Examine the differences between an Associate degree and a bachelor's degree. An Associates is a two-year degree, most popular with technical, medical and information technology careers. A bachelor's is a four-year degree. The sky is the limit as far as career options is concerned, but engineering, education and business administration careers are popular majors for bachelor's degrees.
Measure the pros and cons of each. Associate degrees mean only two years in school. However, in the workforce, you will be competing for advancement against workers who may have a bachelor's degree, which puts you at a disadvantage. Bachelor's degrees give you an advantage in the workforce, but if time is of the essence where attaining a degree is concerned, a four-year degree might not be feasible.
Decide on a major. Knowing your career goal can help determine if you need to pursue an Associates or bachelor's. For example, if you want to be a phlebotomist, a two-year degree would be sufficient. However, if you want to teach English to middle school students, a four-year degree makes more sense.
Examine your finances. Your choice of school financing can help determine if a two or four-year degree is right for you. Some degrees finance themselves, but the majority of students --especially those pursuing bachelor's degrees-- do so with the assistance of financial aid such as grants or student loans.
Determine if you want to live on campus or at home. Although some two-year colleges offer an on-campus experience, and four-year colleges offer two-year programs, the majority of two-year colleges are community and local technical colleges. If you go the two-year route, you will most likely not experience the "college" environment that students who attend traditional four-year colleges experience.You will need to decide how much of a factor this is, if any.
Consider how long you want to be in school. If you are not a fan of school, but realize you need a career or trade to eat and live, then a two-year degree from a community college or technical school could be a good approach for you. Or, if you like school and want to pursue a high profile profession such as doctor, lawyer, or engineer, then a four-year degree would be a viable option.
Ignore those who try to tell you that community college and an Associate degree is for students who couldn't cut it at a real college. Community colleges have long ago started to shed the "extended high schools" mentality. A decent education which can lead to decent living can be attained through community college.