Maybe you didn’t get the chance to go to college right out of high school, or maybe you did start college but you didn’t finish. The thought of going back to school as an adult can be scary, but once you take the plunge you’ll soon find that returning to school can be the pathway to making your dreams come true. Getting a late start in your career is much better than never getting started at all, and these days you can find many online and low-residency degree options designed to meet the needs of working adults.
Before you can go back to school as an adult, you need to decide what you want to study and how much of your time you can devote to taking classes. You’ll have to research schools and programs and make sure you meet admission requirements. You’ll need to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and make sure you have a plan to pay your tuition. Then you can apply to the programs you’re interested in, make a final choice, and enroll in classes.
Decide What You Want to Study
Of course, if you’re thinking of going back to school, you may already have a good idea of what you want to study. Maybe you want to finish a degree you’ve already started, or maybe you need to train in a field that pays well. Consider your professional goals and your own aptitude when you’re thinking about choosing a field of study. If you don’t like reading books but are good at math, for example, consider an engineering degree instead of one in English literature. If you want a degree that provides a good, solid background for a more advanced degree, consider a degree in something like applied behavioral sciences.
Consider What Kind of Time Commitment You Can Make to Academics
Not every adult student can afford to go back to college full time. Maybe you need to keep working full-time to pay your expenses and take care of your family, so you only have time to take classes on a part-time basis. If you want to go back to school full time, you’re going to need to be able to make that your primary time commitment.
Research Schools, Programs, and Admission Requirements
Once you have chosen a degree program and decided on how much time you can commit to your classes, it’s time to start researching schools and programs and making sure you meet the admission requirements. Make sure any school you apply to is properly accredited. Look up what courses are included in the degree requirements. Investigate graduation rates for the program, as well as how many graduates are employed in the field within six months of graduation. If you’re considering a field in which a postgraduate certificate or advanced degree will be required, find out what percentage of graduates from your program get admitted to graduate school.
You’ll also want to understand the admission requirements. You will likely have to present test scores and high school or college transcripts that show your previous work has met a certain academic standard in order to get admitted. You may also have to provide letters of recommendation from previous teachers, bosses at work, or your former professors if you’ve already taken some college classes.
Make a Plan to Pay
You don’t want to enroll in college classes as an adult without a plan to pay your tuition. No matter how old you are, you can file the FAFSA and qualify for federal student aid, especially if you have a low income. Know the relevant FAFSA deadlines and plan to file your FAFSA early on in the process.
You may also be eligible for scholarships based on the quality of your previous academic work or on other criteria like your age or socioeconomic status. Use a resource like FastWeb to research and apply for grants and scholarships. Start this process early as well.
File Your Applications
With your test scores, transcripts, and recommendation letters in hand, you’re ready to file college applications. You may need to write essays for some of your college applications, explaining why you want to attend the program and how you hope the degree will further your career. You should apply to several programs in case you don’t get into your top choice.
Enroll in Your Classes
Once you have been accepted into a program, you can enroll in your classes and start working towards your degree. When enrolling in classes, make sure they’re offered in the right format – that is, if you need to take online classes, double check that the class you’re signing up for takes place online. Many online degree programs are offered right alongside in-person programs, and some students may even study on a hybrid model, taking a mixture of online and in-person classes, so it can be an easy mistake to make. If you do accidentally sign up for a course you can’t attend, you can always drop it.
Don’t let going back to school as an adult intimidate you. Returning to college doesn’t have to be hard. Just make sure you’re ready for a new challenge and that you have the time to commit to your own betterment.
