Getting a Degree

Many companies are going all out to recruit minority college students for co-ops, internships and entry-level jobs. For some organizations, it's simply the right thing to do. But for many more, hiring minority candidates has become a business imperative stemming not only from government regulations but the increasingly global economy and the growing diversity of customer or client bases as well. In short, having a diverse workforce is now an essential part of doing business.

But that doesn't mean that as a minority college student, you'll have an easy, straightforward job search.

Shane Torchiana was working in asset management in a job focused on global-fixed income, but he wanted to make the leap to analyst and eventually become a fund manager.

 

His first thought was to apply to a traditional two-year M.B.A. program. But he believed he didn't need years of general management training in order to get the specific career he wanted. After researching his options, Mr. Torchiana opted for a master's degree in finance at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Sloan School of Management, a new yearlong program launched this year.

 

Continuing Your Education?

 

The resources available for students returning to college are countless. Many students may never have finished college, they may have been interrupted, or they may be choosing to return to pursue a higher degree.

 

In any case, not only are there federal student loans, private or alternative loans, but there are also many scholarship and grant programs that invest in the educations of returning students.

 

Colleges and Universities

You could live in the boonies, or maybe you have five kids and a job that keeps you at your desk until 7 p.m. every night. Or perhaps you're on the road five days a week.

 

You want to get ahead and know a master's of business administration (MBA) degree could be the ticket, but for one reason or another, you can't attend class at the local university. Should you consider enrolling in an online MBA program, or is that a waste of time and money?

 

How do you find the top graduate schools for the areas of study which interest you? In the same way you approach the news media-seek information from as many different sources as possible. Just as you do not rely only on the local newspaper or a single news network, your efforts to find these top graduate schools should begin with gathering information from multiple "channels."

 

With more than $60 billion earmarked for student loans, the federal government is committed to helping you attend graduate school. Perkins, Stafford, and PLUS loans are all available to graduate students.

Perkins Student Loans

Getting into graduate or professional school requires some time and planning. Use the list below to set a personal timeline. Before you know it, you'll be on your way to earning your advanced degree.

• Establish your goal(s) for attending graduate or professional school before you do anything else. If your goals are career-oriented, determine what you enjoy doing and see how graduate or professional school can help you do just that.
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These days, education is playing a bigger part in your career than ever before. More and more, employers are encouraging employees to take advantage of tuition reimbursement programs to go back to school -- but workers wonder if it's worth the time and effort.

 

Additionally, the unsightly job market is making college students rethink their entry into the real world. Instead, many students are continuing their education -- but they don't know if the extra credentials will help or hurt them when they do join the work force.

 

If you're planning to apply to graduate school, it's best to start early.

 

Applications for most PhD programs are due in December or January, while deadlines for master's programs tend to hit in January, February or March. No matter which degree you pursue, starting early will give you more time to prepare and polish your application.

 

Everyone knows that grad school is a lot different from undergraduate studies, but there is at least one aspect that the two phases of education share-and that's the importance of entrance exams. Whether you're studying law or finance, most accredited institutions require test scores of some sort, and it pays to find out as much as possible beforehand. Get the goods on the most common types of graduate school exams:

GRE