As long as the school is legitimate and accredited it won’t matter which one you go to. The only thing is, if you get a degree in Social Science or Liberal Studies chances are you will need many more classes before you can teach, depending on the state you’re in and the subject/grade level you want to teach.

With the new legislation, teachers must be certified in the subject area they want to teach. Some states, like Florida, allow you to take a subject area test once you’ve passed the initial teacher certification tests. Others, like Virginia, require coursework in the subject before you can be certified.

Most states have an alternative certification plan for people who have degrees other than education, but in many there is so much coursework that you might as well get an education degree.

There are specific programs for people in the military (I think it’s called Troops to Teachers) to help them get certified to be in the classroom that you might want to look at. You may also want to spend some time in a classroom at different grade levels and talk to teachers so you can see if it’s something you really want to do. There’s no sense wasting time in school if you end up unhappy with your choices when you get out.

You might also want to think about taking an interest test. Many colleges have them and give them for free, and I think the military does, too. They’re fun, don’t take long, and give you an idea of what you might be good at.

You can also talk to a career counselor for help. Try your local JobLink, college counselor, or maybe someone in the military can advise you.

Good luck!

I have a high school diploma, I have served faithfully and honorably in the United States Army, I even completed the two year automotive program at a local technical college in 2004.

Here it is, 2007, and I still have no employment, I covered this town in resumes, cover letters, and applications, and was denied every time.

Now I’m a stay at home husband and home schooling parent.

All because high school students within their A+ programs and convicted felons have job priority over veterans.

I even tell our children that education means absolutely nothing anymore. You have to really know someone well or screw your way into a job to get it.

I’m not trying to shoot down your hopes but to merely serve a warning. Know someone. It’s all you’ll ever have to get a job.