Searching for a dream school

You can find the Dictionary of Occupational Titles online at www.oalj.dol.gov/libdot.htm

Review the Occupational Outlook Handbook Online

See what the Department of Education suggests about funding your education.

By now you have a pretty good idea about a career path, but where do you go to achieve that career goal? There a thousands of schools in the United States that offer thousands of career choices. It's up to you to investigate all your choices. Do you want to live outside Illinois? Do you need to work full time while you attend school? Would you be most comfortable on a large campus or small one? Live at home or in a dorm? There are three major categories of schools: 4-year colleges, community colleges, trade schools. Investigate which may be perfect for you!

4-Year College/University

This is a really big category. It includes all the 4-year colleges that you've heard about such as Harvard and Stanford and a lot you may not have heard about. These colleges and universities come in all sizes - Generally they are divided into State run universities and private colleges. So, it is good to explore both choices even though one may cost more, they may also more financial aid to offset those costs.
	College Board Quick Start Selection
	Hobson's College View
	Searching 4 Colleges
	A2Z Colleges
	Any College.net

2-Year College (Community Colleges)

Community colleges can offer you many exciting choices for achieving your career goals. Lots of people go to community colleges for two years, get an Associates degree and then find a great job. Others go for 2-years and then transfer to a four year college. They generally are less expensive, easier to get into, and have more flexible class schedules. This can be very important if you have to work full time while you are in school.
	City Colleges of Chicago
Illinois	Illinois Community Colleges List
ICCB	Illinois Community College Board
IBHE	IBHE - Map of Illinois Community Colleges

Trade Schools

Trade schools are a great choice if you are sure your interests are related to choices offered in trade or vocational schools. Culinary Arts, auto mechanics and more allow you to zero in on your interests and develop skills that all but guarantee you a job when you graduate. Chicago has many top-notch trade schools. The websites shown below assemble a large network of fully-accredited colleges and universities specializing in training individuals for careers in design, technology, business, culinary arts, automotive and photography.
	Find Trade Schools.org - Business and Commerce, Fashion and Web Design, Information, Technology, Engineering, Cooking, Baking and Pastry Arts, Automotive, Aviation, Photography and Motion Picture
	Trade Schools in Chicago Illinois - Trade and Vocational Technical Schools in Chicago Illinois
Trade Schools Directory	Trade Schools Directory - This directory will help you pick the ideal trade school, college, or university that will prepare you to meet the demands of today’s employers and ensure a place in today’s job market. Prepare yourself for success. The future is now.
	My Career Education - Today's job market is more competitive than ever. If you want to secure your future, you need training. Whether you want to start a new career or enhance your current career, we can help you find a school that meets your individual needs.

What questions should I ask a school?

Does the school offer the courses and type of program I want?

Do I meet the admissions requirements?

Does the school offer a high quality education at a reasonable price?

Does the school offer services I need and activities I'm interested in?

What are job placement rates for students who have recently graduated?
Most of this information is covered in a school's catalog or in its introductory brochures. Make sure you get these from schools you're interested in attending. Also, the reference section of your local library has many books that provide information about colleges and career schools.

You can also find a lot of information on the Internet. Many colleges and career schools have Web sites. If you know someone who attends or attended a school you're considering, ask that person his or her opinion of the school.