Never Too Late For College

A Support Sytem Is Important for Adult College Students

marybabysteps — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 15:34:32 EDT

Having a support system is crucial when you go back to school. Family and friends play such an important role in your life; it just makes sense that their support, or lack of, can have a tremendous impact on your college success. The following tips may help you as you ease the transition for your loved ones as well as yourself.

Building a Support System

Take a minute to write down everyone you think can help you as you incorporate college into your life. Asking for help is tough for some of us, but the people around you are likely more than willing to lend a hand. You'll need assistance with things like chidcare, household duties, and stress management, as attending class and studying begins to take up more of your time. Don't forget to add support staff from your colege or university, such as academic advisers. These folks can be extremely valuable in providing answers to your questions and providing peaceof mind.

Communication is Key

Open communication with those in your life is the key to making it all work. Talk to you family members before you enroll in college so that they're aware of the reasons you have for wanting to go. Once you're enrolled, be sure to let them know of the changes they can expect, such as the fact that you won't be as avaiable to them as you once were. Reassure them, however, that you will be there when they need you and encourage them to communicate their needs as well. As you go along your college journey, things will come up that will need to be addressed,and changes will need to be made. Just remember to keep the lines of communication open as you go along!

Set Boundries

Setting boundaries with your loved ones and with yourself will help to keep you on the right track. Your famiy may expect you to be as active in the household chores as you once were. Remind them again of the benefits of pursuing your education and that they agreed to be supportive of your efforts. Then delegate some of the household duties to older kids, your spouse, or partner. Before long, everyone will slide into a routine that works for your family. Setting boundaries with yourself is another story.

So often we want to take on more than we can handle. It will be even more important while you're in school to say no to certain requests and to be creative about ways of completing others. For example, when I was going back to school, I often purchased baked goods for my kids' school parties or for summer gatherings, rather than making them from scratch. Though I enjoy baking, it took a lot of pressure off of me to be able to use that time fr studying and just pick something up from the store the next time I was out. Finally, you may be surprised to ind there are some friends who aren't as supportive as you hoped they'd be. Sometimes friends feel threatened by the fact that you're pursuing your education. They may even be jealous. Or they may simply be afraid they're losing you. Take time to reassure them, but don't let them bring you down or steer you away from your dreams.

Altough adding college to your life will be an adjustment, things will eventually settle down. If you've been a student for a while now, what has worked for you? What would you suggest to help new students in forming a support network?

What You Need To Know About Accreditation

marybabysteps — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:18:58 EDT

If you're thinking about going to college as an adult, chances are that you have lots of questions. One of the biggest questions on your mind may be how to tell if a school is legitimate. You've probably heard of diploma mills, those online programs that are just out to get your money and don't offer a legitimate degree. They do exist and plenty of innocent people fall for their scams.

Accreditation

To be sure that your school is official, you'll want to look into its accreditation. Accreditation simply means that the school has been thoroughly examined and recommended by an organization approved by the U.S. Department of Education. There are six such accrediting agencies that are the most recognized. This article from Distance-Education.org goes into further detail on accrediting bodies. What's important to know is that these agencies verify everything from individual programs, financial aid, advising, tutoring, and admissions to make sure that schools receiving their seal of approval are meeting the needs of their students.

The Process

When I was a community college academic adviser, my school went through an accreditation evaluation by The Middle States Association of Schools and Colleges. The professionals who made up this group were people with years of experience in academia. They spent an entire week at our school, speaking with students, faculty, and staff and covered each department and service with a fine tooth comb. At the end of the week, we were given a brief on the committee's findings. I can assre you that any school with accreditation from a legitimate source is providing a recognizable degree.

Where To Start

As a place to start, you can check the Department of Education's database of accredited institutions to see if your school of interest is listed. There is a disclaimer on the stie saying that students must do their own due diligence in researching schools, as situations may change or a school may have missed making the list. Just be sure to ask questinos of admissions representatives about accreditation, then research the accrediting body they've provided. If they aren't able to give you a straight answer or stumble in any way, beware. The Distance-Education.org article I mentioned earlier gives a very thorough list of fake accreditation agencies as well as a list of legitimate ones. Be sure to check it out. You can also check this directory from the Council for Higher Education Accreditation for specific program accrediting agiencies, though it's quite thorough and involved.

Good luck in your search for the college or university that best meets your needs. Don't let the issue of accreditation overwhelm you. Simply by asking questions, doing some research, and following your instincts, you'll be able to find a school that works for you. As always, feel free to contact me with any questions!

Project Working Moms Scholarship Open Until 9/30/09

marybabysteps — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 23:32:48 EDT

An initiative through eLearners and participating institutions is currently accepting applications for a $4000 scholarship toward online learning. This initiative is called Project Working Moms...and Dads Too!, and it's amazing. I wrote about the program last year, and I later had the chance to talk to the first scholarship recipient about how her life has changed since winning the scholarship. Her story was inspiring. It seems that the program has changed a bit. Once, a few full ride scholarships were granted, and now it appears that one $4000 scholarship is awarded each month. Not too shabby!

The Project Working Moms site is full of resources for adults returning to college. You can search for online degrees, learn about paying for college as well as budgeting, and connect with other moms and read articles about the issues facing them. My favorite part of the site is the resources page that links to articles on everything from time management to study skills; the information here is for everyone, not just moms! And there's even a page just for dads.

So go check it out and explore a little. You'll find tons of great information to help you, whether you're just thinking about going back to school or are currently enrolled. And be sure to apply for the next scholarship - the deadline is September 30th!

Please let me know what kind of information you come across that's most valuable to you.