Never Too Late For College

College can be stressful for adult students throughout the semester, but particularly so during the busy holiday season. There are so many things going on right now. You're probably trying to stay healthy, and juggle all your household responsibilities, on top of getting ready for finals. Don't freak out. There are steps you can take to manage all the chaos in your life right now.

Keep Some Perspective

Easy to say, I know, but I've been there. There are only 24 hours in a day, and you're only one person. Keep your past successes in mind and focus on the fact that you'll get through this as well. Make a plan and stick to it. Make a list of what absolutely must be done and prioritize that list for each day. Don't forget to reward yourself as you check things off. Even if it's just something small, like a bubble bath or an ice cream cone, that's okay. Taking time for yourself will help to avoid burnout.

Don't Go It Alone

Remember to call on your support system during this time. It's the people closest to you who want to help you out when you're stressed. Be sure to reach out to them and allow them to do so. Call a friend to vent about your big history paper. It'll help to blow off steam, and maybe she'll have some good suggestions for how to find a little more time. Delegate responsibilities. Maybe your spouse could cook dinner for you while you work on your term paper or study for that exam. It doesn't hurt to ask; however, trying to go it alone could have negative consequences like strained relationships and health repercussions.

Change Your Thinking

Stress can often be at its highest due to the way we think about the stressful things in our lives. If we let it build up and convince ourselves that it's too much to handle, we're bound to become overwhelmed. Think about ways that you can reframe your thinking or approach a situation proactively. For example, say you're worrying about the three finals you have coming up in two weeks. In addition to the final exams, you have to prepare Thanksgiving dinner for 25 guests, start your Christmas shopping, and attend the kids' holiday concerts. Yikes, that's a lot! Rather than get upset about how much you have to do, take a moment to be grateful for all that you have in your life. It may seem cliche, but gratitude does wonders to change negative feelings. Once you've reframed your thoughts into something positive, take action to figure out the best way to get things done. Remember the above suggestions and write down all the ways that people can help you, then make an action plan for when you'll do each task. Taking matters into your own hands can be very empowering.

Adult students can be very hard on themselves. We have high expectations for doing well and being successful. That's great, but don't forget to give yourself some slack. The life of a non-traditional student can be very demanding, so be sure to take care of yourself and just do what you can. I hope these tips have helped. Let me know what works for you during stressful times and if you have anything to add to my list. Thanks!

Photo by Jerine

Should you go back to school? I'm not even going to try to pretend that I know the answer that's right for you. There are so many variables to consider. Each individual's situation is unique. Particularly, in today's economy, more and more people are considering pursuing higher education later in life, like earning a master's degree. My general philosophy is that one can never have too much education, but that doesn't mean that I think everyone should go out and enroll in college. There certainly are things to take into consideration.

I read this interesting article the other day on whether there are too many students going to college. There were many thought-provoking considerations brought up. The article seemed to be in reference to students right out of high school and pointed out that many young adults may not be ready for college and that the investment may not be a worthwhile one. I found myself disagreeing with some of the experts quoted in the article, however. Fundamentally, I believe that pursuing a college education is beneficial for the majority of students, young and old, and here's why.

Personal Growth

I've said it before here at Never Too Late For College, and I'll probably say it a million more times. But I think it bears repeating: students gain so much more than an academic education. Even adult students, who've already gained a wealth of life experiences, change and develop personally during their time in college. I've seen so many students enter college with fear and uncertainty, then leave with confidence and purpose.

Increased Earning Potential

Despite the economic recession, it is still likely that increased education will lead to higher income. These figures are about ten years old, but studies have shown that lifetime income does increase relative to advanced degrees. This is something to take into consideration. Research your field of interest. Talk to admissions counselors or your local career center to learn about the income potential of certain jobs. If it seems that a particular career won't get you further ahead economically, you may wish to reconsider.

Personal Satisfaction

On the other hand, we all know that money isn't everything. You'll also want to look into the potential for obtaining jobs in your area. If your career field of interest is already saturated in your region, you may need to relocate. This is a very important point to keep in mind. In my area of western Pennsylvania, there was a growth a number of years ago in the field of computer forensics. No, not CSI kind of biological forensics, but the kind involved in using computers to locate information and evidence involved in crimes.Because of that boom, the job market is rather full at this time. Lots of my students who wanted to remain in the area didn't know that. After doing your research, determine if your level of personal satisfaction and the quality of your life will be improved by pursuing a certain degree. If, despite location and income, you think you'll be happy in that career and will be able to earn a living, then you'll want to continue on to the next step of enrolling in your program of choice.

For more information on the value of higher education, you may want to check out this article by Elson S. Floyd, the president of Washington State University. In it, he gives his views on what's needed to improve institutions of higher education as well as why he thinks the pursuit of a college degree is worth it. What are your thoughts?

Finding time for anything besides studying when you're an adult college student can be tough. There doesn't seem to be time to breathe, let alone have any fun. So don't hate me when I tell you that you should probably try to get out there and network while you're in college. Yes, network, as in meet people and get to know them so that you've got some contacts when you're ready to job search. While it may be tempting to stick to yourself and only worry about getting through your classes with good grades, there's so much you'll be missing out on if you don't take the time to network with others while you're in college.

Personal Connections

By getting to know the people in your classes, you'll be making personal connections that can benefit you now as well as in the future. One of the biggest supports you can have is friends, especially if you have kids. It was so great to have other parent friends when I was in graduate school. I always had someone to vent to about the stress and rewards of being a mom, and there were a couples times that I had a sitter when I was in a pinch. Don't neglect getting to know your professors also. Not only will they be invaluable when you need a reference or recommendation down the line, professors can be wonderful mentors to inspire and motivate you along your way to getting that degree.

Volunteering or Internship

The job market today may seem pretty scary. To give yourself an edge, you'll want to get some experience in your field of interest. You can do this by volunteering, job shadowing, or interning. Some degrees require a semester long internship. Even if yours doesn't, I recommend trying to find some time to get personally involved in your future career field. Wanna work with kids? Contact the local YMCA, daycare, or mental health agency to see how to volunteer. Even an hour or two a week will put you ahead of others without hands-on experience. You may even find that you have an advantage if the agency has a job opening when you graduate. Do you know someone who actually does your dream job? Ask them if you can job shadow. You'll learn a lot this way. You can include this experience on your resume and offer your insight at job interviews. Even if you don't know someone in your prospective field, don't be afraid to reach out and contact local professionals.

Social Networking

Don't rule out using social media like Facebook, Twitter, or LinkedIn to make contacts. These sites aren't just for kids, you know. You'll find others with similar interests, professionals in your career field, and alumni from your school on these networks. Making contacts now will surely help you when it's time to look for a job. Not to mention that it's just fun to interact with new people this way. You may be interested to read about my own recent networking experience for an example of how social media has helped me professionally.

So take a little time to get to know those around you, get involved, and put yourself out there online. I can tell you from experience that it does pay off. For more information on networking for college students, take a look at this networking timetable for college students. While it's geared toward traditional aged students, you'll get some good information as well.

Have you connected with others in your program or campus? What's worked for you and how did you find the time? I'd love to hear about your experience!

Study groups can be very advantageous to learning. That is, if they're done correctly. This isn't to say there are strict, rigid rules for forming study groups, but you'll want to take some guidelines into consideration. There are specific benefits for adult students in studying with a group, so keep this in mind when forming a study plan.

Mix It Up

Find classmates who have a similar study philosophy to your own. Students who are serious and dedicated to doing well will make the best group contributors. This is obvious. However, we know everyone has their own style, so think about asking people to join who are also quite different from you. For example, inviting a quiet classmate to join your more extroverted group may bring a sense of introspection to sessions. Don't just ask your friends; a study group that consists of varied members is most effective and will tend to veer off task less often.

Create Order

Set some ground rules for your group. Not only must everyone participate, but you may want to have each person come to each study session prepared to teach a certain section of material. Teaching others is a great way for everyone to learn new material and to retain the knowledge. Saying and hearing the words out loud is a too often neglected study tool.

Get Comfortable

Find a place to study that is comfortable for everyone and allows you to spread out. Maybe you can invite your group home to your house. Group study time can be great for socializing and getting to know others. Younger classmates may appreciate being able to spend some time in a home-like atmosphere, rather than in the dorm or off-campus apartment. And getting together with other non-traditional students may allow opportunities for child-care sharing and commiseration.

Most importantly, with study groups, don't allow yourselves to get distracted. While it can be great to connect with others, you don't want to defeat the purpose of getting together, which is to improve your study efforts. Working as a group can lead to increased information retention and effectiveness, if done correctly.

Do you have a group study success story? What's worked for you? What hasn't?

According to an article in U.S. News and World Report, there may be help for you to return to school if you're currently unemployed or laid off. The article points to efforts of the Obama administration to provide educational reforms for the unemployed, as well as help being given by charities, other government entities, and colleges themselves. This is good news for many in these uncertain economic times.

The U.S. News and World Report article gives several examples of programs across the country that are offering students free tuition, scholarships, and flexible options for the unemployed. For example, in my home state of Pennsylvania, Bucks County Community College is offering up to 30 credits for free, and the Community College of Allegheny County is offering free tuition for five specific career certification programs.

Community colleges, in particular, as offering many such programs, but you'll want to check with the financial aid office of any schools you're interested in attending to see if options are available for you. Also, as I mentioned in a previous post, you may find assistance through your local one-stop career center. Don't be afraid to ask. From what I can tell, there are more and more opportunities becoming available for students in need.

Even if continuing education in your desired field of study isn't covered completely, going back to school can be very motivating when you find yourself out of work. You may acquire skills to improve your chances of landing a job or to help you move toward a new career path. You may also make invaluable connections you otherwise would not have.

So go ahead and do some research. Check with the financial aid department of your local college, community college, university, or trade school. Also, you may want to visit Financial Aid Podcast for more information on financial aid and scholarships. This site is run by Christopher S. Penn, an authority on the subject, whose opinions I value and trust.

Good luck, and please keep me posted on your progress!