Any hopes of a quick economic recovery were obliterated in July 2009, when the Dallas Morning News reported that unemployment had risen to a 26-year high of 9.5 percent. In Texas, unemployment claims have risen from 30 percent to 50 percent--a jump so broad that, in spite of adding more employees and phone lines, the Texas Workforce Commission hasn't been able to keep up with the deluge. What makes this news especially tragic is the fact that Texas is home to the largest number of Fortune 500 companies in the U.S., with no less than 58 headquartered in the Lone Star State. The recession has also affected Texas colleges, which report their lowest enrollment figures in years.
The drop in college enrollment is unfortunate, considering that just 25.6 percent of Texans currently hold Bachelor's degrees, with a mere 8.2 percent having gone on to earn an advanced degree. With such a large selection of perspective workers to choose from, one doesn't need a degree to figure out which people will be the first to be hired by employers--both Fortune 500 and otherwise--once the economy shows signs of recovery: those with higher educations. It's not too late to become part of that very elite group. You can enroll in one of several Texas colleges and a passport to a better life--and you don't even have to leave your home to do it.
The lower college enrollment figures don't just stem from students having less money to spend; traditionally, tuition fees increase when the economy is bad. So it stands to reason that with the economy floundering at its lowest point in years, tuition fees for traditional secondary education institutions are at all-time highs. Fortunately, there's an alternative available for those who don't have the money or time to invest in traditional Texas colleges. Internet-based schooling is often far less expensive while offering comparable--even superior--results.
Furthermore, students enrolled in online Texas colleges are afforded more flexibility, allowing them to set their own schedules and work around such daily responsibilities as caring for children and maintaining jobs. That flexibility also allows for better absorption of knowledge because they're able to learn at a pace that's right for them, rather than at the whim of a classroom instructor. And online students don't have to spend time getting ready for school, they don't have to fight traffic and don't have to rush across campus to get from one class to another on time.
In this time of financial uncertainty, one of the best ways to be certain about your future is by taking advantage of the opportunities offered by online Texas colleges. With the affordability, convenience and quality online schooling has to offer, it might be one of the smartest moves you'll ever make.