military | Distance Learning Systems (DLSI)

How to Choose the Best College Major

Choosing a college major can be complicated, as it will likely impact and shape your career and future opportunities. To make this even more challenging, these decisions are made while the individual is still very young with little if any, real-world experience to base that decision. As a very young man, I knew I was not prepared to make a decision as impactful as that, so I elected to enlist in the military like many others. I completed my enlistment, returned home, and started taking general education classes, still waiting for a clear direction on what I wanted to do for the next 40 years.

I landed on engineering, and while that is undoubtedly a great option, I have made multiple career changes since my days in the college classroom. Here are a few tips that may help you make the best choice for you:

Consider your interests and passions. What subjects do you enjoy studying? What hobbies or activities do you enjoy doing? These are often good indicators of what you may be interested in pursuing as a career.
Research career prospects, job outlooks, and earning potential for various majors. This will give you an idea of career opportunities after graduation.
Talk to people in the field if possible. Ask them about their experiences and what they enjoy about their job. This will give you valuable insights regarding what it’s like to work in the field.
Take advantage of your school’s resources and those provided by many colleges. Many schools have career days sponsored by professionals and college staff. This may help you make an informed decision.
Keep your options open; you don’t have to choose a major immediately. It’s not uncommon for a student to explore different subjects before committing to a major.
Consider your long-term goal and what you want to achieve in your career and personal life. This may help you land a major that aligns with your goals.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to choose a major you’re passionate about that will lead to a career you enjoy. Remember, your major doesn’t have to dictate your entire career. Switching careers or even going back to school to pursue a different field is not uncommon. While choosing a major that aligns with your interests and goals, it is also essential to remain open to new opportunities and changes throughout your life.

Distance Learning Systems provide many options for those contemplating a career change or starting out. With over 35 major universities to choose from and over 450 online and campus-based degree programs, this is a great place to start. You can quickly and affordably complete up to 2 years of an accredited bachelor’s degree 100% online.

Written By: Dave Christy

New Developments in Distance Education

The U. S. army has been at the leading edge of new improvements in distance education and is one of its biggest users throughout the world. In the 70’s, the U.S. Army’s Training and Doctrine Command (TRADOC) use of correspondence education and studying had improved to a point that it was working one of the biggest U. S. post offices in Fort Eustis, Virginia to keep up with the requirement globally. These days, The Army Correspondence Course Program (ACCP) is approved by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC) and is accountable for the official nonresident expansion curricula of the United States Army Training and Doctrine Command.

In the last two years, all branches of the military have intensely implemented the use of telecom satellite and the internet to provide various kinds of training and education and studying via video conferencing and web-based applications. In inclusion, the Distance Education Program (DEP) at the US Military War College provides an extensive program of training that result in the award of the Graduation Certificate as well as the Master of Strategic Study degree. The DEP is approved by the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, as a program for joint education and studying, Phase I Senior Level (JPME I). The Distance Education Program needs 15 hours of study weekly that is provided via the internet.

The College of Distance Education (CDE) is the academic outreach program of the Naval War College. It provides executive-level education and studying to officers of the various military services and to senior workers of the Department of Defense and other Government departments. Three distribution techniques widely-used to by the College: faculty-led night workshops, a web-enabled program, and a CD-ROM centered correspondence program. These programs mirror, to a degree, this method of research provided to resident learners at the College’s Newport campus. The Air Force Institute for Advanced Distributed Learning (AFIADL) was recognized in 2000 “to display identification of the significance of online and advanced distributed education” according to Kim Bowling, then the Colonel of USAF and Commander of AFIADL.

Taking the Dantes Exam

Dante’s, CLEP and Excelsior examinations are Defense Activity for Non-Traditional Education Support (DANTES). Funded for active duty, National Guard members, and Reserves which means they are basically 100 % free. The DANTES exam is a nationally-recognized credit-by-examination program that most institutions accept for credit towards a degree plan. One tremendous benefit is to military personnel who may be separated from military bases such as interviewers who can still take these examinations for free at private testing facilities. Any military college student with an accepted degree plan should be able to use these examinations towards their degree plan supposing the topic suits into their accepted degree plan. There are 38 Dantes examinations and these can be taken at a base education center or at an approved off base computer examining center.

There are five steps to taking and passing a Dantes Exam:

Step 1. Find and Schedule – Once a testing center is determined, confirm examining techniques and scheduling for military learners. Dantes examinations are developed to test proficiency in various college-level course materials.
Step 2. Obtain Factsheet – There a few strategies to successfully pass a Dante’s that utilize the actual test development to ensure a passing grade. The examinations are developed on an outline from topic experts and the questions are reviewed for stability centered on a subject’s information of that particular topic.
Step 3. Get Books – The next phase in using the simple reality piece is to study the area known as Sources for Study Content because these are the guides used to design the test questions. Generally, an evaluation details several guides for an exam, however there is usually a seminal written text.
Step 4. Make Flashcards – Purchase a set of note cards. Using the evaluation Fact Sheet, each term detailed on the fact sheet piece outline should be made into a flashcard. Using the evaluation Concepts of Counseling as an example, this would lead to at the least, 34 flashcards. The next phase is to put the sample questions from the fact sheet on the flashcards and this would be additional 10 questions for a total of 45 flashcards.
Step 5. Use Your Resources – Some examinations are normally easier than others because learners have current information of the test subject information. A good example would be the Army MOS 31B or military police.