How can college at home be worth it? Almost every stereotype about higher education requires us to imagine a sunny multi-ethnic campus, possibly with an out-of-control frat and a vindictive dean. That’s because every stereotype about college misses the point of the place. Universities aren’t meant to be co-ed dance parties where all the education can be taken care of in a quick montage jammed between 90 minutes of extended party scenes. College is about actually learning things, and that is something you can do at home.

Studying from home has a host of advantages. You can set up your environment to work the way you want to, without commuting or queueing or finding that the book you desperately need has been checked out of the library for a month solid because exams are coming up. If you have an Internet connection you have everything you need to complete college at home. You don’t even need a printer – a memory key and a local printing shop will allow you to get hard copies of what you need.

A major benefit of college at home is flexible timing. You’re actually rated on whether you do the work, not whether you were in a certain room at a certain time. Qualifications are all about improving yourself, mentally, financially, or both, so the freedom to fit classes around existing jobs is a major benefit.

One complaint often leveled against college at home is the willpower factor, how you can always drop your work and go play Xbox or sleep instead, but it’s actually a good thing. Just like campus colleges, the most important things you learn while learning are never on the course. It’s the attitude. The mental strength to start something and then know you can finish it, and your college course at home helps you build those intellectual muscles. Because this course is something you want to do. It’s a course you chose, it’s a decision you made, unlike almost all the education you’ve undergone up to now.

You’ll be sitting at home watching something stupid on the TV when you realize “I would rather be learning right now. I would prefer to do a bit of the course, just for a minute.” And whether it’s to assuage the guilt, or because of a deep love of achievement doesn’t matter. Because once you start it’ll become the latter.

Working at your own pace means you always catch your brain when it’s fresh, and can always take a break when you need it. And once you start to make progress, those breaks won’t be throwing down your pen for the night and going to bed – it’ll be a few stretches, or making a pot of coffee, or watching just one TV show that you actually like, then getting back to the work you want to finish. And when you refine that attitude you get better at everything. Because college at home can teach you about law, mathematics, quantum theory or ancient history, but what it really teaches you is how to choose a goal and achieve it.

Getting a business degree is often a ‘safe’ option for many high school graduates who are confused about their direction in life. It also tends to be a fallback for people who are simply after money and nothing more. There are even people who choose a business degree based on a few years of careful planning and research, which has lead them to desire some generally specific career in the field. However, there are five myths about getting a business degree that everyone should know.

A Business Degree = Winning Lottery Ticket

Although it’s very possible to make enough money to build a new planet with the help of your business degree, no degree and no school is going to magically transform you into a millionaire. It’s true that getting a business degree is typically a lucrative career, what with the goal being to make money and all, but it entails a lot more than the degree itself. First of all, you have to be remotely intelligent or very good looking. If you’re very attractive, you can be kind of stupid and probably get away with it. Fatties, make sure you’re not smoking weed or drinking very much — you’ll need all that brainpower. Besides having to actually work very hard for long hours in order to become successful, there’s also the little economic problems the world has been facing as of late. The job seekers keep flooding in, but the jobs aren’t increasing. MBA’s are becoming more and more popular, increasing the competition for jobs in that field. Ultimately, the quick ticket to success in most areas is having well-connected friends.

You’ll Learn Everything You Need to Know About Business

A business degree will give you the knowledge and tools you need to work in or start your own business, but it can’t teach you everything you need to know about the art of becoming a successful business person. That’s because a lot of this knowledge is learned first-hand; many successful entrepreneurs will tell you that the learning process still hasn’t stopped — the building of their business happened along with a lot of trial and error, which includes making mistakes with hard lessons. Don’t expect to step out the doors after graduation and into an environment where everything will instantly fall into place and work like a neat math equation. In every field, hard times are expected to occur and can be positive experiences if that person can learn from them. It’s a good idea to read as many interviews, bios, and articles on successful businesses and their owners so that you can get a better idea of what to expect when delving into the world of business.

You Need One to be Successful

There are plenty of wildly successful entrepreneurs who never went to college at all. In today’s society, we put a huge emphasis on the college degree and how important it is to one’s success. We’ve created this illusion that without a degree, a person is on a path to McDonald’s or the cardboard box behind it. It’s nothing more than a fantasy designed to frighten people into schooling. This is not to say that school is useless; school is often incredibly useful and helpful, both in the way of bestowing knowledge and a degree which is recognized as a token of qualifications and success by many employers. However, the geniuses and erratic school defiers who have chosen a different path of success — and made it happen — show us that a business degree is not absolutely pertinent to success. You can absolutely make it on your own. As long as you’re smart, dedicated, have support and help from others, and are willing to spend a great deal of time and energy working on your business, college is not a necessity. Today’s society is also bathed in media, from the internet to digital cameras and other highly effective tools which most of us already know how to use quite well. An innovative, motivated individual can certainly make it happen without four years in school and a mountain of debt to show for it.

You’re Smarter Than Others Without an MBA

A business degree doesn’t make you smarter than anyone, dummy! It teaches you lots of facts and statistics you’ll be using to make someone else the big bucks, and probably not to get rich yourself. According to Forbes, most business degree students are lemmings who are somewhat clueless and tend to follow the herd. You’re not going to learn the magic secrets of business, but rather some blanket applications which may be irrelevant when applying them to specific situations that need tailored solutions. Ultimately, your most valuable knowledge will come from experience and the help of mentors, if you’re able to find any good ones. Finding an older, experienced business person willing to share his or her knowledge of the game with you is absolutely invaluable. Not only can it stop you from making terrible mistakes, but it’s one of those things that actually can make you smarter than others — the older business person with a serious track record of success will have some gold nuggets of wisdom to impart upon you, all mined from long hard years of firsthand experience.

Location Doesn’t Matter

Just because you’ve achieved a business degree doesn’t mean you can go absolutely anywhere and casually find a great job opportunity. Location absolutely does matter, especially if you’re living in the middle of nowhere. With the current insurgence of MBAs and the poor state of the job market, choosing to live in an extremely rural area will definitely limit your options — especially if you’re fresh out of college. Businesses want people with experience, not simply a business degree. Location is even more important if you’re considering starting or owning your own business instead of working for someone else’s. The shipment of materials to and from the business, handling costs, and other location-related issues have to be carefully considered before opening a business. You might think opening a five star sushi restaurant in the middle of Kentucky is a great idea, but you’ll have to think about getting all that fish to the restaurant and making sure it stays fresh. On the same note, a new fish market may not want to open next to four other fish markets because the competition is already extremely high.

These are just some of the things to consider when thinking of pursuing a business degree. Make sure you’ve done an adequate amount of research before choosing this major and are doing so out of a genuine desire, not just to ‘play it safe’ or ‘get rich quick’ — otherwise, you may be sorely disappointed.

There are many paths a graduate can follow once they’re thrown out into the real world to look for and pursue the career path they want, but it’s no secret that the path is never straight and narrow.

How many changed their majors? What percentage of graduates actually move out? What percentage moves back in with their parents?

What’s the typical amount of jobs one has to apply for before finding one that they get their foot in the door with?

The following infographic compiles data from a 2011 graduate survey to show you what you can expect.

click the image to expand the graphic

Use The HTML Below To Embed This Graphic
<br /> <a href="http://www.businesspundit.com/2011-college-graduates-are-you-ready-for-life/"><img src="http://www.businesspundit.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/05/2011-College-Graduates-Jobs.png" width="600" height="2360" title="2011 College Graduates: Are you Ready for Life?"></a><br />Source:<a href="http://www.adeccousa.com">Adecco USA</a><br />

All data for this infographic provided by Adecco USA.

There are many students today who are considering a change in their major. For some, they may have started out with a finance major, for example, before the economic problems that the country has recently been dealing with. Because of all of the financial problems that the United States is dealing with now, many of these students have decided to go a different route.

In 2011, there is going to be a change in the trends of what majors students are choosing. Taking a look at some of the career paths that a person can take, and how these career paths are faring, will help us understand some of the schooling trends as well.

Business

A business major is currently said to be one of the fastest growing, and one of the higher paying, majors that a student can get. There are more and more companies that are hiring business majors instead of people with a major that may seem more appropriate to the job. This is because of the training that a person with a business major gets.

Computer Science

The technology and computer science fields are booming. There are tons of jobs available in these fields, so more people are choosing these majors. Those who choose a computer science major will find that there are ample opportunities for great jobs once they get in the field.

Nursing

Though there is always a demand for those with a nursing degree, many this year are projected to choose not to finish their nursing degree. In fact, nursing majors are said to be taking a dip this year.

Law

This is another area that, though it is generally seen as a high paying career, is dropping off a little. Not nearly as many people are choosing to get a major in law. Many feel that because of the economic crisis, there is not as much demand for lawyers, and so the career is stagnating.

Graphic Design

Many people today are choosing a graphic design degree. This is a degree that can be quick to get and can open many different opportunities, from designing business cards to full websites. This is an option that many people who are looking for a change in career choose.

Today, many people are making a change in their schooling, and in some cases are completely changing course on their career ideas. A prevalent trend this year is quick degrees. Through online schools and traditional schools, there are many major options that can be finished quicker than in previous times. Because of this option, many more people are able to get into the work force quicker.

CONCLUSION

You may find that the major you originally chose is not something that you enjoy, or doesn’t have as good career options as you first thought. Changing your major is something that many people do, and is a great idea for some. There are so many majors that you can choose from and you should never feel like you are tied down to one.

Let us know – is your major on this list?

Forget all that general advice. Wall St. Cheat Sheet has put together a detailed list of the REAL Top 5 Jobs for College Grads:

5. Oncologist

We have mobile devices coming out of our asses and WiFi beaming us 24/7. Do you really think organic tissue can withstand the radiation? We also have tons of chemicals (and now meds) in our water supply and tons of other toxins in our processed foods. The human body can’t evolve fast enough to adapt. But if you’re an oncologist, you won’t have enough time to read Darwin because you’ll be working. Get those MCAT flashcards ready.

4. Health Tech Manager

The Boomers are entering their elder years. There will be no shortage of failed prostates, knees, and backs. Who will be capitalizing on this trend? The health technology industry. Companies such as Intuitive Surgical (Nasdaq: ISRG) — a Wall St. Cheat Sheet Premium stock pick — and GE Healthcare (NYSE: GE) will continue to grow no matter how crappy the economy. Our advice is to get any job you can in this sector — the more technological, the better. Your pay will continue to rise while competent workers are hard to find in this fast growing space. On the flip side, home and nursing home care providers will continue to see wages slip as community college grads continue to flood that market.

3. Dollar Store Owner

If you believe the economy is eliminating the middle class, Dollar Tree Stores (NYSE: DLTR), Family Dollar Stores (NYSE: FDO), and Dollar General (NYSE: DG) will continue to benefit. As wages remain stagnant and the cost of living continues to inflate, tens of millions of people will spend more of their household budget on the cheapest possible goods. If you are a part owner in a Dollar Store, you’ll be providing a valuable service in your community.

2. Coder

Forget learning Mandarin or Spanish. Learn to speak code! If you know how to speak code, you can develop Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) iPhone or Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) Android apps. Or you can build websites or other software which has immediate demand. Already, high school kids are getting rich as translators of tech languages. Just imagine if they had some more life experience under their belt and understood what markets were begging for new software. That’s your chance to use your youth and smarts to instantly make money.

1. Tax Attorney

The tax attorney business is about to boom like tech stocks in 1999. The US deficits and debts are obscene — and they will have to be paid. Enter stage left: tax hikes for all! The buzz word in the movie The Graduate was “plastics”, but today you’ll want to remember the term, “tax efficiency experts.” These experts (AKA, tax attorneys) will become so popular, I believe the tax efficiency market once reserved for the upper class will expand significantly to include the middle class. Just wait and see: keeping up with the Joneses will mean following their money offshore. If you are looking for a lucrative recession proof job, a well-suited tax attorney may be the best prospect for you.

Damien Hoffman is the Editor-in-Chief of Wall St. Cheat Sheet.

23-year-old Adam Wheeler got into Harvard with an impressive list of accomplishments. They included a 1600 SAT score, writing books, and speaking four languages, including Old Persian. His impressive resume netted him $45,000 in grants and scholarships.

But it was all a lie. Wheeler had successfully entered and almost graduated Harvard based on fake achievements and forged documents.

When Wheeler applied for a post-graduate scholarship, he thought he could continue to fake and forge his way through. But authorities caught him. WCVB Boston describes the story:

“They discovered during the application process that two letters of recommendation that he submitted for the Rhodes scholarship and the Fulbright scholarship were either altered or forged or changed entirely,” said Middlesex County Assistant District Attorney John Verner.

Now, Wheeler is facing up to 50 years in prison on 20 counts of larceny and identity fraud. Neither he nor his parents had any comment to make after his arraignment Tuesday, his attorney Steven Sussman saying only that Wheeler would have his day in court.

If anyone needs to keep an eye on this guy, it’s the police. Wheeler would make an excellent organized crime recruit. He’s obviously very good at what he does, and I doubt he’ll stop doing it anytime soon.

As students increasingly look for the best quality education they can find, it is inevitable that rankings will emerge. Now most of the rankings we see for online business programs are a bit flimsy – rankings after all should be about quality not about marketing. However, here’s one recent ranking of the best online business degrees that we think passes the test and offers some real value to prospective students. The rankings focus on accreditation, tuition/value ratio, special features, reputation and academic awards. All things that students actually care about.

1. Bachelor of Science Degree in Accounting (Southern New Hampshire University)
2. Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Administration (University of Nebraska at Kearney)
3. Bachelor of Business Administration Degree – Management (UMassOnline)
4. Bachelor of Science in Marketing Degree (Grand Canyon University)
5. Bachelor of Science in Business – Human Resource Management (University of Phoenix)
6. Bachelor of Business Administration – Organizational Management (Tiffin University)
7. MBA Degree (The University of Scranton)
8. MBA Degree (Sacred Heart University)
9. MBA Degree (Quinnipiac University)
10. MBA Degree (Arizona State University)

Football has long been America’s most popular sport. While baseball is the American pastime and holds a special place in the hearts of sports fans, it has yet to surpass football in terms of either broad appeal or revenues. Nor is the National Football League the only beneficiary of football’s enduring popularity. Indeed, in parts of the country with unsuccessful NFL teams (or no NFL teams), college football is just as popular – and just as lucrative. Likewise, an accomplished head coach at a prestigious college program can easily command several million dollars per year in salary, and the football teams themselves figure prominently in the entire cost structure of their universities. Today, Business Pundit examines the 12 most valuable NCAA football teams.

Texas Longhorns

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Not only are the Texas Longhorns the most valuable college football team, they are also the most valuable NCAA team in any college sport. According to CBS Sports, the Longhorns are valued at approximately $119 million, and turned a $59 million profit last year. Perhaps appropriately, the University of Texas made its head coach – Mack Brown – the highest paid football coach of any college program, committing $5.1 million for next season on December 10, 2009 according to USA Today.. In doing so, Brown became the first NCAA football coach to cross the $5 million per year barrier. However, the salary is being paid from athletics department revenue, which “receives no government or institutional support and has transferred more than $6.6 million to the university since the 2005-06 fiscal year.” University of Texas is also “among 25 of 120 major-college programs that made more on athletics than they spent in 2007-08.”

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

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The team the Longhorns surpassed as the most valuable college football team is this year’s number two – Notre Dame’s Fighting Irish. Valued at $108 million and boasting profits of $38 million (according to Forbes) the Fighting Irish have long been one of the most widely followed teams in NCAA football. Seven Heisman Trophy winners have played for Notre Dame, as well as 95 consensus All-Americans. Furthermore, Notre Dame Stadium (where the team plays its home games) seats more people than some NFL stadiums do – 80,795 at last count. The team has also won eight national championships, and owes much of its current value to consistently being a contender year in and year out.

Pennsylvania State Nittany Lions

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Another highly valued NCAA football team with a rich history is Penn State’s Nittany Lions, said by ESPN to be the most valuable team in the NCAA’s Big Ten conference. ESPN reports that Penn State’s “team value is $99 million, and the program makes a profit of $50 million.” Its ranking as the third most valuable NCAA football team is a ten spot leap for Penn State from the last time rankings were compiled. Coached by the legendary Joe Paterno (who earns roughly $1.5 million per season), Penn State figures to continue its run as one of the most prosperous college football teams in the country for quite some time.

Nebraska Cornhuskers

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At first glance, it probably seems strange to see a Nebraska team rank so high on this list. A state which sells t-shirts that proudly exclaim “Nebraska – We Got Nothin” doesn’t exactly smack of athletic excellence or acclaim. However, the Cornhuskers are actually the fourth most valuable college football team in America, turning a $49 million profit on a $93 million total value. Loyalty is also alive and well at the school. According to Forbes, “donations required by Nebraska for season ticket holders to keep their seats totaled $15 million last season.” Head coach Bo Pelini is the 25th highest paid coach in college football, earning just a shade over $1.8 million per season.

Alabama Crimson Tide

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The popularity of the Alabama Crimson Tide is hard to exaggerate. According to Forbes, the team’s “waiting list to obtain season tickets for the Crimson Tide is currently 15,210 names long.” Furthermore, simply being next up on the list is no guarantee of getting tickets. The only thing coming up on the list entitles you to do is “make a donation to the athletic department ranging from $5,000 to $500,000″ depending on the location of seats you wish to buy tickets for. Crimson Tide head coach Nick Saban is the fourth highest paid coach in college football, raking in about $3.9 million per season.

Florida Gators

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The Florida Gators are the sixth most valuable college football team as judged by Forbes’ rankings. Valued at $88 million, the Gators turned a $41 million profit season while fans of the team “shelled out a total of $145,000″ for the right to inscribe their names on the brick pathway leading up to the team’s 88,548 seat Ben Hill Griffin Stadium. If you’re wondering what could possible inspire such passionate devotion in a team’s fans, it is nothing more than an undisputed legacy of winning. The Gators have won three national championships, eight Southeastern Conference Championships, produced 138 All-Americans, thirty-eight first round NFL draft picks and three Heisman Trophy winners, en route to being one of the winningest college teams since 1990. Head coach Urban Meyer is the third highest paid coach in the NCAA at $4 million per season.

Louisiana State Tigers

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Valued at $68 million, Louisiana State’s Tigers are a tremendous economic asset to the surrounding community. Besides turning a $39 million overall yearly profit, it is estimated that $8.2 million in direct spending is generated by visitors to East Baton Rouge Parish by each game the Tigers play at the 92,400 seat Tiger Stadium. With three national titles and thirteen SEC conference titles, the Tigers have an enduring track record of success, which explains the massive influx of visitors to each home game. It’s fair to call the Tigers an economic juggernaut, and it looks to remain that way for the forseeable future.

Ohio State Buckeyes

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The second most valuable Big Ten football team in the country (and eighth overall) is the Ohio State Buckeyes, valued at $85 million by Forbes. It’s a two spot rise for Ohio State, who occupied the 10th spot last time rankings were compiled. It’s also worth noting that Ohio State is the only school to have its teams in the top 10 of Forbes’ football and basketball rankings (its basketball team is the 10th most valuable in the NCAA.) Interestingly, however, the immense financial and athletic success of the school has not translated to an astronomical coach’s salary. Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel is paid at a level one might expect given the school’s sparking track record, with Cleveland.com reporting that the coach signed a $3MM per year extension in 2008.

Georgia Bulldogs

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Valued at $84 million (with profits of $45 million) the Georgia Bulldogs can lay claim to the third-highest merchandise sales of any college last year, after only Texas and Florida. Head coach Mark Richt is the 10th highest paid coach in college football at an annual salary of $2.9 million. The school routinely sells out home games at its 92,746 seat Sanford Stadium, has won 2 national titles, 12 SEC conference titles, and has produced two Heisman Trophy winners, as well as 28 consensus All-Americans.

Oklahoma Sooners

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One of the greatest measures of a team’s popularity is how much of the athletic department’s donations are generated by the team itself. It would be tough to imagine beating the Oklahoma Sooners in that department, especially after 92% of the $19 million raised in donations last year was generated by the team. Such a tremendous amount of fan loyalty goes a long way toward explaining the $83 million value attached to the Sooners, as well as the $40 million in profit last year. Head coach Bob Stoops is the second-highest paid coach in the Big 12 conference and the fifth highest overall, earning a yearly salary of $3.8 million to spearhead the Sooners on-field strategy.

University of Michigan Wolverines

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The third most valuable Big 10 team (according to ESPN) is the University of Michigan Wolverines. It was somewhat of a down year for Michigan however, which slipped to number 11 from number 4 last year. Nevertheless, the Wolverines are valued at $81 million, turned a $34 million profit, and is preparing to embark upon a “400,00 square-foot expansion project that will add 83 suites and 3,200 club seats to Michigan Stadium” that is expected to be completed in time for the start of next year’s season. Head coach Rich Rodriguez earns $2.9 million per year, placing him in a three-way tie for the 9th highest paid NCAA football coach in the country.

South Carolina Gamecocks

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Last but not least, the South Carolina Gamecocks round out our list of the 12 most valuable NCAA college football teams. Valued at $80 million, the Gamecocks are coached by the accomplished Steve Spurrier, who coached the Florida Gators to six SEC championships and himself won the Heisman Trophy in 1966. Spurrier, who earns $1.8 million per season, has the luxury of presiding over a Gamecocks team that will almost certainly rise in value next yearas a result of $6.8 million raised by “a points system that ties donations to football seating assignments”, Forbes reports. For a team that already turns in a yearly profit of $37 million, the future looks bright for South Carolina, which was also the 12th most valuable college football team in last year’s rankings.

Obviously, there are going to be lists of the top business schools based on prestige and name recognition. Then, there are lists of the best business schools based on quality of education. Others that consider “best bang for your buck” almost doing a cost-benefit analysis on business schools. Still others come up with lists based on the specific sort of degree a person is looking for (undergrad, MBA, etc.)

Since we really don’t have the information or man-power we need to tell you what the top business schools are, we have put together a list of resources who have done the hard work for a variety of different scenarios. We hope that we can point to this resource the next time we get asked for our opinion about the best business schools.

Business Week

BusinessWeek gives rankings for A) Full time MBA B) Part-time MBA C) Executive MBA D) Distance MBA and E) Undergrad business. You can see all of them here (you have to scroll to the bottom half of the page an click the tabs).

BusinessWeek also has a chart that we like that ranks the colleges based on Return on Investment. Check it out: The Best Bang For Your Business School Buck

The Financial Times

The Financial Times ranks the top 100 business schools globally. Most of the schools are within the United States, but there are plenty from other countries, both English speaking and non-English speaking. You can see their 2008 rankings here.

UT Dallas Research Rankings

The University of Texas at Dallas has a top 100 business school research ranking system that we found intriguing. Basically, this is an algorithm that ranks business schools based on the number of articles that get published in the most prestigious business journals. You can view the world wide rankings here.

US News & World Report

Many people turn to US News & World Report college rankings as authoritative. While they most well known for their general undergrad rankings, they also have one specifically targeted to the best business schools in the United States. You can view their rankings here.

You can also take a look at the way Yahoo organizes US News & World Report’s data. We find it adds value and a different perspective. Click here.

Entrepreneur Magazine

While many people want to get their education in business administration, others might want to focus on being entrepreneurs. In fact, many of the people who contact us at Business Pundit are just these sort of people… they have ideas, they want to execute, but they want to do things the right way. These people would be more suited for colleges on Entrepreneur Magazine’s Top 50 Entrepreneurial Colleges.

Princeton Review

The Princeton Review’s 2007 rankings are available for free online (the 2008 version requires a subscription). You can see rankings for A) Best Overall Academic Experience and B) Best Career Prospects

Other Rankings

Campus Grotto: Best Business School Programs

College Crunch: 20 Best Business Schools: Traditional and Online