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When you sit down to breakfast, you've got choices. Do you order pancakes and O.J. or spring for the chili cheese omelette?

Just like your a.m. meal selection, you have plenty of options when deciding which type of  

degree

  program to pursue. Here are a few variations to give you an idea of what sets one apart from the next, each with its own distinct flavor.

Dish: Bachelor's Degree
Ingredients: Either arts (B.A.) or sciences (B.S.), and a whole lot of all-around academic experience. It takes four, sometimes five or six years to complete.
Serves: Those wanting a general education, or a sampling of several fields of study with a focus on one.
Consumer rating: "Earning my B.A. allowed me to focus on my requirements, take elective courses that interested me, and even study abroad," says Glenn Kessler, a recent graduate of New York University (New York, NY).

Dish: Associate Degree
Ingredients: Earned after two years of study, it may focus on either the arts or sciences. Most students work on an associate degree at a community college with the option of transferring to a four-year school.
Serves: Those who'd like some preliminary study and/or academic preparation. It provides additional time to focus and hone their interests and study skills.
Consumer rating: "I enjoy the fact that I can receive an associate degree and then continue my education to receive a bachelor's degree," says Luke Carleo, a marketing major at Johnson & Wales University (Denver, CO). "It gives me an advantage when entering the job market while still in school."

Dish: Joint Degree
Ingredients: A nice, simultaneous mix of a bachelor's degree with additional study specific to one's career goals that leads to an advanced degree (sometimes called a 3+2 program).
Serves: Students who know exactly what their career goals are and want a head start in the job market.
Consumer rating: "The biggest benefit was getting two degrees in only five years," says Nicole Rossi, who earned her bachelor's degree in art history and her master's degree in education from Rutgers University (New Brunswick, NJ). "I was able to take education classes as an undergrad, and then have a full-time teaching internship my fifth year. Plus, I only had to pay for one year of grad school tuition."

Dish: Certificate Program
Ingredients: Non-degree study designed to prepare students for vocational careers.
Serves: Students who desire targeted job training without wanting to take a core curriculum. It can also serve as a supplement, or "academic side dish," to a bachelor's degree.
Consumer rating: "I wanted to boost my career and supplement my bachelor's degree," says Kirk Rockland, who is currently enrolled in Kaplan College's online certificate program in terrorism and national security. "The classes are structured similar to College Courses, but I'll complete the program in just one year."

More Than Just Classes
Face the facts -- free time isn't always time well spent. But the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE), an annual study that began in 1999, shows that your GPA can benefit if you increase your involvement in on-campus activities.

"Different types of learning communities are cropping up in colleges all over," explains John Hayek, assistant director of NSSE. The learning communities he refers to include anything from freshman interest groups to organizations that focus on the arts.

"We found that students who participated in these communities enhanced their academic performance." Even spinning records at the college radio station or writing a column in the school newspaper can strengthen your college experience, and consequently up your grades. (Learning how to funnel beer at your buddy's fraternity house, however, does not count!)

NSSE is also interested in helping students and parents with the college selection process. "We put out pocket guides for high school students and their parents, to prompt students to ask questions like those found on our survey," says Hayek.

You can obtain an easy-to-print copy by logging onto http://nsse.iub.edu/html/pocket_guide_intro.cfm.

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