Article: An associate degree usually will not get you a major management job in the financial industry. But it will qualify you for a management position in the service industry or middle management jobs in an office environment. An associate degree will also help you gain admittance into a bachelor's program and may give you credits for such a program as well. An associate degree will teach you all of the basics of management and might provide you some skills for specialized industries like health care administration and human resources. Most programs will require that you have a high school degree or equivalent: i.e. a GED. You will possibly also be required to have an SAT score. Most nearby community colleges should offer an associate degree in business administration. There are also an array of online programs for associate degrees. These will make it easier to attend if you are already in the middle of your career, however, not all such programs are credible. To verify that the school you are interested in a credible ranking, research its accreditation. An accreditation by the Association of Advanced Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is only available to programs with a strong record of scholarly research and is generally considered the gold standard. However, programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP) should also be of a reasonable standard. Some programs specialize in certain types of careers and are more appropriate for your objectives. Some are more flexible for part time students or offer more reasonable tuition. Consider all of these factors and pick three of four institutions that stand out for you. Review the school's website to see if they offer any specialized degrees in careers that you are interested. Look up the faculty biographies to see if they have experience or connections to fields that you are interested in. Once you've completed all of your requirements and found programs that you are interested in, apply. Try to apply to several programs, in case you get rejected. An associate degree will typically take two years. However, they should be flexible and it is possible that you could finish it either later or earlier than this, if that is the best option for your lifestyle.

What is a summary?
Research what an associate degree can do for you. Meet basic requirements. Research colleges for you. Pick programs that fit your life. Apply. Earn your degree.