daughters need look no further than the Bermuda College for relief from the massive expense of sending their children abroad.

At the end of a two-year full-time studies programme in the subjects of their choice, students will now earn an Associate degree instead of the previous Diploma.

"The Associate degree is recognisable anywhere in the world and the credits our students earn will apply to a full time degree programme at universities and colleges anywhere, including North America, the United Kingdom and the West Indies,'' Mrs. Solange Saltus, vice-president of Academic and Student Affairs, explained.

To some extent, the switch from Diploma to Associate degree is a semantic one in that it involves a change of term designed to eliminate confusion, principally abroad.

"The term `diploma' was misleading, and could imply anything from high school to post-graduate education. Used outside Bermuda, people would say, `What is it?' Associate brings us into line with other educational jurisdictions,'' Mrs. Saltus said. "We felt it was time to remedy a confusing, anomalous situation so that there would be a clearer understanding of what was involved in the particular programme a student undertook.'' But there's more than a name-change in terms of advantages for Bermudians pursuing advanced studies at the Bermuda College.

It is also a great deal cheaper -- an important consideration for parents in these recessionary times.

"There is a huge cost saving to parents,'' Mrs. Saltus confirmed. "While the full-time fees for the 1993-1994 academic year are not yet finalised, for the 1992-93 year they were $900 for a two-semester period. On top of that, there is a $200 fee to cover incidentals like library and computer usage and the student centre, and another charge of no more than $75 to cover extra-curricular activities and freshman orientation programmes.

"So we are looking at a total of $1175 for the first year, and the second year is somewhat cheaper -- say approximately $2400 for a two-year period.'' In addition to major savings on overseas tuition fees, parents are also spared all the allied expenses of sending a student abroad: air fares, rent and transportation costs for off-campus dwellers, furnishings for on-and off-campus accommodation, special clothing for cold climates, and a host of incidentals.

Of course, an Associate degree is not a full degree, so students wishing to obtain the latter must still go abroad to complete their studies. What studying at the Bermuda College for two years accomplishes is a major reduction in financial expenditure while accumulating credits which are fully transferable to institutions abroad.

Beyond these considerations are many other benefits for students who begin their degree studies here.

Not only do they get a first-class education at university level, but the Bermuda College campus is smaller and more personal than its foreign counterparts.

Because there are fewer students on campus here than abroad, classes are smaller and the relationship between teachers, professors and their charges is more personal.

This benefits the student in many ways: individual counselling, a gentle nudge, if need be, when term paper deadlines look threatened, and a less detached interest in the student's progress.

"No student is anonymous at Bermuda College,'' public relations officer Mrs.

Jan Doidge, assured.

Studying locally also affords the student time to experiment with initial career choices while they have the first-hand support of a known environment as well as their parents.

"Imagine parents spending $24,000 on a son or daughter's degree programme abroad only to have the student tell the parent they're no longer interested pursuing that programme,'' Mrs. Saltus speculated.

While all Associate degree programmes at the College have a general education core, individual programmes allow the student to specialise in a particular field of study. This allows a greater flexibility so students can change direction if they wish -- a particular asset for younger students.

"It means that at age 17 students are not locked into a programme for the whole two years,'' Mrs. Saltus said. "Because we are so aware that students do change their minds, we have built flexibility into our degree programme.'' The vice-president noted that this was part of the College's desire to help its students make the significant transition from high school to college life.

"Study patterns, time organisation, higher personal responsibility and maturity are quite different here, so our size and support services are designed to help students over the gap,'' Mrs. Saltus said.

Faculty members bring with them a wealth of knowledge and experience, having been trained and held teaching posts internationally.

"They can share a whole range of experiences with the students,'' Mrs. Doidge said.

Apart from its academic attributes, the College also offers its degree students a full and enriching extra-curricular campus experience.

Like colleges and universities abroad, there is a purpose-built Student Centre which is home to the Student Council, peer advisors, and the Yearbook committee.

Recreational amenities include a pool table, board and video games, and table tennis facilities.

A multi-purpose downstairs area can be used for events as varied as dances and discussions between visiting speakers and the students.

"The Centre is a place which students can call their own, and is built to provide for both recreation and leadership development,'' Mrs. Doidge explained.

A large playing field has just come "on line,'' providing opportunities for whatever use the students wish make of it: football, cricket, walking or running, for example.

"We are coming close to being the all-round institution parents and students expect for further education,'' the public relations officer said.

From a personal development point of view, the campus provides local students with an opportunity to interact with peers from many lands as they pursue various degree programmes.

"The structure of the programmes permits and encourages an exchange of ideas between people of widely different interests,'' Mrs. Saltus said.

Apart from its international student body, the College also boasts an interesting blend of age groups at both the student and faculty level.

"As a result of the recession people are realising that they have to re-train, so we are getting more and more mature students,'' Mrs. Doidge said.

"And contrary to what you might think, this has a positive effect. Mature students soon overcome their misgivings about being back in the classroom with youngsters, while young students quickly accept and admire their older peers for being there, and they also benefit from their maturity.'' For those who aren't convinced that a Bermuda College education is really as good as one abroad, Mrs. Saltus had a final word: "Market research shows that students who graduate from us have all gone on to do extremely well.'' So well, in fact, that some have now returned to the College -- as faculty members.

WAY TO THE FUTURE -- Mrs. Solange Saltus, vice-president of Academic and Student Affairs and Mr. Lennox Boodram, president of the Student Council, review a prospectus of courses offered at the Bermuda College. Full-time students can earn Associate degrees, making them eligible for admission to universities and colleges abroad.