Postsecondary education is an essential advantage for anyone who wants to establish a firm foundation of knowledge and skills when they enter the workforce.

For some, four-year colleges and universities are the default option to pursue this level of education. For others, a community college may prove a more practical and ideal solution.

In this article, The Metropolist Group takes a closer look at community colleges and where interested learners can find them in King County, WA.

What is a community college?

 Community colleges are official institutions that provide postsecondary education through short-term courses. They typically award diplomas, certificates, or associate degrees to students who graduate from their academic programs. “Community college” is an umbrella term but it is more commonly associated with public two-year colleges, whereas privately owned two-year institutions are alternately known as “junior colleges.”

 Who attends community colleges?

 Community colleges are by no means an inferior alternative to traditional four-year universities or colleges. These educational institutions are designed to deliver the education, training, and skill development needed by students whose specific needs or circumstances make the typical university environment unconducive for their full growth.

Community colleges are notable for having an “open access” policy, which ensures that a wide range of students will be able to participate in their various learning programs. This arrangement is ideal for:

• Young students who are not ready to move too far from home
• Older students, such as adults and professionals seeking new skills for a career change
• Students who are looking for training or certification for technical jobs
• Students who need preparation and credentials for entry-level jobs
• Students who need a more flexible learning environment or schedule to balance other obligations
• “Lifelong learners” or people who are interested in continuous learning throughout their lives

Another distinct advantage that community colleges can offer is affordability. In Washington, for instance, the average annual tuition at a public two-year community college falls around the $4,000 range. In comparison, four-year colleges can demand approximately $19,000 in tuition.

What are the leading community colleges serving students in King County, WA?

CommunityCollegeReview.com highlighted 13 outstanding community colleges in King County. These schools are serving more than 66,000 students in the 2019-20 academic year.

The website lists the following as King County’s top public community colleges:

• Bellevue College (Bellevue, WA) – 13,649 students enrolled
• Cascadia College (Bothell, WA) – 3,757 students
• Green River Community College (Auburn, WA) – 7,915 students
• Highline College (Seattle, WA) – 6,443 students
• Lake Washington Institute of Technology (Kirkland, WA) – 3,660 students
• North Seattle College (Seattle, WA) – 6,493 students
• Renton Technical College (Renton, WA) – 3,359 students
• Seattle Central College (Seattle, WA) – 6,773 students
• Shoreline Community College (Seattle, WA) – 6,015 students
• South Seattle College (Seattle, WA) – 5,535 students

Meanwhile, the website also cited the Art Institute of Seattle (1,378 students enrolled) and Pima Medical Institute (777 students enrolled in Renton and 760 in Seattle) as notable private, for-profit institutions.

The Metropolist Group is dedicated to helping homebuyers and newly relocated residents get to know the Seattle metropolitan area better. To learn more about the neighborhood or area that you are interested in, get in touch with our local experts. Call 206-623-5118 or send an email to [email protected] today.

Photo by Sincerely Media on Unsplash

The post A Closer Look at Community Colleges in King County, WA appeared first on METROPOLIST.

from METROPOLIST https://ift.tt/2FzDgCa
via IFTTT

It’s hard to believe the New Year is already here! While others are busy setting New Year’s resolutions, it’s the perfect time for a real estate agent or team to prepare for a successful 12 months of selling houses.

Start with a business plan. Oftentimes, I find in coaching that agents are clueless when asked how many houses they need to sell in order to hit their financial goal, or they don’t even know how many houses they sold the previous year. If you want to have a successful 2020, you need to know the average sales price in your area and average commission, and do the math to determine the number of units you must sell in order to net your financial goal. Then take it a step further and determine how many face-to-face appointments you need to go on daily, weekly and monthly in order to produce the amount of transactions you need.

A business plan sets our goals and intentions within our real estate practice, but also encompasses five key areas of life: family, faith, fun, fitness and finances. When preparing a business plan, I like to start with the end in mind by asking this question: “If I were to call 2020 a successful year, what would I need to accomplish?” Set measurable, meaningful goals around each of the five key areas; put them in writing and share them with someone you trust to hold you accountable.

Create a 12-month marketing plan. Consistency is key to a thriving real estate practice. One holiday card each year is not enough to keep you top-of-mind to your database—and remember, everyone knows a REALTOR® that isn’t you. Take out a calendar and figure out what you can do each month to keep in touch with your clients, family and friends. There is a major holiday in almost every month throughout the year, as well as dozens of fun “National” holidays that can be used to market yourself. Your marketing plan should also include client appreciation events. The rule of thumb is six to eight times throughout the year, you should be belly-to-belly with your database. These can be as simple as quarterly happy hours to movie events, holiday open houses, Easter Egg hunts, Halloween boo-ing events or stopping by with an item of value to their home or workplace. Plan ahead and put it in your calendar.

Have a spending plan. We have to spend money to make money; however, we need a plan, and we need to track every penny coming in and out. You need to know your lifestyle number, which is the total sum of money you need to earn annually in order to fund all the important buckets in your life, such as your business, saving for retirement, taxes, college, etc. Lead with revenue in both your professional and personal life with a smart spending plan and you’ll succeed in 2020!

By Sarah Michelle Bliss

Sarah Michelle Bliss is a coach with Workman Success Systems. She has been in the real estate industry since 1995. Over the past 20 years, she has taught locally and nationally, and coached and influenced her peers through team management, agent development and training. Bliss is currently the director of Agent Development for a brokerage in Glendale, Ariz. For more information, please visit www.WorkmanSuccess.com.

Photo by Erwan Hesry on Unsplash

The post New Year, New You: How to Succeed in 2020 appeared first on METROPOLIST.

from METROPOLIST https://ift.tt/2tfNPrc
via IFTTT