CourseAdvisor - Your Source for Education and Training

by Lisa Ruffino, CourseAdvisor Editor

Back to school. . . it's the familiar September chapter in American life—perhaps the real start of our new year. If you're an adult learner going to college this September, you're not alone. More than 10 million "nontraditional" students age 22 and older* are enrolled in an undergraduate degree or certificate program this year, in pursuit of higher education that can open the door to new jobs, new ideas, and new financial stability in a changing economy. Nevertheless, if you've been out of school a while, you may be feeling nervous at the idea of being a student again. Here are some ideas for how to prepare.

Define your education goal(s) in writing

Having a clearly defined objective is a big help with projects that take time to complete, such as a college degree program.

1) Split your objective into a long-term goal, medium-term goal, and short-term term goals. For example:

• Long-term goal: Associate's Degree in Medical Assisting
• Medium-term goal: Successfully completing two courses in the current semester
• Short-term goal: Read one chapter and complete 2 assignments this week

2) Write your objectives on paper or a dry-erase board and hang them in a place where you'll see them every time you sit down to study. The visual display will help keep you focused. Even for an adult learner, goals stored somewhere in the computer are "out of sight; out of mind."

3) Is your education program intended to prepare you for a new career or industry or make you more eligible for promotions in your current career? In either case, make sure the program you're enrolled in will provide you with the college degree, career training, or certification you need to qualify for the job you want.

You can get details on specific job education and training requirements from CourseAdvisor's Career Center or the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Apply for federal financial aid

File a FAFSA as soon as possible. Need-based federal financial aid programs such as Pell Grants, grants for students studying in-demand subjects, and low-cost student loans do not have an age limit. Eligibility requirements do not include age.

Make sure you have access to a computer and the technology you'll need

Whether you're taking an online degree program or attending classes at your local community college, you'll need access to a computer to complete your work efficiently, from typing up assignments to doing research on the Internet to taking quizzes or watching presentations online to participating in a class forum or blog.

• Find out from your school what technology you'll need to successfully complete your program. If you're going to use your own laptop or home computer, ask your school for a list of technical requirements, including essential hardware, software, plug-ins, and the minimum amount of memory your computer should have. Note: If you're enrolled in a fully online degree program, there may be additional technical requirements to allow you to join online seminars and accomplish other computer-based projects.
• If you don't have a home computer, figure out before your program starts where you're going to do your work and research. Whether it's a school computer or one at your local library, make sure it can handle your program's technical requirements. Find out what the computer reservation hours are and what the process is for reserving time; shared computers are typically in high demand.
• Make sure you have a reliable connection to the Internet through an ISP (Internet Service Provider) network.
• Talk to your school or local computer store about what they recommend for backing up (making copies of) your work, so it does not get lost if your computer crashes.
• Get the phone number of your school's computer (or IT) support center.
• Both federal financial aid and private student loan money may be used to buy a personal computer, so long as it is used for completing your education program.

Create an education program schedule and calendar

Another visual cue that will help you stay on track is a schedule or calendar in which the hours you need to attend class and complete your assignments are highlighted as required time commitments.

• Make yourself a preliminary study schedule that includes blocks of time for classes, assignment completion, and reading/study. Then, after school starts and you get a better idea of how much time assignments will take, revise your schedule as needed. A schedule with time blocked off specifically for school will make it easier to get work done than if you tell yourself that you'll fit studying in "somewhere."
• If you don't already have one, create a family calendar with every family member's regularly-scheduled activities and arrangements. Then you can add your blocks of class and study time to the calendar as commitments you must stick to and everyone else must respect.

Create a support system of people who will encourage you and help you out during stressful times

Going back to school as an adult learner is a big commitment of time and effort, but it can also have a big payoff. You—and your family, too—will ultimately benefit from your achievement, but it will first require some sacrifices and adjustments.

• Have a talk with your family and those closest to you so they feel included in your education goal, your back-to-school plan, and your schedule. Get everyone invested in cheering you on, particularly when you most need encouragement.
• If you have kids, create your family calendar with them so the adjustments they will have to make to accommodate your school time will feel voluntary rather than imposed on them.
• Arrange for a back-up person (or two) who can cover for you when unexpected circumstances might prevent you from getting to class or finishing an assignment.

Refresh your adult learner study skills

Study skills are like any other skills: the more familiar you are with them, and the more you practice them, the easier they become.

• For adult learners already juggling many demands on their days, study skills can assist in getting the most out of the limited time set aside for school.
• Practice the best techniques for staying focused, remembering what you read, and prioritizing assignments, and you'll increase your learning efficiency.
• Check out Virginia Tech's Study Skills information center for helpful study skill resources and preparation.

Be prepared to write

One skill valued by employers as well as teachers is the ability to communicate thoughts and ideas in writing.

• Writing is usually a significant part of any college degree program, but this is especially true if you're taking online classes, which typically require a lot of email communication with instructors and fellow students as well as participation in online discussions, forums, or blogs.
• For clear, straightforward help with English grammar, sentence formation, and word usage, pick up the latest edition of The Elements of Style, an American English writing style guide by William Strunk Jr. & E. B. White.

Ask questions

• If you're not sure what your teacher meant by a particular instruction, conclusion, or comment, ask for clarification. Most of the time, you'll be asking a question that many of your classmates also have but are too shy to ask.
• Asking for clarification is efficient, since it may prevent you from spending a lot of unnecessary time on an idea or an assignment that is incorrect.

Apply what you learn in your education program to real life situations

• As an adult learner, you have considerable advantages over students who have gone straight from high school into college: namely, responsibility, self-discipline, and work experience in the real world.
• You may have expertise in your program's subject matter that other students would find a valuable complement to the classwork. Share it.
• Apply your coursework to real life scenarios and ask your instructors do the same.

Get matched to a higher education program that works for you

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* For more about nontraditional students, download Hidden in Plain Sight: Adult Learners Forge a New Tradition in Higher Education, an excellent report written by Peter J. Stokes, Ph.D., in 2006 for the then-Secretary of Education's Commission on the Future of Higher Education, U.S. Department of Education.