Heading to business school? Here are a few important things to consider:

Admission Requirements

Before you start applying for business college, it is important to make sure that you completely understand the admission requirements to avoid wasting time and money. If you don't meet the requirements when you apply, you'll likely be denied admission into the business school you're trying to get into and lose the application fee that you paid. And you'll have to work to meet the requirements before you can apply again.

So take the time to talk with an admissions advisor and ask them for a complete list of admission requirements to take home. Don't be afraid to ask lots of questions and have the advisor verify your credentials. Most colleges require that you be a high school graduate or earn a GED before they will even consider your application.

Depending on the school you are applying to, you may have to submit your school transcripts and write an essay as part of the application process. The school might even request letters of recommendation. Knowing about all the requirements ahead of time should give you the insight you need to make sure that you're well prepared once you actually start the application process.

Timeline Expectations

It's a good idea to really consider how much time you have to dedicate to your college classes while earning an associate's degree as well as how quickly you want to earn that degree. If you are already working to finance your college education or you have serious responsibilities in life that take up a lot of time, such as kids, you probably can't attend college full time. So you should expect it to take you longer than the typical 2 years that it takes to earn an associate's degree.

But taking advanced placement tests and CLEP tests could earn you some college credits while attending school, which could help accelerate the timeline of how quickly you can earn your business associate's degree. Based on your availability, your opportunity to earn extra credits, and the number of classes you plan to take each semester, an advisor can help you figure out how long you can expect to be in school.

Credit Transfer Options

You may decide to further your education after earning an associate's degree, so you need to know what your credit transfer options will be at any college you consider attending. Most colleges will allow you to transfer the credits you earn to another college so they can be used toward earning a bachelor's degree. But not all credits can be transferred or are recognized by all other schools.

In addition to making sure that the business college you attend now to earn an associate's degree is accredited and the credits they award are nationally recognized, you need to make sure that any other schools you might attend later down the line will accept the credits you earn between now and then.