Study Tips for Non-Traditional Students

I have been in school for a long time. With over four years of college under my belt and plans for graduate school in the near future, I have learned what it takes to succeed in the college classroom. I know that this environment can seem intimidating, especially to the non-traditional student who may have sincere doubts about their abilities as a student, but I hope that these tips will give you an edge in the classroom and dispel the myths you are likely to encounter.

Age Difference
First of all, if you want to succeed, you will need to tackle your first and most obvious hurdle. Allow me to shed some light for you on the topic though. The age difference will probably be more awkward for you than your peers. If you act like it is not an issue, no one else will. Focus on what you have in common with your peers, like homework assignments, instead of focusing on the differences, like pulling out pictures of your children, at least during the first few weeks. Also, make yourself available for conversation. Show up about ten minutes early and take your time leaving. This is the prime time for conversations about the class and often those conversations grow into more personal friendships. Once you have a friend or two in the class, you will not feel as self-conscious about the age difference.

Study Systematically
It is very easy to be overwhelmed by the amount of information you may be held accountable to learn for an exam. This can seem especially intimidating if you are older and do not trust your ability to recall facts and remember procedures as you once did. The good news, though, is that science has proven over and over again that the human brain is capable of much more than we often give it credit. If you study just a little bit every day and review thoroughly, you should be well-equipped to handle anything the professor asks of you. I suggest reviewing your notes right after you leave class to simply tie up some loose ends and remind yourself of the details you may have glossed over class. Limit this review time to 15 minutes at the most. Then carve out some time the following day to review it again. Believe it or not, while you sleep, your memories from the day are consolidated during REM sleep. That means that when you review it again the next day, you will remember it better than you did the first day! Utilizing this trick with every class you take will help you learn consistently over time so that exam week will not be crunch time.

Manage Test Stress
You might have been studying every day all semester, but that first exam can be scary if you do not know what to expect. But do not allow yourself to stress out so much that you cannot show how much you have learned! If you freeze, your grade will inevitably suffer! So take some precautions by getting to be early, thinking positive, and breathing deeply any time you feel your anxiety levels rising. If this is a more serious problem area for you, be sure to check out my article on How to Conquer Test Stress. It is filled with tips on achieving academic success!

Use Your Experience
One of the best advantages you have as a non-traditional student is your life experience. Use this to get an edge by incorporating your unique viewpoint into class discussions and creative projects. It might or might not be the most "educated" viewpoint, but any real life situation adds depth and character to the classroom experience. There really is no substitute for first-hand accounts in connecting theory to real life. However, you should be careful not to dominate the conversation, which could be perceived by younger peers as you trying to suck up to the professor. But you shouldn't be afraid to offer relevant comments when the discussion offers an appropriate time for your input.

Besides offering depth and variety to the classroom, your experience will also help you in personally learning the theories and information covered in class. How? Many of the concepts covered in class you will be able to relate to your own experiences. The more you can relate to real life events, the better chance you will have of understanding the concept. In this instance, all you are doing is taking a word or idea you are learning in class and using it to "name" an episode of your life. This method of learning will help you to remember the lesson better than anyone else in class!

In conclusion, I just want to wish you good luck on all of your academic endeavors. If you have the courage to attempt college as a non-traditional student, I believe you have what it takes to thrive! Remember these basic tips, find a system that works for you, shoot for the stars and just follow through!