Returning to College as an Adult: Here Are Some Tips

According to the US Dept of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, the unemployment rate in the US is currently 10.2%. This is the highest unemployment the United States has experienced since 1983.

With staggering unemployment figures a lot of unemployed adults are returning to college. The basic supply and demand theory can be attributed to any companies hiring process in today's market. There are more available people than there are jobs and companies can retain or hire based on quality alone.

For me, all the factors listed above were taken into consideration when I made the decision to return to college. Making the decision was the hard part!

I am 45 years old with grown children and a lot of time on my hands. I have had two wonderful careers. One corporate America and one self-employed career, both of which lasted ten years. My thought process continued to be scattered and I found the decision making to be tantalizing. My big question was "what will be my major?" Can you imagine my bewilderment when I realized I didn't know what I wanted to be when I grew up!

Sitting down with pen in hand, I started mapping out my game plan. A plan is only as good as the creator so maybe these tips will help you with your returning to college decision making.

The Situation - Take an analytical look at how much spare time you have. Do you have time to dedicate to school? Do your surroundings allow quiet time for studying? Do you have the moral support from family members for school? Yes, was my answer to the questions, so I moved on to the next topic.

The Major - It's sounds silly but you should really target your interest. For me, I looked at current job openings in fields that I thought I would be interested in learning more about and that I would be successful in. I studied the requirements for the jobs. Most job listings will state if an Associate Degree is enough or a Bachelor's degree, etc. This step of research will give you an accurate account of what companies are looking for in a new hire. In my case, I have real life experience, but no formal degree. I spent a lot of time researching degree programs.

The School - Some people are able to attend a brick and mortar school whereas others may like the advantage of online schools. There are plenty of both to go around. A simple Google search will return hundreds of online schools. Pay close attention when reviewing schools. Some schools only offer "certificate" or "diploma" courses and these differ from "degree" programs. I noticed that all schools mention their accreditation. Research these accreditations closely. You may at some point want to transfer to another university and all accreditations do not transfer equally. If the school you are interested in states their accreditation is from the Association of Collegiate Business Schools and Programs then research what that accreditation really means. Typically there is a link on the schools website that will direct you to the accreditation web site.

You should spend at least a week researching schools and the various programs they offer. Not all schools offer financial aid. Normally this is a huge part of the decision making process. Study the schools class schedule. Some schools only allow you to take one course at a time, if you are participating in an online program. Another school may allow you to take two courses. It varies from school to school.

I narrowed my search down to two schools that I was interested in. My basis for deciding was the curriculum, the entire online process, and the student to professor ratio.

The Call - The first step in finalizing the school of your choice is to call the school. I made a call to both schools on my list and talked through the entire program with the Enrollment Counselor. I asked questions regarding the program in general, financial aid process, enrollment process, computer requirements, and the length of time to complete the degree. I kept all this information on hand for a couple of days to think it over.

Financial Aid - There are several grants available for continued education. The most popular is the Pell Grant available from the US Government. If financial aid is in your plan you will need to complete the FAFSA form available at FAFSA.ed.gov. This form has been enhanced and it will show you exactly what amount of aid you qualify for and what type (pell grant and stafford student loans). The website is self-explanatory and very easy to navigate.

You can also research grants and various other student loans at ED.gov and thepellgrant.com.

Once you complete the FAFSA form this information is electronically sent to the school of your choice. Various universities have their own scholarship programs and other grants available as well. Research this on the university's website or discuss this with your financial aid counselor.

The Second Call - Once you have decided on a school and completed the FAFSA form you should make a second call and actually start the enrollment process. This will consist of completing an online application to the school. Some schools require an application payment. This covers their cost to process your application. This fee will typically be between $50-$100. You should receive a call within a day or two letting you know you've been accepted.

After you have officially been accepted you're enrollment counselor will hold your hand the rest of the way. What I found interesting is that you can start classes at various times. I thought online colleges worked on a true semester based calendar (Spring/Fall) but they don't. This was encouraging because I could start school within 3 weeks of my first phone call.

My enrollment counselor walked me through the "Welcome Program" which was a three day course where we were online and on the telephone simultaneously. This three day course was to show me, the student, how to use the website, find classes, find assignments, and post assignments. I'm not the most tech savvy person in the world and I will admit I found this a little intimidating. However; at the end of the third day my confidence level was restored and my enrollment counselor ensured me that she would be there to continue holding my hand! I was relieved.

I have also been assigned an Academic Counselor in which I will report my assignments to and she will make sure I turn my work in on time and she will keep up to date on my academic progress.

In all, it's been an exciting process and I am looking forward to pursuing my degree in this online format. I would encourage anyone who wants to further their education to take these steps toward their future, regardless of age.
sources:
US Dept of Labor Bureau of Labor Statitics
fafsa.ed.gov
thepellgrant.com
ed.gov