I want to study in the US.....Diploma or degree which is better ?.clear my doubts plzzzzzzz?

Question

I'm a mother of a 18mth old....& moving very soon to the US along with my hubby in H4 visa..thou my state is still not confirmed.I've few things to be cleared.
I want to know which is better a degree or a diploma??
Is it necessary to to GRE & TOEFL ? I'm intending to do a Masters in early childhood.
I've none to look after my kid so wld like to know are daycares affordable?how much wld it cost? or I can do my course as part time?
what wld be the approximate cost for the study? are scholarships available? will it be possible for me to work part time?
Looking fwd for ur suggestions...thnks ...

Answer 1

1. The diploma is the piece of paper that shows that you have a degree. They are basically one and the same. To get a master's, you will first need a bachelor's degree.

2. TOEFL is necessary if you are coming from a country that does not speak English as its primary language. The university wants to make sure that you can understand the coursework. The GRE is necessary for most graduate schools, and I believe it is the one used for early childhood. You need a bachelor's degree first in early childhood (4-5 years), then you take the GRE the semester before you begin applying to grad schools, then you work on the master's (2-3 years). The time frames I have given are for a normal college student, so with a young child, it may take you longer. I finished my bachelor's in 4 years, but I took classes for 3 summers. I am working on my master's, hoping to be done 2 years from now.

3. Many universities have daycares for students with kids. Female college students are always looking for extra money, so you can ask around and get recommendations for a baby-sitter. But a private daycare is usually about $100+ per week. You can take classes part-time as well. You can take as few or as many classes as you want or need to take, or can fit into your schedule.

4. Depending on whether you go to a public or private university, the cost can vary. My large public university (Texas A&M) costs $2000 a semester in tuition, plus there are fees (almost as much as tuition), books, living expenses, etc. A private university usually costs around $7,000-10,000 per semester. Shop around the schools in your area, and don't forget about community colleges. You can get your core classes at a much more affordable price, and they will often transfer to a 4-year university.

5. There are scholarships, grants, loans, all kinds of ways to pay for school. The financial aid office at your school of choice will be able to help you with finding out the funding package that's right for you. You will need to fill out the FAFSA online (google it) to obtain federal financial aid, and I also recommend Fastweb.com to help you look for scholarships and grants. You can also work part-time. There are many work-study jobs on campus, and part-time jobs around the campuses too. Local businesses are usually pretty good about working with students.

I hope all this helps.

Answer 2

well, technically the diploma is just the certificate you receive for earning a degree so there's not much difference there. For Master's I know you usually need to take GRE. I don't really know what TOEFL is so I could not help there. I don't think it will take as long as the other poster suggested though. Most master's programs take 2-4 years tops.

Daycare can be really expensive or affordable depending on many factors. The most expensive daycares are not always the best. You may want to find some other parents in the area and find out who they use if they use one.

The cost will depend on the school you go to. Sometimes, state schools are not the best option. I actually found out I can get a master's at a private college (of which the undergrad program costs 3 times as much as the state college) for less than at the same state college!!! Look around and find who has the best program at an affordable cost.

Scholarships are usually available for any course of study. A good starting point would be www.fastweb.com. It is free to register (though you will see a few offers for things you can pay for...click no on those unless you really want them) and will basically help you find the best scholarships based on your school, curriculum, age, work experience, etc. The sign up process will take a little while to complete though...give yourself 30-40 minutes or just save your progress and come back to it.

I don't know with a visa if you qualify for the regular financial aid that is offered american students or not, but if so you will need to sign up for FAFSA (which you can do online...just google it).

Good luck!

Answer 3

Woooaahh.....*Dizzy.*

Ok, first of all, I'd have to say a degree is better than a diploma, but they're both necessary if you wish to study for a Masters degree. A diploma states you've learned the things you need to graduate high school, pretty much the most basic level of education anyone gets in the U.S. The next level is 4 years of study at a college or university, which gets you a Bachelor's degree. After a bachelor's, you can go on to graduate school for a Master's.

Daycare prices vary from area to area, so you'll have to get in contact with daycares/babysitters in the area you'll be moving to. They do get a bit costly, though, upwards of $100 a week on average.

At most colleges/universities, you can take classes part time. (Generally meaning 6 credit hours or less in a single semester.) But know then that it will take longer to earn the Master's degree because you're taking fewer classes each semester. You are generally allowed to work part-time as well, either for the university or off-campus. The cost of tuition will vary by what university you choose and whether they are public or private. (Private schools cost a LOT more.) Scholarships are usually available, but they may have residency or citizenship requirements. Work closely with your chosen school's Financial Aid Office to learn what you can qualify for.

Answer 4

a master's degree will take you six-eight years and probably close to $100,000, but there are 1 and 2 year classes you can take that will certify you in early childhood education and you would be able to work at a daycare. since you are new to the country there will probably be financial aid that will help you in the costs and some day cares make you pay for the services based on your income.

Answer 5

yes