How to Return to School Midlife

I returned to school this past semester (after many decades). A post about the necessary steps and challenges one might face on this journey, seems appropriate. Embarking on this voyage can be quite nerve wracking and intimidating. So much has changed in the past few decades with online education being so commonplace. The good news is if you are reading this blog, clicking on the embedded links, or reaching out via my contact page, you have many of the skills necessary to begin the process and return to school.

Here is a list of steps you might consider taking if you want to return to school.

Degree or No Degree?

Find noncredit courses: If you don’t want a degree, check your local community college or community center for free or inexpensive classes that interest you. This is a great way to get back into the classroom setting. Many junior colleges and community centers offer free courses for residents over 65.

Decide what you want to study: If you want to work towards a degree, starting with some free classes is a great way to figure out what direction you want to go. You can even find free classes on YouTube!

Prior to Enrollment

Complete the online application for the school of your choice: Most community colleges have online applications these days. I researched my best options, then chose my local junior college. If you’ve attended college or university in the past, request your prior transcripts immediately. This will be very helpful in completing your application. The transcripts must be sent directly from your former school(s). Having a copy for yourself will come in handy too.

Make an appointment to meet with an Admissions Counselor: Returning to school can be daunting. Speaking with an Admissions Counselor can help ease you back into the classroom. They are a wealth of information. Whether it’s a list of the prerequisites needed for a program you are interested in, helping you obtain transcripts, or enrolling in classes, the Admissions Counselor will provide direction.

Make an appointment with the financial aid office: If paying for your coursework is an issue, meeting with someone in financial aid can help you better understand what the cost of your education will be. For returning (or non-traditional) students, and/or for specific programs, there may be scholarships or grants available to help offset the cost. Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is a long and intimidating process. But the government has tried recently to streamline it somewhat.

Start with one class: It might be easier to just dip one toe in at a time and start with one class. Everyone is different, but this worked well for me. Getting acclimated to the school, working a course online, coming to the campus for proctored exams, all felt less frightening by limiting my scope dramatically.

After Enrollment

Meet with the instructor(s): As a non-traditional student, it can be helpful for your professors to put a face and brief history to a name and student ID. This is especially true if you will be completing your coursework primarily online. Set up a brief Zoom call or in office meeting if the instructor has office hours.

Ask for help: Don’t be afraid to ask for help. That may seem logical, but I have seen people fall into faulty thinking. Believing you “should” know how to do something is a fallacy. Choosing math as my first class, the first thing I did was seek out a tutor. Even if the questions aren’t subject related, the online environment can be cause for much confusion. Remember the only stupid question is the one you didn’t ask.

Meet with the head of the department: When you return to school, if you intend to pursue a degree, meeting with the department chair is always a wise choice. As a returning student, your needs and questions will be different than someone entering the program from highschool.

On Campus

If your course is at a physical campus, take a tour to familiarize yourself: My first course was online. However, I had to show up in person to take exams. The campus is not huge, but when I arrived there for the first time, all the buildings looked the same. I made sure to get a parking permit so that my car would be there when I finished my exams!

I walked around a bit: checked out the library, learned exactly where the proctoring site was, as well as the most convenient parking nearby. I went into the testing center ahead of time to see what it looked like and how the computers and desks were arranged. This was invaluable when taking my first exam. There was far less panic.

Online

Familiarize yourself with the online environment used by your learning institution. My school uses ‘Canvas’. It is fairly user friendly, but like anything else there was a learning curve. Don’t be afraid to click on links, join discussion groups, checkout the online library, and student affairs. Remember, don’t be afraid to ask how to navigate any of the tools you will need to succeed.

Help

I hope this post has been helpful to readers considering a return to school. As with any of the other topics I have discussed on this blog, I am here to help. Feel free to Contact Me, if you have any specific questions, and I will do my best to answer them.

Till next time… happy learning!