many students lose time at college because they find out their credits are not transferable; this bill will help resolve that issue. Senate Bill 179 is legislation that works to incorporate virtual learning and education. This bill would require students pursuing a Core 40 high school diploma to complete at least one virtual instruction course before graduating high school. Online computer skills are becoming a major component in higher education. Technology is an integral part of today’s society and we must prepare our students with the skills they need to succeed in our evolving global economy. House Bill 1220 requires each state educational institution to review its undergraduate degree programs to determine the number of credit hours required for the degree and to report the results to the Commission for Higher Education. The increasing credit requirements at universities are leading to greater expenses and longer completion time for students. This bill will address the credit creep issue and hopefully decrease the amount of debt that students have when they graduate. Regardless of where your educational future takes you, there are more choices available than ever before. Make sure to do your research and find a quality option that will benefit your life. From a legislative standpoint, we will continue to work to make a college experience and education more affordable and accessible for all who wish to obtain it. |
