Three common questions from many blog readers: Is a criminal justice degree hard? Is criminal justice a hard major? Is criminal justice hard? These 3 questions lead to a compounded one: is a criminal justice degree major hard to complete? The answer…

I personally think that a criminal justice degree is a fairly straight-forward major. It is not an easy major? I don’t think any major is, but for me it was a very rewarding educational experience. I was drawn to the field of Criminal Justice from the start and found it to be challenging, yet attainable.

But is the Criminal Justice Degree Major Hard for You?

This answer depends entirely on your own abilities, life goals, and true intentions. There is no “one shoe fits all” kind of answer for this.

Where do your interests lie? Are you planning on a criminal justice major because everyone else is doing it? it’s advertised on TV? or, because you’re out of options? These probably are not good reasons to take criminal justice in college. But these can be:

• You like issues that are related to society
• You find TV shows like COPS, 48 Hours, and Forensic Files fascinating
• You like to think critically and dig deeper to find the answers you seek
• You don’t have a problem working with other people
• You want to know more about issues pertaining to all that is “criminal justice”

BUT Wait… There’s More!

The biggest and really the only reason anyone would want to undertake a criminal justice major is that they would like to do meaningful work in this evolving field. Is that what you want to do: pursue a career in criminal justice? If so, keep reading…

Having a criminal justice degree allows one to pursue some of the most interesting criminal justice careers, which aren’t only limited to a police officer or a FBI Special Agent career path:

The reasons that create the interest in a criminal justice degree should be big enough for you to proceed further. They should be more than a path towards just a “job” – if you think of the degree as a means to a job, you’ll most likely find that the degree isn’t as easy to you. It may even be hard.

My 2 Cents:

1. Be true to your abilities. If you’re not strong in a certain subject or subjects, then a degree in criminal justice may be harder to accomplish. Check out the criminal justice courses you may be exposed to. Also, be aware that you’ll be taking English, Math, and certain Science classes while pursuing your college degree, no matter what major you pick.
2. Is your life goal to be a police officer or something entirely different? Think about what you really would like to do in the span of your life. Not sure yet? Then, you should be happy to know that most law enforcement career options for police officers, sheriff deputies, state troopers, or FBI agents do not specifically require a criminal justice degree. A Bachelor degree in Business, Computer Science, Chemistry, or something entirely different can be as good. It’s always wise to contact the agency you plan to work for in the future to find out if they have a certain educational preference. Did you know that many law enforcement agencies require only some college credits and not a full degree? And they don’t have to be derived from criminal justice classes. Aaahhhh… Now you know : )
3. Read, research, ask, and repeat… I mean if you’re really serious about pursuing a degree in criminal justice and following that up with a career in CJ I highly recommend reading and researching more about anything and everything that interests you. Don’t take criminal justice courses on a whim, hoping that they are going to solve your troubles. It’s always good to ask your teacher, professor, or someone you can trust to give you an honest answer about your educational and career goals. A criminal justice degree doesn’t have to be hard to accomplish. There are other great sites and bounty of information on the Internet; specifically on Government funded websites. If a police officer career is something you’re interested in then you should ask a police officer about how his or her career is, what it is all about, and how you can get your foot in the door. Hint… there are police officer forums on the Internet that may be full of interesting information. Interested in a different criminal justice career? Same model applies… go straight to the source!

I hope this helps some of you in answering this seemingly easy, but complicated, question. What have been your experiences with taking criminal justice courses? Are they easy or hard, or totally something different? Let us know by leaving your comment below.

Email from Ryan: What is the difference between a homicide detective and a crime scene investigator (CSI)?

A homicide detective and a crime scene investigator are often thought of as one profession. The media, TV, and movies often portray a crime scene where a detective takes a pen out of his pocket and starts poking around the body. You’ll see them lifting a piece of key evidence while there are some other people with cameras and measuring tools all around. Awkward…

The truth is, most detectives and first respondents know very well not to contaminate the crime scene by poking their noses around. The only time you should see a detective around the body is when he or she makes sure if the victim is alive or after the CSI clears them for access. This point will probably be disputed by some in the law enforcement community, but with precious evidence in a form of a foot print or a microscopic particle taking the chance can ultimately demolish the case.

So what is the difference?

For the most part, homicide detectives and crime scene investigators are two different professions, from two different departments. In order to become a detective, you must first be a police officer and pass the detective exam. To become a CSI, you don’t necessarily have to be a police officer. However, there are many departments who train their police officers and detectives to be crime scene investigators, and vice versa. This depends heavily on geographic location and needs of a particular agency.

Smaller municipalities may have a handful of police officers and even fewer detectives. Some of them are trained to process crime scenes when needed, but when a murder case springs up in their community they [should] utilize other impartial law enforcement agencies, like: Sheriff’s Office or State Police.

Why so many professionals?

One big reason of why detectives handling a murder case do not sweep the crime scene for finger prints, hair follicles, and DNA particles is because of the need to have a system of “checks and balances.” Imagine if the lead detective had the responsibility of processing a crime scene:

1. It is way too much work for one person to do. As the time ticks away so do the leads that can result in an arrest, or no arrest, of the perpetrator.
2. In an event of a mistake an invested investigator can unintentionally or intentionally manipulate the evidence and tests, thus squashing any chance of the case legitimately going to trial.
3. His or her career, as well as personal well-being, can be adversely affected through means of corruption and threats.

These are hypothetical examples, but years ago, detectives had a hard task of dealing with crime scenes all by themselves. There were no elaborate CSI units or departments. Detectives did all the leg work, and then some. As praiseworthy as these efforts were, they often were not successful at catching the right suspects, and at times, lead to wrongful convictions and executions. Corruption was common as well.

Crime Scene Investigation units started growing in numbers with the advent of scientific methods for preserving and processing the crime scene. As the number of methods grew, so did the need for well qualified personnel. This way, the detectives could start focusing on the complexities of solving the crime by piecing ALL the pieces together, including those provided by CSIs. Now, many of the CSI careers have components of Forensic Science in them and those have separate sub-fields which further require training and education.

So, to wrap up…

So, if you see  a person in a suit and a person in a Crime Scene Unit jacket you can be sure they are working together, but doing completely different work. Although some people may be both a detective and a CSI, you can assume that they are working only one side of the case. A detective collects information processed by the crime scene investigators which is supposed to help them apprehend the perpetrator of the crime. There is much more a detective does behind the scenes that does not include forensic anthropologists and latent print examiners. Both the detective and the crime scene investigator (CSI) careers fall under the criminal justice system umbrella, even the law enforcement field, but should not be considered one and the same.

If you’ve ever read any other law enforcement blogs, criminal justice job descriptions, or specialized articles you may have come across LEO. So what does LEO mean? Is it just an astrological sign? A name? Or, as you may have figured already, it means Law Enforcement Ooooooooo.

LEO is an acronym often used by police officers, law enforcement industry professionals, bloggers and writers, and those who forget to tell us before hand that LEO stands for Law Enforcement Officer. Simple! Duh! Well, not quite… I’ve noticed that many who are not part of the industry, but are seeking some good info, seem to find random pages on the Internet with blog posts and forum discussions that ramble on and on about LEO this and LEO that. In the end, you end up searching for what LEO means because you’re not sure what the “O” stands for.

A law enforcement officer (LEO) is any individual who is sworn in as a police officer, sheriff deputy, state trooper, or a federal agent to enforce the laws of the jursdiction he or she serves. Some other careers that are considered LEO positions include:

• Air Marshal
• ATF Special Agent
• Border Patrol Agent
• Detective
• FBI Special Agent
• ICE Special Agent

Corrections positions, such as prison guard or prison warden, are not considered law enforcement officer positions. Most crime scene investigation careers are also non law enforcement officer positions, although many crime scene investigators (CSIs) are sworn in LEOs and can utilize the powers of arrest. These and many other, including any of the LEO positions, are part of a bigger career spectrum: criminal justice careers – where law enforcement, legal, corrections, forensic, and private careers are all sub-fields of criminal justice.

Email from Jake in Illinois: What’s the difference between Criminal Justice and Criminal Law?

I can’t believe I didn’t think of answering this age-old question back when I started my blog. However, it’s never too late to tackle this one so I’ll give it my best shot.

Criminal Justice vs. Criminal Law

So you’re thinking about majoring in something. Criminal Justice, Criminal Law, and other criminally interesting degree programs come to mind. So what the heck is the difference between Criminal Law and Criminal Justice? They both have “criminal” in them and they both pertain to the criminal justice system. Yes, but they are totally different from one another.

Criminal Justice refers to the universal and policy aspects of the field, including the exploration of policing, courts, corrections, and other daily applications. For example when I studied Criminal Justice at Boston University, I had the opportunity to explore the criminal justice system from the perspective of a victim and the criminal ( Victimology ) or the historic relevance of the death penalty. I learned how today’s police departments have to adhere to the demands of the communities they serve and how terrorism and the proliferation of the Internet changed the policing landscape. You can pick a Criminal Justice major at any academic level. Whether it is an Associate’s, a Bachelor’s, or a graduate degree, you’re sure to find a program you like.

Criminal Law can be studied in depth at the graduate level (after completion of a Bachelor’s degree). It is a concentration that is available at most law schools in the United States and mainly leads to a career as a lawyer. Criminal Law is not as versatile as Criminal Justice, although both majors are applied to the criminal justice field. When taking Criminal Law you’ll be focusing on the legal ramifications of crime rather than on the social aspects of it. You will be immersed in a research intensive environment where pristine writing skills are very important and a keen eye to detail is a must. Besides a law degree – aka JD or Juris Doctor degree – you can study Criminal Law from a historical standpoint on any academic level, but such programs are seldom seen.

Criminal Justice and Criminal Law Careers

With a degree in Criminal Justice you can gear your career seeking efforts towards law enforcement (Police, Sheriff, Federal Agent – FBI, DEA, CIA, Diplomatic Security Special Agent, ICE, and etc.). If you have an advanced degree, like a Master’s or a Doctorate in Criminal Justice or Criminology, you may seek consulting and academic careers.

A Law Degree with the Criminal Law concentration is most definitely going to propel you towards a career as a lawyer, perhaps even a judge, but since it is an advanced degree, you will be able to obtain jobs in the law enforcement, consulting, and academic fields as well.

A common term for a lawyer that specializes in Criminal Law is a defense attorney. Defense attorneys are lawyers who represent clients in court in exchange for money. Some defense lawyers work on a pro bono basis, which in layman’s terms means for free.

pro bono publico – a.k.a. pro bono -  is derived from Latin and literarilly means for the public good

A prosecutor most likely studied Criminal Law in college as well and is the proverbial adversary of the defense attorney. Prosecutors go after the criminals by preparing cases which most often don’t go to trial. In most court cases, the defense attorney and the prosecutor present the case in front of a judge who will subsequently make the decision on the outcome of the case. If a criminal case goes to trial, you can expect the usual charade that you see on Court TV and your local news, but mostly without all the drama.

For more information on the different careers available to you please see the criminal justice careers page where there are many more interesting jobs that didn’t get listed here. As always feel free to comment and ask questions. Till next time, take care.

I recently had a great e-mail conversation with one of my blog readers and I thought this can be helpful for some of you. Just remember, it is a personal e-mail so nothing is scripted. Take it for what it’s worth. Hope it helps some of you.

The Story – The Questions

Hey Radek, I left a couple comments on the blog, but I wanted to say hi and shoot you an email — I’m in a graduate program for Criminal Justice right now at SUNY Albany, and I’m thinking about applying for a PhD (but I have a lot of interests so I’m not sure what my focus would be at all whatsoever!) but I was just wondering if you had encountered doctorate types in the field or knew much about where they fit in?

I’m not really interested in academia yet at my age (and generally it seems like universities and CCs [Community Colleges] prefer people with both credentials AND CJ system experience), I figure I’d be in my mid-late 20s by the time I finish a doctorate, but I would like to work for either my state or the national government in investigation or analysis, is there a danger of over-qualification though? Would it be overburdening myself to get a doctorate instead of just applying away with a master’s degree? I really sorely lack experience, all I have under my belt is a year of non-profit work and a year as an intern/glorified clerk at the local attorney general’s office so I don’t really feel confident that I could get a position at this point.

Anyways, though, thanks for maintaining the blog, I really enjoy checking it out and it was a big confidence boost for me to read your posts about jobs with the alphabet soup of Fed. agencies that like CJ grads!

- Mystery Reader

The Response

Consider yourself a blessed entity in the criminal justice realm. SUNY Albany is one of the best. Kudos!

I understand your questions and confusion that is related to picking out the best PhD program for you. It is the contention that you would go into Criminology after your Master’s. Unfortunately there is no cornucopia of PhD kinds to choose from. One piece of advice is to look for PhD programs that are NOT within the criminal justice direct line of sight (aka PhD in Criminal Justice, Justice Administration, and Criminology).

For example, I am very interested in the studies that are related to terrorism. I love the Criminal Justice and Criminology side of terrorism related issues, but I found that to get my proper fix of healthy education and terrorism information I had to look into the field of Political Science with an emphasis on International Security (check out MIT’s program to see more). Or, search “Australia” on my blog – one of the best transnational crime programs is in AU.

Very often a PhD degree will suffice with higher learning institutions (experience won’t hurt). Academia may be an option, if you would like.

I know that there’s always a risk of over-qualification, but that’s usually on an individual level, not an organizational one. Thus, if you get passed up based on your Doctorate credentials, it is usually the judgment of one, or a few, individuals who are mostly worried about their careers and you passing them by.

Another issue that may present itself is budget. It is not uncommon to hire Master level grads over PhDs, based on salary offers. However, yet again, a professional organization will always offer the position to a PhD grad with the lower salary clause. Most municipalities and government agencies are looking for more qualified individuals, and even if you had to take a pay cut in the beginning, your status as a doctoral grad will propel you further, and surely, will increase your bottom line over time.

Experience is something you are gaining by sitting in on those seminars, and even though you don’t have the proverbial “street cred” you will get it with time. Most government agencies will hire a demonstrated and professional Master level grad. Considering that you’re looking into the government sector, you should have no problem – despite your concerns.

I am sitting on the fence right now, because I would like to get into your school (LOL), Penn State, or MIT (I have a few more I like). My take on it – a PhD by your mid or late 20’s is great, and if you have the will, you should go for it.

Thank you for the kind words and your input.

- Radek

The Response To The Response

Hey, thanks for getting back to me!

That’s a lot of food for thought, I really appreciate your reflections on this for sure!

Interestingly what you said about not getting the direct line-of-sight programs in the criminal justice field in specific interest areas like studying terrorism from the perspective of CJ orgs like Interpol actually kind of reassures me that getting the PhD in Criminal Justice MIGHT actually be appropriate for me… I don’t have any interest in sociology approaches (Criminology, or well except for comparative because it’s really cool to read about the way things are done in Japan and other countries of course…), but Criminal Justice — the system, institutions, and the players — are all very interesting to me.

One nice thing in Albany’s program too might be that I could take the IT concentration to show the “credentials” in GIS, SPSS, and all that sort of buzz-word kinda tech stuff employers like to know about! And I actually wouldn’t mind teaching as much as I mentioned earlier, it would be something I’d prefer doing after some professional experience, but if life thrusts me towards that I wouldn’t complain at all.

You know and it’s funny because — as far as I’m aware — I’m the only person in the program who comes from a humanities background rather than a social science or bio/hard science background, so I feel like a little bit of an anomaly (but in a good way) in the program and feel like I bring and take away completely different things to/from the program as a result. I guess an example would be my more crafted presentation of research, pushing for emotional as well as logical appeals for academic arguments.

And I mean like I said, my interests are pretty wide and I don’t seem to have any specific thing I can point to and say “aha!” I have interest in crime analysis and strategy planning, law enforcement intelligence, white collar crime (it seems like that’s more of a law school thing though?), historical research, field observation (did it once in an adjudication system class — observing court and the like, had a blast doing it), survey design maybe (though I haven’t tried it), legal research, using technology/crime mapping/stat analysis… I honestly haven’t taken a single course in this program that didn’t completely engage me, and that’s really saying something since I was an English major and loved reading and writing, yet hated 70% of my courses as an undergrad!

That’s great to hear you’re looking into the PhD thing too, I really like going to Albany (I didn’t like it at first, but it was a big under-renovation mess and I had a crazy ex-gf trying to kill me on the uptown campus) but it’s grown on me. Albany, NY has got a lot of government agencies to work/intern with, and is a close hop away from NYC and Boston, so it’s also a great place for opportunities, like the internship I had. MIT would be great though since it has your specific interest there, plus Boston is like the nicest city in the east by far if you ask me…

But really, thanks for your response. I feel a lot more encouraged now and I think applying to this thing might be for real even this very week!

- Mystery Reader

How long does it take to get a Forensic Science degree? A great question! The answer depends on which degree level one is seeking to accomplish. Is it an Associate’s, a Bachelor’s, a Master’s, a PhD, or perhaps an MD in Forensic Sciences or similar disciplines? Are you taking this specialized degree program at a traditional campus or is the Forensic degree from an online college or university?

Here’s the answer based on an average of the expected completion time frame:

Associates Degree in Forensic Science

• Traditional
  • 1 and 1/2 years with a maxed-out class load – super-full-time: at or above 16 credits
  • 2 years is the norm – usually full time: 12 credits or more
  • 2 and 1/2 years, or more – usually part time: below 12 credits
• Online
  • 1 to 2 years depending on the school – usually you can’t manipulate the program to go faster or slower – but, there are exceptions to this rule

Bachelors Degree in Forensic Science

• Traditional
  • 3 and 1/2 to 4 years with a maxed-out class load – super-full-time: at or above 16 credits
  • 4  to 4 and 1/2 years is the norm – usually full time: 12 credits or more
  • 5 and 1/2  years, or more – usually part time: below 12 credits
• Online
  • 2 and 1/2 to 4 years depending on the school – usually you can’t manipulate the program to go faster or slower – but, there are exceptions to this general rule

Masters Degree in Forensic Science

• Traditional
  • 1 and 1/2 to 2 and 1/2 years with a maxed-out class load – super-full-time: this may depend on the school, prior permission may be required
  • 2 to 3 and 1/2 years is the norm – usually full time: may depend on the school
    
  • 4 to 5 years , or more – usually part time: this may depend on the school, prior permission may be required
    
• Online
  • 1 and 1/2 to 3 years depending on the school – usually you can’t manipulate the program to go faster or slower – but, there are exceptions to this rule

PhD / Doctorate Degree in Forensic Science

• Traditional
  • 2 and 1/2 to 3 and 1/2 – with a Masters degree in certain desirable science based programs and/or Forensic Science degree: prior permission to take on higher class load may be required, usually having an advanced degree (ie. MS in Forensic Science) expedites the fast track – not all schools work this way, so it’s always wise to make sure before you start.
  • 4 to 6 years is the norm – usually full time: the length of the degree may depend on the school
    
  • 6 to 7 years, or more – usually part time or a class at a time: colleges and universities often cap their PhD program at 5-6 year mark, prior permission may be required
    
• Online
  • 2 and 1/2 to 4 years depending on the school – usually you won’t be able to manipulate the program to go faster or slower – but, there are may be exceptions
    

Just remember that a Forensic Science degree is not a “walk in the park” – it is a science based degree for which not everyone is “cut out” for. This degree track will require more initiative than others, but the rewards are vast and if you like to solve crimes through the use of brains, rather than brawn, this is a great route to go. I hope this helps you. Good luck!

Q: I’m genuinely interested in criminal justice and criminology; nevertheless, i really do not like guns. I wouldn’t feel comfortable in a line of business where a weapon is required. It seems like every occupation in criminal justice calls for a gun (at least in United States). Is this true? Are there any career positions that i could possibly work in with a degree in Criminal Justice, Criminology, or a similar program without having to carry a gun? I am not interested in the legal field (i don’t want to be a lawyer or a paralegal).

A: There is a number of careers in Criminal Justice, Criminology, and similar fields that don’t require you to carry a gun:

1. teach – high school with a Bachelor’s degree (plus state certification)
2. teach community college and university level with a Master’s degree (a PhD is preferable)
3. work in private security as a consultant, loss prevention officer, or private eye (PI)
4. work as a researcher at a private firm, university, or a government agency
5. work in forensic sciences and crime scene investigation – I would recommend a degree in Criminal Justice with a Forensics concentration, or a degree specifically in Forensic Science
6. work as a correction officer – usually no gun is “required”, but gun training may be imposed
7. work as a youth counselor – this position is in high demand
8. work as a substance abuse counselor
9. work as a probation officer
10. work in local, county, state, and federal government – or – work in academia or for yourself

Consequently, the question to ask yourself is:

is the Criminal Justice, Criminology, or a similar degree the right fit for me? It may not be, as the criterion — not to carry a gun — may diminish the pool of careers available to you.

Consider the following options while keeping Criminal Justice or Criminology in mind:

• Political Science – there are concentrations like National Security and Transnational Crime which may be of interest to you.
• Forensic Sciences -  more science based courses – any background in biology, chemistry, and physics may help.

Note: There are more opportunities for civilian jobs (no gun required) to those who possess a Master’s degree or better.

Duquesne University is offering an online Bachelors in Criminal Justice degree. This Spiritan academic institution has a Tier 1 ranking amongst the best colleges and universities in the nation. It’s a University of honor and tradition that offers robust criminal justice courses for an accelerated Bachelor’s degree program in the School of Leadership.

Take care to remember that Duquesne University is regionally accredited by the the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and has both online and traditional programming based out of Pittsburgh, PA.

Some of the online criminal justice courses that you can expect at DU are not from a pure Criminal Justice core curriculum, but rather, as an added concentration to The Bachelor of Science in Professional Studies (BSPS) degree program. The noteworthy criminal justice related concentrations include:

• criminal justice and forensic science
• behavioral science
• security administration

Hands down, the Criminal Justice and Forensic Science concentration is the “meat and potatoes” of what you should be looking for in a leadership program that pertains to criminal justice. The others should also be considered, as you will be picking two concentrations in your BSPS degree.

Check out Duquesne University for more information on the online criminal justice course offerings. It’s definitely a school that’s worth considering for your academic needs.

Massachusetts has some of the best criminal justice schools in the nation. No kidding! More importantly, many of the best criminal justice colleges in Massachusetts have an added Quinn Bill, or Police Career Incentive Pay Program (PCIPP), approval – key for MA law enforcement and criminal justice career hopefuls.

Enacted in 1970, the Quinn Bill was designed to:

encourage police officers in participating municipalities to earn degrees in law enforcement and criminal justice and to provide educational incentives through salary increases

List of the best criminal justice schools in Massachusetts:

• Boston University
• Curry College
• Endicott College
• Lasell College
• Northeastern University
• University of Massachusetts – Lowell
• Westfield State College

All, but Boston University, are Quinn Bill certified. That doesn’t mean that Boston University is bad – it’s one of the best universities in the world – but if you are considering a criminal justice career in Massachusetts then you might consider those colleges and universities that are Quinn Bill approved. Otherwise, any one of these schools should be a great fit for a criminal justice degree.

Most are Tier 1 schools, and the ones that aren’t, are still very highly regarded in academia and the work force.

As always, please feel free to share your opinions or expert knowledge about the top criminal justice schools in Massachusetts. If you want to see how I picked these top schools please go back to Best Criminal Justice Schools and Colleges page.

Verbal Advantage is the best vocabulary builder, bar none. While in college, I was looking for vocabulary building tools, specifically a GRE vocabulary builder. After a few failed attempts at using different programs, Verbal Advantage came into my sights through a good friend of mine who got me the CD program as a gift.

Lets just say I was very skeptical at first, but at the request of my friend, a Harvard graduate, I was bound to give Verbal Advantage a try.

At that time, the program came on 24 CDs, and I think it still does. I really liked having those CDs in MP3 format so I can listen to them on my Ipod. I used one of the many free CD to MP3 converters (Google it to get one) to accomplish this. Peace a cake.

I started to listen to the first level of Verbal Advantage, written and narrated by: Charles Harrington Elster, when I was in the midst of my business degree at Colorado Tech. 5 years later, and successfully completing a Master level criminal justice degree program at Boston University, I still listen to Verbal Advantage and feel very empowered by being able to communicate with virtually anyone. Next, a PhD.

Originally, Verbal Advantage was going to be used as my LSAT vocabulary builder, but after much needed soul searching, the program proved to be an invaluable tool for my GRE vocabulary building needs. Law School wasn’t for me, as I am more of an explorer by nature.

Verbal Advantage is a great tool for anyone who wants to:

• attend grad school and needs to take the GRE, or Graduate Record Exam
• attend grad school and needs to take the MAT, a.k.a. Miller Analogies Test
• attend law school, where the LSAT, or the The Law School Admission Test, is a requirement
• attend graduate business school where the GMAT, or the Graduate Management Admission Test, is needed in 99% of cases
• improve their overall vocabulary
• improve their academic advancement
• improve their career options
• improve their ability to confidently use the English language

Remember all these wants can only be accomplished with diligent use of the self-paced program. I am not saying that you will instantly improve in all the deficient clusters of your written and spoken life, but the program is designed to  exponentially improve your vocabulary, and theoretically, improve your lifestyle. It’s really up to you.

Pros of Verbal Advantage

• you will learn new words and the meanings of them, including where they came from (Greek, French, Latin, and etc.)
• it is narrated in such a way that will help you effectively remember, connect, and use the newly acquired words with ease
• the program is designed to sequentially move up in difficulty, thus helping you retain much more when moving up to more challenging vocabulary words
• it offers quizzes at the end of each level to test your skills and engrave the words in your verbal palette
• you can stop and repeat the program at any time (highly recommended)

Cons of Verbal Advantage

• really… only one – the CDs. I wish the program was also offered in MP3 format.

In the category of vocabulary builders, Verbal Advantage stands far apart from the rest. However, this vocabulary building program is not for everyone. It is only for those who really want to increase their vocabulary and develop into eloquent speakers and/or writers. In all honesty, I wouldn’t be as far in life academically, occupationally, and financially if it wasn’t for Mr. Elster and Verbal Advantage. That’s my 2 cents.