1968 Claudia Suzanne#respond#respond#respond: "Leave a Reply"
Lordy, Claudia! I had no idea your mother had been in denial about your M.S. and that you received no treatment for it all those years. What a nightmare!
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
A New Start
I've been offline for quite a while. I've decided to change the slant of this blog from being purely for returning adult students to all freshmen and sophomores, since traditional students have the same questions and can use the same advice. I welcome all your comments and questions, and I look forward to regularly posting information that will be useful to you in your college careers.
Sunday, August 9, 2009
20 Tips for Returning to College, Part 5
A Five-part Series by Carol J. Amato
17. Rent your textbooks rather than buy them. Textbooks are prohibitively expensive. If your school doesn't offer digital materials, rent your textbooks for less than half the cost from sites like www.chegg.com, www.bookrenter.com, and www.skoobit.com. Be certain that you get the identical ISBN number of the textbook listed for the course.
Alternatively, you can trade books with students who have already taken the classes. Check the bulletin boards around campus.
Another option is to buy them online rather than through the college's sources. Go to www.bigwords.com. This website compares the various online textbook suppliers by price. Be sure to use a shipping method that will guarantee arrival of your books before the first day of class.
18. Accept the fact you'll have to forego an active social life. While your spouse and children need to remain center stage, your friends and extended family do not. You may have to spend up to 20 hours a week studying and doing homework. Those outside your immediate family may get upset that you can't make those nights out or family gatherings as often as you would like, but remember that your degree is the goal. That degree means more career opportunities and more money in your pocket. The doors that open to you will make the sacrifices worth it.
19. Make sure you get some down time. You need time to unwind and regenerate. That old saying "All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy" is true. You need to keep your energy level high, so schedule in some relaxation each week.
20. Hang an empty diploma frame on the wall. Visualize your degree in it. That "sheepskin" will be there for real before you know it!
17. Rent your textbooks rather than buy them. Textbooks are prohibitively expensive. If your school doesn't offer digital materials, rent your textbooks for less than half the cost from sites like www.chegg.com, www.bookrenter.com, and www.skoobit.com. Be certain that you get the identical ISBN number of the textbook listed for the course.
Alternatively, you can trade books with students who have already taken the classes. Check the bulletin boards around campus.
Another option is to buy them online rather than through the college's sources. Go to www.bigwords.com. This website compares the various online textbook suppliers by price. Be sure to use a shipping method that will guarantee arrival of your books before the first day of class.
18. Accept the fact you'll have to forego an active social life. While your spouse and children need to remain center stage, your friends and extended family do not. You may have to spend up to 20 hours a week studying and doing homework. Those outside your immediate family may get upset that you can't make those nights out or family gatherings as often as you would like, but remember that your degree is the goal. That degree means more career opportunities and more money in your pocket. The doors that open to you will make the sacrifices worth it.
19. Make sure you get some down time. You need time to unwind and regenerate. That old saying "All work and no play makes Jack a very dull boy" is true. You need to keep your energy level high, so schedule in some relaxation each week.
20. Hang an empty diploma frame on the wall. Visualize your degree in it. That "sheepskin" will be there for real before you know it!
Friday, July 17, 2009
20 Tips for Returning to College, Part 4
A Five-part Series by Carol J. Amato
13. Accept the fact that college is not like high school. Whether you attend a traditional college/university or an accelerated program onground or online, you'll be expected to turn in your homework by the dates assigned.
Do you feel free to ignore deadlines at work? No. Would you expect your boss to accept a project that was completed past its due date or let you do another one instead? Of course not. College is no different from the workplace. There may be no "extra credit" to make up for assignments you missed.
Unless you have a real crisis (such as a death in your immediate family, you've been diagnosed with a serious disease, or you're being deployed in the military), don't expect any sympathy from your instructor/professor if you can't meet the class requirements. Even then, your instructor/professor may not show you any sympathy.
If such a crisis does occur, notify your instructor/professor immediately so you at least have a fighting chance of getting an extension on your deadlines. Notifying him/her after the assignment is due is guaranteeing doom. Nothing can be done at that point.
14. Back up all your homework. Don't let the copy/file you turn in be the only one in existence. Keep a backup on disk and a hard copy, too. You never know when you'll have to rely on them.
15. Save copies of all syllabi from your classes. If you ever decide to change schools, you may need to show the new school what was taught in each class before they will accept your units. The syllabi may be your only evidence.
16. Research all your professors ahead of time. If you get to choose your professors, check them out ahead of time on http://www.rateyourprofessor.com/. Look at the totality of the comments. One bad review may merely indicate a student who is disgruntled over a legitimately earned bad grade. If most of the comments are good, you have a winner.
Stay tuned for Part 5....
13. Accept the fact that college is not like high school. Whether you attend a traditional college/university or an accelerated program onground or online, you'll be expected to turn in your homework by the dates assigned.
Do you feel free to ignore deadlines at work? No. Would you expect your boss to accept a project that was completed past its due date or let you do another one instead? Of course not. College is no different from the workplace. There may be no "extra credit" to make up for assignments you missed.
Unless you have a real crisis (such as a death in your immediate family, you've been diagnosed with a serious disease, or you're being deployed in the military), don't expect any sympathy from your instructor/professor if you can't meet the class requirements. Even then, your instructor/professor may not show you any sympathy.
If such a crisis does occur, notify your instructor/professor immediately so you at least have a fighting chance of getting an extension on your deadlines. Notifying him/her after the assignment is due is guaranteeing doom. Nothing can be done at that point.
14. Back up all your homework. Don't let the copy/file you turn in be the only one in existence. Keep a backup on disk and a hard copy, too. You never know when you'll have to rely on them.
15. Save copies of all syllabi from your classes. If you ever decide to change schools, you may need to show the new school what was taught in each class before they will accept your units. The syllabi may be your only evidence.
16. Research all your professors ahead of time. If you get to choose your professors, check them out ahead of time on http://www.rateyourprofessor.com/. Look at the totality of the comments. One bad review may merely indicate a student who is disgruntled over a legitimately earned bad grade. If most of the comments are good, you have a winner.
Stay tuned for Part 5....
Friday, July 3, 2009
20 Tips for Returning to College, Part 3
A Five-part Series by Carol J. Amato
9. Find out if your school has an Assessment of Prior Learning program (the name may be slightly different). Through this program, you can apply for credit to wipe out electives for classes that weren’t accepted through the traditional matriculation process, seminars you’ve taken at work, and classes you took while in the military, if applicable. Units earned through such a program are often less expensive than units earned through attending a class. In addition, the time saved is worth the extra effort this program requires.
10. Test out of classes in which you are already an expert. Testing programs like CLEP and DANTES are offered at most schools. Oral exams may also be offered. Investigate your options. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and money. Bear in mind that you may not be able to test out of classes in your major.
11. Keep your family at the top of your priority list. Let housework, yardwork, and other chores fall to the bottom. You want the support of your family members, so don’t risk alienating them by ignoring them. Set aside family time.
12. Ignore coworkers/supervisors/bosses/friends who try to sabotage your educational efforts. Not everyone is so motivated, and some people will express their jealousy by trying to undermine your endeavor. Don’t let them get in the way of your dreams.
Stay tuned for Part 4....
9. Find out if your school has an Assessment of Prior Learning program (the name may be slightly different). Through this program, you can apply for credit to wipe out electives for classes that weren’t accepted through the traditional matriculation process, seminars you’ve taken at work, and classes you took while in the military, if applicable. Units earned through such a program are often less expensive than units earned through attending a class. In addition, the time saved is worth the extra effort this program requires.
10. Test out of classes in which you are already an expert. Testing programs like CLEP and DANTES are offered at most schools. Oral exams may also be offered. Investigate your options. You’ll save yourself a lot of time and money. Bear in mind that you may not be able to test out of classes in your major.
11. Keep your family at the top of your priority list. Let housework, yardwork, and other chores fall to the bottom. You want the support of your family members, so don’t risk alienating them by ignoring them. Set aside family time.
12. Ignore coworkers/supervisors/bosses/friends who try to sabotage your educational efforts. Not everyone is so motivated, and some people will express their jealousy by trying to undermine your endeavor. Don’t let them get in the way of your dreams.
Stay tuned for Part 4....
Thursday, June 25, 2009
20 Tips for Returning to College, Part 2
A Five-part Series by Carol J. Amato
5. Compare the cost per unit at the schools you research. While price alone shouldn’t be the deciding criterion for selecting a school, determine whether the pricing structure is out of line from the average costs.
6. Read the fine print of any contracts you have to sign. You don’t want to find out after the fact that you’ve made commitments that you don’t want to keep.
7. Understand that most financial aid needs to be paid back. The advantage of borrowing from government-provided student loans is that you won’t have to begin making payments until you have finished your degree, but you WILL have to pay it back. Don’t let the enrollment advisors mislead you on this.
Also be aware that if you drop out, your financial aid will become due and payable immediately—whether or not you have finished the class. Be sure you understand thoroughly all the terms and conditions of your financial aid contracts.
Before signing up for financial aid, check with someone else who already has a loan to find out the pros and cons.
8. Check the school website to see which of your previous classes will transfer to the school of your choice. Many schools list on their websites the courses for which they will accept credit. Often, these listings are only for other colleges in the area, however. Be sure to see if any AP classes you took in high school will transfer.
Stay tuned for Part 3....
5. Compare the cost per unit at the schools you research. While price alone shouldn’t be the deciding criterion for selecting a school, determine whether the pricing structure is out of line from the average costs.
6. Read the fine print of any contracts you have to sign. You don’t want to find out after the fact that you’ve made commitments that you don’t want to keep.
7. Understand that most financial aid needs to be paid back. The advantage of borrowing from government-provided student loans is that you won’t have to begin making payments until you have finished your degree, but you WILL have to pay it back. Don’t let the enrollment advisors mislead you on this.
Also be aware that if you drop out, your financial aid will become due and payable immediately—whether or not you have finished the class. Be sure you understand thoroughly all the terms and conditions of your financial aid contracts.
Before signing up for financial aid, check with someone else who already has a loan to find out the pros and cons.
8. Check the school website to see which of your previous classes will transfer to the school of your choice. Many schools list on their websites the courses for which they will accept credit. Often, these listings are only for other colleges in the area, however. Be sure to see if any AP classes you took in high school will transfer.
Stay tuned for Part 3....
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
20 Tips for Returning to College, Part 1
A Five-part Series by Carol J. Amato
Congratulations! You’ve made the critical decision to complete your degree. Perhaps you’ve hit a ceiling at work and need a degree to go further or you want it just for your own personal benefit. Whether you have taken college classes in the past or are new to college life, you may be hesitant to enroll because you think you will feel out of place among all those 18-22-year-olds.
Don’t worry. According to the Commission on the Future of Higher Education’s 2006 report, those over 22 make up 58 percent of today’s college population. In fact, 40 percent are 25 and older. These students are called “adult learners.” Most of them work and have spouses and/or children. You will fit right in.
To ensure that your return to college is successful, keep these points in mind:
1. Have a clear idea of your major. Do you want to remain in the same career or change careers? Knowing your direction will help you choose the right school and relevant classes or program. College is expensive. Don’t waste time and money on classes that won’t further your career goals.
2. Make sure the college/university is accredited. Many companies/grad schools do not recognize undergraduate degrees from unaccredited schools. “Accreditation” means that the school’s programs have been screened and verified by the one of the arms of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Accreditation doesn’t ensure that a school isn’t more interested in taking your money than giving you a good education, however. Talk to your Human Resources department to see what he/she know about the school(s). If possible, talk to other students who have gone there. Also talk to experts in your line of work to get their advice on what school you should attend.
3. Consider an accelerated program. You can take one class at a time and still finish in a reasonably short period. A traditional semester is 15-18 weeks. A semester/term in an accelerated program may be 5-8 weeks. In other words, in that 5-8 weeks, you’ll read the same number of chapters and complete the same amount of homework—or more—as the student in the 18-week semester. The upside is that you’ll get 3 units under your belt in a much shorter amount of time.
4. Weigh the options between onground and online classes. If you travel frequently with your job, have childcare issues, or live too far from a ground campus to attend classes conveniently, consider an online program. You can attend class from the comfort of your living room via your computer, no matter where you are.
Stay tuned for Part 2....
Congratulations! You’ve made the critical decision to complete your degree. Perhaps you’ve hit a ceiling at work and need a degree to go further or you want it just for your own personal benefit. Whether you have taken college classes in the past or are new to college life, you may be hesitant to enroll because you think you will feel out of place among all those 18-22-year-olds.
Don’t worry. According to the Commission on the Future of Higher Education’s 2006 report, those over 22 make up 58 percent of today’s college population. In fact, 40 percent are 25 and older. These students are called “adult learners.” Most of them work and have spouses and/or children. You will fit right in.
To ensure that your return to college is successful, keep these points in mind:
1. Have a clear idea of your major. Do you want to remain in the same career or change careers? Knowing your direction will help you choose the right school and relevant classes or program. College is expensive. Don’t waste time and money on classes that won’t further your career goals.
2. Make sure the college/university is accredited. Many companies/grad schools do not recognize undergraduate degrees from unaccredited schools. “Accreditation” means that the school’s programs have been screened and verified by the one of the arms of the Higher Learning Commission (HLC).
Accreditation doesn’t ensure that a school isn’t more interested in taking your money than giving you a good education, however. Talk to your Human Resources department to see what he/she know about the school(s). If possible, talk to other students who have gone there. Also talk to experts in your line of work to get their advice on what school you should attend.
3. Consider an accelerated program. You can take one class at a time and still finish in a reasonably short period. A traditional semester is 15-18 weeks. A semester/term in an accelerated program may be 5-8 weeks. In other words, in that 5-8 weeks, you’ll read the same number of chapters and complete the same amount of homework—or more—as the student in the 18-week semester. The upside is that you’ll get 3 units under your belt in a much shorter amount of time.
4. Weigh the options between onground and online classes. If you travel frequently with your job, have childcare issues, or live too far from a ground campus to attend classes conveniently, consider an online program. You can attend class from the comfort of your living room via your computer, no matter where you are.
Stay tuned for Part 2....
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