Posts Tagged ‘online college’

Courses Online – Education Through Technology Needs Focus

Friday, July 22nd, 2011

Those who learn the most from online college tend to be the quick learners. A steady and controlled pace gives motivated individuals the opportunity to excel where regular classes do not. Classes often get held back by the constant “busy work” that takes away time that could be used more effectively. Schools with online classes, however, have their own method that lets the students decide how they’ll learn the best!

In many cases, bright students find themselves tired of traditional classrooms because the pace they are learning at doesn’t suit them. Whether it is too slow or too fast, their learning is hindered because it isn’t tailored to what works best for them. Conversely, online college leaves it up to the student to decide how fast or slow they wish to study. This allows for more effective learning, giving the students pursuing an online degree an edge over most students taking standard classes.

With a unique learning style designed specifically for them, students will not only learn more, but also learn quicker. Schools online remove a large amount of the typical distractions of the standard classroom and allow students to gain as much as they put into their work. Students can, in fact, likely learn more at an online college with the proper attitude and drive, all without altering their daily lives.

Schools offering learning from a distance are quite aware of the day-to-day hassles that get in the way of pursuing a higher education. That is why online colleges don’t force their students into abiding by a preset schedule. Students are encouraged to continue their necessary activities at the times required and fit in their studies at the time that best suit their needs. That way, financial difficulties, travel itineraries, and even social arrangements, which might only interfere with a student’s overall learning ability, are completely avoided!

Even commuting to class these days can result in more wasted time than gained. Often students will spend more time on the road going to class than they will in the classroom itself! Instead of wasting so much time traveling, students could be learning from home trying to get their online degree. With gas prices constantly increasing and dangerous highways everywhere, it seems a much more logical choice to learn comfortably from one’s own home.

Yet another benefit of online college, though often forgotten, comes simply in the form of convenience and comfort. Students underestimate how crucial a relaxing learning environment can be to the entire learning process. Most classrooms are filled with hard metal chairs built to fit as many as possible into one cramped room. Such chairs are built for the university’s benefit, not for the benefit of the students. However, if one is seeking an online degree, he or she has the luxury of finding a quiet area to settle into, one that provides optimum comfort while studying.

Additionally, students learning from home are capable of avoiding many unnecessary distractions that the average classroom is often filled with. Common interferences such as coughing neighbors, wobbly desks, or tapping pencils have a way of getting under even the best student’s skin. By learning in their own controlled environment, online classes help students minimize such distractions. With a properly established study area, students can leave the noisy classrooms behind and increase their learning tenfold.

Ideally, online college is meant for the motivated individual as those exploring online college will note. Students who find themselves wishing they could just skip the nonsense that plagues most classrooms would likely do well to consider their own distance learning college. Though not necessarily for everyone, the benefits of working at a steady pace from home can, for many, far outweigh the positive aspects of attending a traditional classroom.

Online Classes Can Be The Start Of An Exciting Career For You!

Wednesday, July 20th, 2011

You’ve been preparing for months and tomorrow’s the day. You’ve been spending many a night, drilling until you can do any simulation backwards and forwards. You’ve even remembered to take the day off from work. Next, you’ll be taking the GMAT. All going well, you’ll be starting your MBA program shortly.

What one must remember in taking this test is you will be commuting to a neutral site, one not of your choosing or preference. It could be a town hall, college classroom or the annex of a library. You just can’t just stand up and grab a coke or a textbook. The goal is to make the environment as conducive to your comfort as possible. As such, you should do the following:

Get A Good Night’s Sleep – Cramming and drilling is fine, but only to a point. Walking to the test facility with only 2-3 hours of sleep is a guaranteed way to make a number of mistakes you wouldn’t make if you were fresh and alert. Some breakfast doesn’t hurt either.

Get Plenty of Scrap Paper and Pens – Just because the Verbal and Quantitative parts of the GMAT are multiple choice doesn’t mean you won’t be doing some sort of calculations. Make sure you have enough supplies to be able to do all that you have to.

Scope Out the Facility and Dress In Layers – The facility may not be the ideal situation to test in. Examine your surroundings before you sign in so you know where you can eat, use the restroom or just stretch your legs. Also, keep a sweater or the ability to strip down a bit if the air conditioning isn’t working properly (this does happen). The exam is a full day, and those little things add up.

Familiarize Yourself With Your Terminal – As said many times before, the GMAT is now online. Therefore, make sure your terminal is fully functional before you start the test. Once the test begins, they aren’t going to care if the mouse doesn’t work. While you’re at it, make sure your desk and chair are to your liking.

Pace Yourself – Don’t get overconfident or freeze up. This is what all that drilling and simulation runs are going to pay off. In fact, you shouldn’t have even signed up for the GMAT until you could do a test run smoothly at home. Go too fast and you might miss an important piece of info. Go too slow, and you will be severely penalized due to unanswered questions. A steady pace, like finishing a segment with one to two minutes to spare, is the way to go.

Yes, these suggestions may sound off base and perhaps even irrelevant, but they’re not. You’ve pursued an online education towards your degree and now you at the all important test stage. Like taking the online prep course, what you are truly doing is making the testing environment as comfortable to you as possible. There are innumerable studies out there that when one does this, their results are far better than if not. Everything you’ve done for your own online school comes into play now as you continue towards the goal of your own online business degree. Students who’ve taken the time to participate in online MBA programs should take just a few minutes more to ensure their success.

There Are Numerous Courses Online Options Available For Dads!

Monday, July 11th, 2011

Some individuals who choose to start a family also make the decision to put their personal lives on hold. They feel that their duties are best suited to looking after the kids and taking care of the home. However, with the emergence of more schools online and the ability for individuals to study on a flexible schedule, college for parents is not as mythic a pursuit as it may have once seemed.

Workplace salaries tend to increase with the level of education an individual has, according to reports. As of 1999, U.S. Census Bureau information shows, high school graduates on average earned $30,400 annually, compared with $38,200 for those with associate degrees and $52,200 for bachelor degree-holders before taxes. The costs of raising a child from birth to the completion of high school: $222,360, according to Agriculture Department information cited in a June CBS News report. Figuring in taxes at 25 percent and an average 2007 monthly rental cost that the Census Bureau reports is $755 including utilities, parents raising one child on a single high school graduate’s salary could expect to have a spare $809 per month ($186 per week) for mobile telephone, transportation, additional food and insurance costs and savings. With one bachelor’s degree salary, those same parents would have an additional $2,170 per month, or $501 per week, for the other expenses and savings.

Parents might also find that a college degree opens doors to fulfilling careers. That was the case with parent Darlene Pritt, now an acting school superintendent in the Pittsburgh area. Pritt’s children indirectly helped her realize that she could succeed at the career of her dreams by continuing her education, according to what she told the Daily American newspaper.

Pritt’s experiences as a homeroom parent brought back childhood memories of playing “school” with her sister and cousins, according to the April Daily American report. She obtained a bachelor’s degree, then a master’s and was planning to continue toward a doctorate degree. Studying toward each degree at a different institution provided for a variety of experiences, she told the publication.

Stories like Pritt’s indicate that a return to college for parents is not only welcomed, but is far from out of the ordinary. Her story is, in fact, borne out in a June New York Times article. The majority of mothers – 54 percent – now have a college education, as compared with 41 percent who did in 1990, the article noted. While some of this might have to do with a trend in delaying motherhood, parents who want to help their offspring be productive members of society might help that along by providing a good example. Working hard at online degree programs or taking on-campus courses is one way that these individuals can communicate their dedication and drive to their kids.

Challenges can include finding time for studies between parental responsibilities. That’s where online college, university and career and technical school studies might help. Working toward a degree online allows parents to study when the children are asleep or at school.

The average cost for one year of studies at a four-year college is $30,393, including tuition, room and board and other expenses, according to U.S. Department of Education information cited in the CBS News report. With online college pursuits, however, parents don’t have to worry about associated costs such as room and board or meal plans. They don’t have to pay for childcare costs or spend time or money commuting. Parents who work full-time can more easily pursue degrees at any level. What’s more, financial aid these days is available to students of all ages, putting tuition itself within greater reach.

Many campus and online colleges, universities and career and technical schools offer scholarships for students to participate in studies at their institutions. Parents can also look toward government agencies, large corporations, non-profit organizations and community and civic groups that offer scholarships, fellowships and grants for online classes program choices. Financial aid offerings can be awarded based on areas that include leadership and community service. Some are designed to encourage specific groups, such as women and minorities, to continue their undergraduate degree; others are geared toward specific studies. Many require that institutions be accredited, which means students are more likely able to transfer credits and potential employers might look more favorably upon the resulting degrees. The U.S. Department of Education maintains a list of accredited institutions on its web site.

Course Online: Prep For GMAT Testing!

Sunday, July 10th, 2011

In the real world, people are often confronted with one sort of dilemma or another. One of the biggest is trying to come to a decision even when one isn’t sure if they can. This is a lesson any student planning to go for their MBA should take to heart.

The reason for this is the GMAT exam. It measures how much one has retained from undergraduate school and work experience. Anyone who scores well has their choice of post-graduate programs to attend and better job opportunities. Don’t score well, and the best option is to take it again, but who wants to take it twice?

The common way to prepare is to take an online preparatory course. This has a double benefit. The first is the GMAT itself is now automated. These programs will drill the applicant with simulations that parallel the test, thus creating familiarity. The other advantage is one can study around one’s work schedule, thus not losing valuable present-day income and being able to report to one’s job on time.

Yet there’s another lesser known aspect of the test that usually goes unmentioned, but is another strong reason to consider prepping online. Each portion of the GMAT has a time limit. All three segments of the exam must be completed within them. If not, the unanswered questions are counted against one’s total score.

The math in this situation is pretty clear cut. The cold equations are for each question left unanswered, one’s score is reduced by 3%. Leave as few as five questions blank, and one is already working from a 15% deficit. In other words, the best one can hope to get is in the top 85%…and that is only if one answers all the other problems correctly. Top flight post-grad programs prefer their applicants in the 90% bracket or better.

As such, when looking for a prep program, it would be a solid idea that the drills and simulations include a stop watch or other kind of timing app. The idea is to develop a way of timing one’s self so one can get to the last question with time to spare. It will also drill you so you learn to have plenty of such things as scratch paper, pens and other things allowed and not dwell to long on one question.

In fact, a defect in the current GMAT format is starting to be observed because of the way it works. Quite frankly, the way the test is scored it’s better to put an answer down, period, than to leave a question unanswered. If you come across a question that’s an absolute stumper, efficiently eliminate the most obviously wrong answers one can choose from, then select from what remains. As one expert puts it, it’s better to shoot oneself in one foot than put a plug in both.

One could also argue that this is the way things actually work in the business world, that it’s really making the most intelligent guess given any circumstance. In the real world one simply doesn’t have the time to divine the best answer all the time. But your can keep the odds in your favor by preparing with online college options.Thus maybe the GMAT tests one’s business knowledge better than you think, and gives you the best chance to complete your business degree.

Grants Facilitate Online Degree Pursuits

Saturday, July 9th, 2011

Procrastination may sometimes seem to be a normal part of a teenager’s life. Even important tasks, like completing an application for financial aid, might be put off because there are other things to do that seem like more fun. But as the deadline approaches, students may find that putting off the inevitable leaves them in a panic to finish what should have been done weeks, or even months ago.

Generally speaking, applications for financial aid take quite a bit of time to complete because they require a large amount of detailed information. If a student is in a rush to get in turned it, they might accidentally make mistakes. Mistakes, big or small, could lead a student to lose a portion or even all of the aid they may have been eligible for and that could end up being very costly. If a student is depending on that aid to pay for college and they fill out the form wrong, they might end up waiting until the following semester, or even the following year, until they can go to school.

Students need to be detail-oriented when filling out financial aid forms. Having all of the necessary information on hand before starting is a good idea. When filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), having the necessary tax information right there will make the process easier. Most financial aid packages will be filled out either online or on paper, and then mailed in.

Some financial aid applications require so much information that they might seem confusing to students. The last thing a student needs to do is worry whether or not they filled out the form correctly. That’s why it’s a good idea to have an adult help complete a student’s applications. Parents or school counselors are a good source of help.

Another very good source of information is the financial aid office of the college you have been accepted to. They will certainly be able to help answer any specific questions you have. By becoming familiar with the people in your financial aid office, you may be assuring yourself of helpful connections down the road who can help steer you in the right direction toward other grants and scholarships for which you may be eligible.

Sometimes, students may need additional financial help when they are at college. Knowing the people in the financial aid office may be a great benefit to a student if they find themselves in need of more money. Having the ability to enroll in a work study program or receiving some other kind of additional help may keep a student from dropping out of school just so they can pay the bills.

Financial aid packages are generally designed for those students who have demonstrated an existing income-based need to aid. However, even those students will be rejected for aid if they do not fill their forms out carefully with the correct information. That is why it is important for students to start the application process early, so they will have enough time to go back and check for any inaccuracies in the application.

Moving on to the next phase of your life and going to college is an exciting time. It may seem like there aren’t enough hours in the day to accomplish everything that needs to get done. Make sure you give yourself plenty of time to do a thorough job on your online degree applications. Have someone else check them for mistakes, and make sure you’ve done it right to receive the maximum college grants. When you start receiving checks in the mail and the registrar sends you an invoice that says “paid in full”, you’ll be glad you did.

Completing Your Online School Is A Step Toward Your Doctorate

Sunday, April 10th, 2011

The terms Doctoral degree and PhD. are often used interchangeably. What many don’t realize is that a PhD. is actually a more specific type of Doctoral degree, a Doctorate of Philosophy. A PhD. can be earned in a wide number of subject areas. The differences between a PhD. and other types of Doctoral degrees can be best illustrated by the types of careers that they prepare students for.

A PhD. prepares students for a career in research or teaching at a four-year university. Earning a PhD. enables those who wish to teach at such a school to earn tenure and move up through the ranks of the faculty. Doctoral degrees in fields such as law or medicine are meant to prepare students for a professional career in their chosen field. For instance, those who wish to practice law earn a J.D. Those who wish to practice medicine earn an M.D. Often, there are additional requirements for practicing in these fields, such as the bar exam for prospective lawyers.

So, the differences between Doctoral and PhD. degrees are apparent. The level of study required for any of these degrees far surpasses that of a bachelor’s or Master’s degree. The advantages of a Doctoral degree are many.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate for Doctoral degree holders is nearly four times less than the average for all workers. The average annual salary is also higher for those with these advanced degrees, with degree holders earning over twice the amount of all workers.

Other than these obvious benefits, why does one choose to pursue a PhD.? Experts agree that a student must have a love of the subject that they are studying in order to be successful in earning such a degree. After all, earning a PhD. requires approximately an additional 60 hours of course work beyond the Master’s level, and most require students to write a dissertation as well.

What are some of the highest fields of growth in Doctoral degrees? It is little surprise to find that the areas of study with the highest growth rates where these advanced degrees were awarded were also some of the career areas that showed the highest rates of job opportunity growth. Biological and health science, computer science, and engineering were at the top of the list.

For PhD. degrees, the focus for graduates is on research. Most academic research is done at four-year universities, and these types of settings offer the greatest potential for promotion and gaining tenure, moving from positions such as assistant professor to associate professor, and finally to full professorship. The growth of subject fields mirrors that of Doctoral degrees, which logically follows, as students will want to earn degrees and perform research in fields that are in demand and where opportunities are likely to be more plentiful.

The consensus is clear. In order to pursue your Doctorate degree in any subject, one must have a real love for the subject matter and a willingness to put in the long hours and hard work that will be required. The rewards are also clear. Gratifying positions with higher salaries, the opportunity to work in high-demand jobs, and lower unemployment rates make the prospect of pursuing a Doctoral or PhD. degree quite attractive to those with the drive, ambition, and desire to pursue the advanced degree. Find additional details about online school to speed your success.

Achieve A Successful Career With Your Online Education

Wednesday, March 30th, 2011

Aren’t you glad that the internet exists? The games, the way to meet new people, a great way to go shopping without leaving home! These are just a few of the positive aspects of the internet, but there is one that can have an even bigger impact upon your life. By enrolling into an Associate’s online degree program in an area that interests you, a better lifestyle is in your future, plus having job security during a time of high unemployment rates.

You already know that through the internet you can obtain a degree in just about any field of interest, and you know about how convenient it is, especially if you have a family that would like to see you in the evenings.

There are those that still think that a traditional learning environment is more beneficial; however, with the economy being what it is and gas prices continuously increasing, not having to budget for travel expenses is a great thing. Although, when comparing course for course, the cost is about the same with no difference between online degree programs and campus based programs. Another factor is by staying at home, you do not have to hire a babysitter.

Another point to contemplate is if you need special help with learning, you can obtain a modification depending upon your needs, as long as you have proof of your situation. This is also very important for the returning, slightly older student that has to relearn how to study effectively. At the same time, for the student that wants to decrease the amount of time to complete a class by working ahead through an online degree program, all of this is possible.

Can you imagine having 48 hours in which to take a required test? Online degree programs are structured to allow you to schedule testing when it is convenient for you. Also, when you have decided upon which class you would like to enroll in, there is no need to worry that the class will be full because it is first come, first serve. You can actually wait until the very last minute to choose your courses.

A great selling point during the cold months of the year is that you can be at home drinking hot chocolate instead of dealing with the elements. This will help to keep you healthy especially if the influenza bug is around and thriving.

This is a new way of thinking about obtaining a higher education, and those students before you have discovered that there are some tricks that will make your life simpler. Always remember to print out everything that you are responsible to know; this is a great way for safe guarding yourself against technical mishaps. Of course, all the data should be put into some form of order to make it easier to find what you are looking for. Another thing to always do prior to sending out emails full of inquiries to your professor is to go over all of the information and notes to make sure that you are not wasting anyone’s time because you had the answers in front of you all along.

The internet does provide us with many forms of entertainment, but even more important is it can help us advance in our careers by achieving an online associate’s degree to start with, which increases our worth as an employee. In other words, a raise is called for! Find more information about online school on the internet.

Completing Your Online Masters In Education Can Bring A New Success To Your Life

Tuesday, March 29th, 2011

You know you need it to advance in your career, and you know that there will never be a “right” time that is better than now. Your Master’s degree is your educational goal but you have no flexibility with scheduling due to work and family. Well, you are in luck! Online Master’s degree programs have arrived with all the respect and prestige of degrees obtained through traditional methods and locations.

Some of the pre-requisites that you will have to take in consideration to pursue an online Master’s degree program are your convenience in time and travel to the campus by giving you full control of your most valuable asset, your time. By furthering your education online, you can actually have the convenience of listening/reading your assignments to their completion all in the comfort of your home. And don’t forget, you can actually study day or night.

Even if you reside in Florida, you can enroll into a school located in the state of Washington. There are so many institutions to choose from, and it is also possible to shop around for a better deal relating to the cost of each course or complete an online Master’s degree program.

The amount of time required to complete a Master’s degree program is usually two years, but through an online program, you have other options that you can consider. There are a number of degree types and various instruction methods for you to investigate. A technical degree compared to the non-technical is different because it requires more credits for completion.

If time is of the essence, you might want to choose online courses that are asynchronous in teaching method. This online degree program offers the student increased flexibility in order to get through the courses quicker, where as a synchronous method has a set schedule of days and hours.

There are three other possibilities to view. The accelerated degree program which has courses shorter in length and are many times scheduled one right after the other with no break in between. The fast-track program is another form to obtain a Master’s degree that concentrates only on the specific topic that is chosen. Last is an honorary degree which is granted immediately to the student that has contributed to the academic community through independent research and has resulted in new data or theories over the course of his/her professional career; this type of Master’s degree does not involve any required courses.

When choosing and online Master’s degree program, you must follow the basic rule of choosing a school that is fully accredited. The next step is whether or not the program is offered at an accelerated pace or at a fast-track level. Remember to find out whether the classes are asynchronous and online. Once you have followed the basic steps on your quest for online Master’s degree program, you are one step further to set a personal schedule to follow which will ensure your success in the completion of the online degree program.

With all the workable varieties of online Masters in education programs, your Masters degrees online can be achieved with little or no stress at all! The result is finally reaching your educational goal.

There Are Many Financial Aid Options Available For Your Online College

Monday, January 17th, 2011

Colleges and universities, like students, are provided money in the form of grants. Some institutions obtain grant money as a means of adding new degree programs. Others are provided grant money that they turn around and give to students in the form of scholarships. Millions of dollars in grants this year alone have been provided to colleges and universities throughout the country, including:

Bowling Green State University: This Bowling Green, Ohio, institution was provided a $911,658 federal grant. The grant money came from an American Recovery and Reinvestment Act Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block program and is to be applied in part to “green” efforts on campus. These efforts include upgrading heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems in one building, as well as installing lighting that’s energy efficient and, with the indoor climate, controlled by technology.

Concordia University: This Lutheran Portland, Ore., institution was provided a $123,188 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission. The grant money, which the Orbis Cascade Alliance’s Northwest Digital Archives administered, is to be applied to cataloguing religiously and historically important archives. Concordia University isn’t the only area institution to participate in the effort. Its focus, however, has to do with the Lutheran religion in relationship to the German settlers who formed the largest 19th century ethnic group in the Pacific Northwest.

Davenport University in Grand Rapids, Mich.: A $35,000 grant provided by the DTE Energy Foundation was announced in May. With the money, Davenport University’s Grand Rapids Pre-College Engineering Program plans to help middle school teachers provide hands-on projects intended to boost the appeal of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers among students.

Fisher College, Boston, Mass: A $10,000 grant provided by the Verizon Foundation was announced in July. With the money, Fisher College and Signature Healthcare/ Brockton Hospital School of Nursing plan to train instructors in simulation technology and provide other forms of academic support services. Through Fisher College’s partnership with the Brockton Hospital School of Nursing, students in a nursing degree program earn their associate degrees after completing coursework at the hospital and the college. The Verizon Foundation supports nursing programs by paying for summer skills workshops, peer mentors and other efforts.

Brescia University, Owensboro, Ky.: The US Department of Education awarded Brescia University a $281,994 grant, an amount that’s expected to be provided each year for five years. This grant money is to help first-generation students and those who have disabilities and financial needs. These students receive this assistance through a Brescia University Student Support Services program that, as a federal TRIO program, is paid for with federal money.

Brown Mackie College: This Salina, Kan., institution was provided two federal grants amounting to $64,355. The grant money is to help first-generation college students with financial needs and 2.5 grade point averages or higher participate in an associate degree program in nursing that Brown Mackie College offers. To qualify, the students must come from rural communities or communities that are medically underserved. This grant money comes in part from a Disadvantaged Students program that’s part of the American Recovery & Reinvestment Act and in part from a Scholarships for Disadvantaged Students program.

Grants provided by the government and other organizations extend well beyond Pell Grants. Even still, however, they might help make college and university studies, whether they are on campus or online degree more of a reality for students. As these school grants show, the awards can also benefit the environment and help educate students even beyond the undergraduate level.

Getting Your Grants For Online College Is A Good Choice

Sunday, January 9th, 2011

Grants aren’t only provided to help students pay for college and university studies. In higher education, at least, these undergraduate and graduate institutions often expand their offerings with the help of grants. This year alone, public and private colleges and universities have been provided grants worth millions of dollars. They plan to spend the grant money they’ve received on everything from summer student scholarships to statewide education initiatives.

Grace College: This Winona Lake, Indiana, college has received a $5 million National Science Foundation grant. The grant money is to be applied to researching the effects of climate change on Great Lakes water quality. The money is to be provided to Grace College in yearly installments of $75,000 over the course of five years, according to Dr. Nate Bosch, an environmental biology professor and director of Kosciusko Lakes and Streams, a Grace College community water quality program.

Harding University: This Searcy, Arizona, university has received a $3,500 State Farm Insurance grant. The funds, awarded to Harding’ Cannon-Clary College of Education and the Arkansas Teachers for National Board Certification, is to be applied to a Harding University hosted Arkansas Teachers for National Board Certification conference that’s scheduled for January 2011. It’s to help pay for events, as well as keynote speaker Dr. Jerry Parks, a middle school teacher of social studies who was inducted into the Teacher Hall of Fame in 2009.

Kent State University, Kent, Ohio: The US Department of Energy has provided three Kent State University professors with a three-year, $1 million grant. The researchers are to use the grant money for research involving carbon storage and releases.

Loyola University, New Orleans, La.: The Health Resources and Services Administration has provided Loyola University a grant worth more than $1 million. Loyola University plans to use the grant money to pay for faculty, staff and program needs associated with launching an online degree in nursing. This online degree, a doctor of nursing practice, is to begin in 2013, according to a July Loyola University announcement.

Marygrove College, Detroit, Mich.: The Erb Foundation has provided a $20,000 grant to Marygrove College’s Institute of Music and Dance. The grant money, to be provided in two installments of $10,000 per year, is to help pay for scholarships so that students can participate in classes at the institute, according to a Marygrove College announcement. Marygrove College’s Institute of Music and Dance is a year-round school that offers classes in theater, art, music and dance.

Marylhurst University: This Marylhurst, Oregon, university has received a $75,000 Oregon Community Foundation grant. The money, provided through the foundation’s Sande Emmy Fund, is to benefit a music therapy program. Marylhurst University students as part of what’s known as Creative Arts Therapies for Kids, or CATs 4 Kids, work with special needs children.

Students might not receive grants such as these directly. Yet, they often benefit when the money is used for scholarships and for programming that helps train them for their futures. When colleges and universities institute programs, whether on campus or online course, that benefit the community at large, grant money goes even farther, as the grants for college provided this year demonstrate.