I accepted a job transfer to San Diego a couple years ago mostly because I wanted to escape the harsh Chicago winters. Things went well for a while, but then my company went through one of those dreaded "downsizing" phases, and I was one of the employees they let go. Even though the job market was pretty good, I still had trouble finding another position because I didn't have the right credentials, such as a college degree. I thought it was the perfect time to go back to school, so I started checking out California universities.

The first schools I thought of were UCLA, USC, Stanford, and Cal. These of course are the most famous California universities, so it was easy to find information about them. However, I could tell almost immediately that those schools weren't for me. First of all, I wouldn't be able to afford living in Los Angeles, Berkeley, or Palo Alto. Even if I could find a job while going to school, it would still be tough to make ends meet. Second of all, the tuition at these particular California universities was much higher than I was prepared to pay. Sure, I could apply for student loans and perhaps get a small scholarship, but I didn't want to have to depend on that kind of money.

So I continued my search and kept looking at other California universities. I realized that there were probably plenty of schools that I never heard of, so I decided went online to see if I could find a comprehensive website that listed all California universities in one convenient place. Fortunately, there are several such sites and they proved to be excellent research tools for me. I was able to compare California universities based on a number of different parameters, including location, tuition, student body, graduation rate, and more. I was also able to find California universities that had special degree programs for adults like me who were interested in getting their careers back on track.

When all was said and done, I found a great school that fit all of my needs. I am currently enrolled in one of the better California universities in the state system, and couldn't be happier with the way my classes are progressing. I am on the fast track to graduation, which means I should have my degree in just a few short years. After that, I'll be more prepared than ever to tackle the job market, all thanks to the quality education provided by California universities.