Ashworth College News & Events

Ashworth College asks...are you keeping your New Year's resolution to…

NORCROSS, Georgia – January 6, 2009 – Wanting to drop a few pounds? Eat healthier? Lead a more active lifestyle? Getting fit and eating healthy is good for you. Exercising your mind can also be beneficial, especially if moving ahead in your current career or finding a new job is among your goals for 2009. If so, Ashworth College has all the resources to help you.

Ashworth College New Year's Resolutions:

Resolution: "I haven't taken a class in years… but this will not prevent me from enrolling." According to Milton Miller, Ed.D., Ashworth Vice President of Education, "Ashworth programs are extremely flexible, allowing students to study at their own pace, which is a benefit when juggling a family and a career."

Fact: According to the U.S. Department of Education, so many adults are returning to college that they are no longer considered "non-traditional" students. Recent statistics show that adult students (age 25+) are the fastest growing educational demographic, and these numbers are steadily increasing.

Resolution: Be optimistic if you're searching for a new career. "But the economy is terrible and there are no jobs so why bother?" shouldn't be an excuse, rather motivation to improve your personal situation. There are reasons for hope. For one, President-elect Obama's stimulus package could mean financial incentives for furthering your education. This, in turn, will increase your marketability.

Fact: Potential clients and employers are impressed with education, degrees, and academic records. Those with more education can demand, and receive, better pay. According to the US Census Bureau, employees with a bachelor's degree average work-life earnings of $1.1 million more than those having obtained only a high school diploma.

Resolution: "I won't let the price of tuition become a deterrent." Where there's a will, there's a way. And one of the most cost effective options is distance education. College tuition can be expensive in itself, let alone the fees, room and board, and textbooks. However, there are alternatives. "Because there are minimal overhead costs involved, distance education can be significantly less expensive than traditional colleges and universities," says Ashworth Dr. Lisa Bryde, Director of Ashworth High School and Career School Diploma Program Development. "Taking classes from home saves transportation costs and Ashworth always includes textbooks in the tuition price."

Fact: According to The College Board's 2008 Annual Survey of Colleges, this year an in-state bachelor's degree student could pay as much as $17,000 (tuition, room and board, fees, books, transportation, etc.). By comparison, an Ashworth degree student pays as much as 45% less in tuition. Additionally, they save on room and board, fees, books and transportation.

Resolution: "I will make time to further my education." Continuing education can be time-consuming. Only when it is an obvious benefit do most people make the effort to enhance their education. "The truth is, even if you're self-employed, the more education you have the better it looks to peers, clients and future employers," says Deepa Chadha, Ashworth Director of Degree Programs.

Fact: An online education can make a big difference. These days, it's possible to get an online degree in almost anything and while you're still working. A college degree can set an employee or business owner apart as a professional and demonstrate business knowledge to potential customers and employers. Even if you're successfully self employed, online education can take skills - and income - to the next level.

To ensure that each student makes the most of their experience and has the tools to succeed, Ashworth College students have regular access to student advisors, teachers, graders and instructors.

Ashworth offers cool online tools to help you keep your resolutions:

How else can you keep your mind fit? Ashworth is a leader in educational online communities. Explore one of our online communities or join in on the many discussions on our message boards.

• The Ashworth Forum is an interactive community where students, faculty, staff, and those interested in learning more about Ashworth College can openly communicate in various discussion forums. This is the place to interact with other Ashworth students, alumni, and faculty.
• The Ashworth Blog offers informative, insightful, and inspiring articles covering a wide variety of topics. Whether you're interested in hearing insider perspectives on the latest business and technology trends, provocative analyses of developments in the criminal justice and health care fields—or perhaps looking for professional advice from our distinguished group of advisors, there's something for everyone.
• Network with Ashworth students and alumni in the MySpace and Facebook communities.
• Check out what's new on Flickr and YouTube communities.

For more information on our many programs, visit www.AshworthCollege.edu.

About Ashworth College

Ashworth College, a leader in distance education, offers students worldwide more than 100 career-focused High School, Career School online diploma programs; undergraduate and graduate online certificate programs; and Associate, Bachelor's and Master's online degree programs; that are affordable and fit the busy schedules of working adults. Ashworth also offers specialized programs to corporate partners, active duty military personnel, military spouses, and homeschoolers.

Headquartered in Norcross, GA, Ashworth is accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC), a division of the US Department of Education. Ashworth High School is also accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) and the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation (CITA). For more information visit AshworthCollege.edu.

Press Contact:
Richard Orr
Ashworth College
publicity@ashworthcollege.edu
(770) 729-8400