As you get ready for Thanksgiving and the Holiday season, here are 7 statistics about the holidays and college education for you to think about.

1. Americans eat about 690 million pounds of turkey on Thanksgiving. That’s the equivalent to the amount of sod on 3,080 college football fields.

2. This year, during the week of Thanksgiving, almost 14 times the amount of time the average college student spends studying each week (14 hours) will be spent playing college football (190 hours).

3. If Americans saved all the money they spent on the holidays in 2009 ($457 billion) they could pay the tuition for 1.6 billion bachelor’s degrees. That would mean everyone in the United States could earn 18 bachelor’s degrees.

4. If 35 families donated their Christmas budget this year ($800/family) they would have enough to help someone earn their bachelor’s degree.

5. Almost twice as many real Christmas trees are sold every year (25 million) than there are college students in the United States (14.4 million).

6. To keep your Christmas tree lit up for the entire time you are earning your bachelor’s degree, you would need to replace the lights 14 times due to burned out bulbs.

7. There are 32,256 LED lights in the New Year’s Eve Ball in Times Square. That is almost the amount of hours it takes to earn a bachelor’s degree (35,040).

If you are considering attending an online college or university, you probably realize that even online schools require a substantial expense on the part of students. There are some things that you can do to help keep costs low. Here are ten tips on keeping the costs of an online college down:

1.) Find the right program before enrolling. There are application costs and other fees associated with attending an online college, much like a traditional school. Because online colleges are often set up to work with a very specific area of study, it is best to make sure that you are applying to and attending the right school from the beginning.

2.) Ask about fee waivers. Many online colleges will waive enrollment and application fees for students having financial difficulties in order to assist them with costs.

3.) Complete the FAFSA. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid can help you to find out if you qualify for federal and state based financial aid programs.

4.) Complete any institutional financial aid applications. This will help the school to determine your ability to pay and enable them to offer you financial aid.

5.) Attend an accredited school. This is very important for several reasons. An accredited school/program will qualify you for financial aid programs and it will provide you with a degree or certificate that employers recognize as valuable.

6.) Ask your employer for help. Many companies have tuition reimbursement or remission programs for their employees in order to encourage higher education. Talk to your human resources department to find out what programs are available and if you qualify for assistance.

7.) Purchase books only when necessary. Before you purchase the required textbooks, find out if you will really need the books on your list. If possible, share with a friend or borrow the books from the library.

8.) Consider programs that will offer loan forgiveness. Many health care and public safety students will be eligible for loan forgiveness after graduation if they work at an approved place for a specific period of time after earning their degree.

9.) Find out if you qualify for scholarships. Scholarships are not just available for talented high school students. There are many scholarship programs for adult students as well.

10.) Talk to organizations to which you belong. Many organizations have money in their budgets for helping members complete their education. It never hurts to ask if there might be money available to help you cut your educational costs.

It is extremely difficult for older college students to adjust and accept a professor who is only a few years older than the students. However, it is considered “difficult” multiplied by infinity for an older student when the student is decades older than the teacher. The life concerns and responsibilities are so incredibly different. The older student, especially one with two or three children is concerned with the rent, mortgage, finding the time and a quiet place to study and coping with a family while the young “Dougie Houser” professor is obsessing over cartoons, dirt bikes, the opposite sex, a pimple, and computer games. In this case, it seems that the old adage “east is east, and west is west, and never the twain shall meet,” is the appropriate interpretation or analysis of this situation. However, it is possible to arrive at a “happy medium or median” and the two entities can co-exist without unwarranted animosity. The following tips may be useful:

1. The older student must avoid resentment of your professor’s age due to the fact that you,the older student could have literally changed your instructor’s diapers.

2. Do not expect accommodation or special favors because you are older. Avoid the attitude of superiority based on your age.

3. Do not display your negative feelings or perception of your professor’s ineptness.

4. Make an effort to get to know your professor personally.

5. Do not use your age as an excuse. It is not your young instructor’s fault that you waited for half a century before seeking a degree.

6. Be humble and realize that you really do not know everything simply because of you may have been around when the subject of discussion was invented. This young, still wet-behind-the-ears professor, in torn jeans, and tennis shoes made the necessary sacrifices to matriculate through completion. The have earned the position of being entrusted with educating others including you based on their qualifications.

7. Accept your young professor’s authority and acquiesce. It has been aptly stated and is a valid contention that this young professor has paid his dues and has an education. It is through this person that you have to get yours.

8. Don’t try to act like your professor’s age. Also, don’t try to fit in with the younger students by overcompensating. Be yourself , accept your age, enjoy your age, and use it to your advantage by commanding rather than demanding respect.

9. Earn your young professor’s respect by studying, being punctual, being prepared for class, participating in class, volunteering as needed, and striving for excellence.

10. In accordance with the golden rule, treat your young professor the way that you would want to be treated. Be kind, friendly, courteous, respectful, and never condescending.

Finally, remember, your young professor is simply another human being in this world deserving of receiving your best. Get to know your professor as a person and let them get to know you. Both of you will be the better because of the effort.

When you’re getting ready to go back to college, it’s important to get yourself in the proper mindset. You’ll want to set great study habits early on in order to ensure your success. Here are ten tips on creating good study habits for going back to college.

1. Set a consistent working time for yourself
Setting a consistent working time for yourself is one of the best ways to get yourself into good study habits, as you’ll be able to focus during this time block and get your work done.

2. Have an official desk or workspace
Working from the same place every time is a great way to get yourself in the mindset to study when you otherwise may be easily distracted.

3. Complete your assignments as they’re assigned
Always complete your assignments when they’re assigned. Putting them off can only cause them to pile up and you’ll fall behind.

4. Study your notes for 15-20 minutes each day
When you look at your notes for just a little bit each day, the material will stick with you better.

5. Practice scheduling your other commitments around your study time
Before classes begin, start blocking out your study time in your schedule to get used to working around it.

6. Connect with your instructors and classmates
Get in contact with your instructors and other classmates and plan meetings and study times to maximize your learning.

7. Read all assignments from the textbook
If the teacher has assigned a reading, it’s probably relevant to the course. You’ll also pick up other valuable material.

8. Communicate with your employer about your education
If you’re working, be sure to let your employer know that you’re also pursuing your education so that you’ll be able to better balance work and school.

9. Ask friends and family to help you
Friends and family members can help you by quizzing you, discussing material, or even being understanding of your need to work.

10. Integrate your knowledge
Try to make connections between the material you’re learning and your knowledge of other subjects to effectively integrate your learning.

While you’re working on your online degree, you can be planning the next step in your career. The good news is, potential employers recognize the effort that you’ve put into getting an education and having your degree puts you a giant step ahead of all the applicants who haven’t proven that they can work hard in school and graduate. The bad news is, this is a tough time for anybody to get a job with the slumping global economy so you’re going to have to go the extra mile to land your new gig. Here’s ten great tips to get you started on the path to your new career while you’re still in school.

1.) Network with your professors and ask for a recommendation and reference. Be sure to ask about their areas of expertise and research interests.

2.) Visit your school’s career center (online) and utilize their job search tools to keep your job hunting skills up-to-date.

3.) Use your online school’s career services for a resume review, mock phone interviews and mentoring programs.

4.) Research how to write a cover letter and ask the online career center to review your cover letters.

5.) Read scholarly research in your career area while you are still a student, be sure to note the names of industry-specific journals and conferences.

6.) Join a professional association in your career area, they often offer a less expensive student rate while you are in school.

7.) Get an unpaid internship and add some experience to your resume in your field (and while you are there do a great job and try to turn it into a paying gig).

8.) Get involved with non-profit and volunteer organizations, apply when they have openings, add the experience to your resume to show that you are well rounded and network with everyone that you meet there.

9.) Attend conferences and offer to present your work to a professional audience. Schools offer scholarships to pay for the travel expenses.

10.) Submit your research papers to professional or student journals to get published and increase your credibility with future employers.

If you are considering taking online college courses, there are the ten most important things that you should know about online classes:

1.) Online courses are just as challenging as traditional college courses. They require the student to complete coursework electronically and to learn at their own pace.

2.) Students are required to have excellent time management skills. Much like traditional courses, there are inflexible deadlines and exam dates, which require the student to be prepared or to have the work completed.

3.) Online college courses are often geared toward students working to complete a very specific course of study. Often times, this is a certificate program in something like accounting or a medical career.

4.) Financial aid programs are often available for students taking online college courses.

5.) Some traditional colleges and universities offer online college courses for their students in specific programs of study. There are also online only colleges and schools that offer these courses.

6.) Online courses can be completed at any time of day. They are a good alternative for students who work standard hours at their job and are not available during the day to attend classes.

7.) Online course instructors are often working with many more students than traditional instructors. This means that they may be less available for assistance.

8.) Online college courses are less expensive than regular college courses sometimes. This is because with online colleges and universities, there is less operating overhead involved in bringing the courses to students.

9.) Online college courses are still not the normal form of higher education. Therefore graduate programs and employers will often give less weight to work and degree programs that are completed entirely online.

10.) Students who complete online college courses can accelerate their learning in order to complete their program of study quicker than they could with a standard program. This option is not available with all online programs of study so it is important to ask if this option is available for students who meet advancement criteria.

Since today’s job market is quite competitive, many people are finding that advancing in their careers is quite a challenge, and a graduate degree may be exactly what they need to improve the situation.

Here are some things to consider:

1. The graduate programs available online today are just as challenging and prestigious as those you will find in more traditional programs being offered at our colleges and universities.

2. Those who possess an advanced degree seem to have an advantage over their co-workers without that qualification, and they are more likely to be promoted as well.

3. If you enroll in an online program to obtain your masters degree, you will still be able to follow your workday schedule because of the flexibility that is built into it.

4. If you would like to further your education but feel that your responsibilities and commitments make that an impossible dream, the fact that you can study at home at your own pace may be the solution to this vexing problem.

5. Gaining more knowledge will also enhance your overall quality of life, because you will have a genuine sense of accomplishment and can take pride in what you have achieved.

6. By earning an advanced degree while gaining some practical experience on the job, you will also be able to increase your earning potential and take advantage of a wide range of job opportunities.

7. By acquiring new skills, you can also enhance your job security with your current employer because you will be prepared to fill more than one role.

8. You will feel more financially secure and discover that paying for your graduate courses was a wise investment.

9. You can also participate in an interdisciplinary program online and have the option of creating a customized course of study that will allow you to pursue your individual interests.

10. Since the world is being gradually being transformed into a global marketplace, the demand for graduates with an MBA degree is growing rapidly as well.

When you are getting ready to go back to school at an online school, you will find that you have hundreds of options for a major. Depending on the major that you select, you may actually decide to attend an online school that specializes in an area of study. A good example of this would be healthcare majors. There are many online schools dedicated to medical careers and if you opt to major in one of these areas it might be best to pick a specialty school.

Here are ten questions to ask yourself when you are picking a major for an online school. Answering these questions honestly will help you to determine the best area of study for your situation.

1.) What do you like and when you were in high school, what areas interested you and what classes did you enjoy the most?

2.) What type of career would you like to have after you graduate?

3.) Do you want to take classes entirely online or would you like to have some actual classroom experience?

4.) How long do you want to be in school? Keep in mind that completing a Bachelor degree will take twice as long as completing an Associate Degree. A certificate program will likely take only a few months to complete.

5.) How much do you want to earn from your new career?

6.) Where are your weak spots and what type of classes and subjects present you with difficulty?

7.) How much time will you have available for studying and completing your coursework?

8.) What type of personality do you have and do you enjoy working alone or with many people? Do you want to interact with the public daily or would you prefer to work alone in an office?

9.) What are the requirements for the major?

10.) Are there several majors that will support your career choice? If so, what are they and which is the best fit for you?