Every five weeks, I see a new group of students beginning their college careers. Some of these students are traditional students, but most fit into the nontraditional or even untraditional categories. Nontraditional students are usually defined as anyone who has been out of high school for more than six months, or has a family. Untraditional students are usually older adults (meaning out of high school for five or more years), and can be adults returning for second career training.
Some untraditional students may have had college courses before, may even have completed college degrees before, but have been out of college for many years. Even with previous degrees behind them, untraditional students often feel out of place and concerned over their ability to complete the course work. Untraditional students may be in college due to loss of a job and inability to locate comparable work, death of a spouse who supplied the family income, divorce, another life changing event, or may have just decided that it was their turn to get an education. Whatever the reason, untraditional students seem to have strong emotions such as fear of the unknown. They are out of their comfort zone, so to speak, and don't know what to do, how to do it, or even if they can do it.
As an untraditional student who started classes in January 1998 and just never quit going to college, I can relate. One thing to keep in mind when starting something new, however, is something Lou Tice of The Pacific Institute tells his students, "It is OK to be afraid. It is not OK to stay afraid." New experiences can be frightening, but with determination, study, and perseverance, we can make it through the education process to walk across the stage and receive a diploma well earned.
One way Lou Tice recommends to help you do this is to create affirmations. Affirmations are single sentence goals that are always positive and always present tense. "I have accomplished my goal of earning my degree," is a sample affirmation. Make up several affirmations and say them out loud several times every day and you will find that they come true, just because you unconsciously start looking for ways to make them come true. Learning requires students to go beyond their comfort zone. Take a deep breath, settle your nerves, and get started. Come on in--the water is fine.
Showing posts with label nontraditional student. Show all posts
Showing posts with label nontraditional student. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
Tuesday, February 9, 2010
Scheduling is Everything for Non-Traditional Students
Guest Blog by Susan Elliott
Non-Traditional Student on Campus
Stepping onto a campus, of any size, after several years absence, or for the first time ever, can be a bit overwhelming. Fear is normal. It is also normal to feel like all the younger students are staring at you, and that you will never fit in. Don’t worry. You don’t have to fit in or be popular, this is not high school. You are in college to learn, fulfill your dreams and start anew. Relax, the chances are you will excel in your new environment.
Scheduling is Everything
Before you ever begin a class you have to create your schedule. Many students find this preparation the most confusing time of their school career. Non-traditional students must consider two things when selecting their class schedules, what else is going on in their life, and can they be reasonably sure that they can make it to their classes.
Children, spouses and work all make big impacts on your schedule. Many classes require a lot of outside studying. Can you commit to the hours needed for class preparation, projects and activities? If not, you better select a different class. Some teachers are more lenient towards non-traditional students, but they will still expect your best efforts. If you can’t give them, don’t bother.
Also, consider you time constraints. Do you have to be somewhere every Thursday, does PTO meet on Mondays? What about driving time, carpool? Does the class you’re considering conflict with any of these things? If so, you may want to choose a different class, or make a commitment determining what things you are going to give up during that particular class time. Don’t make these decisions on impulse. Carefully consider all your options before committing to a class.
Confidence Determines Success
The very first day of class the pressure may seem unbearable. Walk into class with your head held high, and with your most inviting smile on your lips. A smile can actually break the tension in the class. There are many students that are just as scared as you are.
Make eye contact with people. This eye contact may actually help you make friends. A person’s response will also help you to decide if he is a possible partner for any group projects that may be assigned during the class.
Notes are Key
On the first day of class you will always have an A. It is your job to keep it. Properly formulated notes can be the key to keeping high marks. Consider what the teacher is saying. You do not have to record everything he says.
If your teacher is fond of telling pointless stories, don’t take write them into your notes. It is a waste of paper, and it will also waste your studying time. Leafing through pages of notes to find a few lines of pertinent information is never fun. Record things that are related to the class or the things that the teacher says will be on the test.
Develop Your Own Note Taking System
Make use of colored pens, highlighters or computer software to keep track of important information. Programs like Microsoft OneNote are perfect for recording notes and important facts. The OneNote program allows the user to create folders for individual classes, as well as daily pages under a class heading.
Remember, you will succeed as a non-traditional student. Be your biggest cheerleader and keep on trucking!
Non-Traditional Student on Campus
Stepping onto a campus, of any size, after several years absence, or for the first time ever, can be a bit overwhelming. Fear is normal. It is also normal to feel like all the younger students are staring at you, and that you will never fit in. Don’t worry. You don’t have to fit in or be popular, this is not high school. You are in college to learn, fulfill your dreams and start anew. Relax, the chances are you will excel in your new environment.
Scheduling is Everything
Before you ever begin a class you have to create your schedule. Many students find this preparation the most confusing time of their school career. Non-traditional students must consider two things when selecting their class schedules, what else is going on in their life, and can they be reasonably sure that they can make it to their classes.
Children, spouses and work all make big impacts on your schedule. Many classes require a lot of outside studying. Can you commit to the hours needed for class preparation, projects and activities? If not, you better select a different class. Some teachers are more lenient towards non-traditional students, but they will still expect your best efforts. If you can’t give them, don’t bother.
Also, consider you time constraints. Do you have to be somewhere every Thursday, does PTO meet on Mondays? What about driving time, carpool? Does the class you’re considering conflict with any of these things? If so, you may want to choose a different class, or make a commitment determining what things you are going to give up during that particular class time. Don’t make these decisions on impulse. Carefully consider all your options before committing to a class.
Confidence Determines Success
The very first day of class the pressure may seem unbearable. Walk into class with your head held high, and with your most inviting smile on your lips. A smile can actually break the tension in the class. There are many students that are just as scared as you are.
Make eye contact with people. This eye contact may actually help you make friends. A person’s response will also help you to decide if he is a possible partner for any group projects that may be assigned during the class.
Notes are Key
On the first day of class you will always have an A. It is your job to keep it. Properly formulated notes can be the key to keeping high marks. Consider what the teacher is saying. You do not have to record everything he says.
If your teacher is fond of telling pointless stories, don’t take write them into your notes. It is a waste of paper, and it will also waste your studying time. Leafing through pages of notes to find a few lines of pertinent information is never fun. Record things that are related to the class or the things that the teacher says will be on the test.
Develop Your Own Note Taking System
Make use of colored pens, highlighters or computer software to keep track of important information. Programs like Microsoft OneNote are perfect for recording notes and important facts. The OneNote program allows the user to create folders for individual classes, as well as daily pages under a class heading.
Remember, you will succeed as a non-traditional student. Be your biggest cheerleader and keep on trucking!
Friday, September 4, 2009
College Advisors: Friend or Foe?
For the nontraditional student, college advisors can be your worst nightmare or your best advocate. Unfortunately, many colleges have started hiring advisors for the student body at large, instead of leaving this important task in the hands of those who are much more qualified--the instructors in the degree program. While there are some college advisors who make the effort to understand the degree programs they are advising, many do not. So, how do you ensure that your advisor doesn't hurt your college schedule?
When I first started my undergraduate courses, my advisor (an English professor) told me I did not have to take the required science/math elective. According to him, required courses in my degree program (computer information systems) would take care of that. In the middle of my last semester, I learned he was wrong. I had to decide whether to come back for another semester for one class, or CLEP out of a science class. Thankfully, due to home schooling my son through high school, I had enough background in Biology that with a little (oops, make that a LOT) of study, I was able to CLEP Biology and still graduate when I intended to.
While working as an instructor at a community college, I found that many students were being given bad advising, causing them to take four years to complete a two year degree. The advisors did not know the computer information degree program well enough to know which classes were offered only in even or odd years and in specific semesters (fall or spring). The instructors for the division quickly posted notes to the students to come discuss their schedules with division instructors before signing up for classes to help keep them on track.
How do you prevent this kind of situation? Follow these guidelines:
Nontraditional students sometimes have trouble identifying steps to succeed in their college careers, because they are unfamiliar with course pre-requisites and scheduling. Essentially, you must become your own advocate, and take responsibility for your own education. The more you know about how college planning works, the better able you are to get your courses in the right order, at the right time.
When I first started my undergraduate courses, my advisor (an English professor) told me I did not have to take the required science/math elective. According to him, required courses in my degree program (computer information systems) would take care of that. In the middle of my last semester, I learned he was wrong. I had to decide whether to come back for another semester for one class, or CLEP out of a science class. Thankfully, due to home schooling my son through high school, I had enough background in Biology that with a little (oops, make that a LOT) of study, I was able to CLEP Biology and still graduate when I intended to.
While working as an instructor at a community college, I found that many students were being given bad advising, causing them to take four years to complete a two year degree. The advisors did not know the computer information degree program well enough to know which classes were offered only in even or odd years and in specific semesters (fall or spring). The instructors for the division quickly posted notes to the students to come discuss their schedules with division instructors before signing up for classes to help keep them on track.
How do you prevent this kind of situation? Follow these guidelines:
- Study your college catalog. Know what classes you are required to take.
- Read the course descriptions in the catalog, and note which have pre-requisites, and which are only taught at specific times, such as spring of odd years.
- Create a chart that shows the order in which classes must be taken if they require pre-requisites and refer to it every time you register for classes.
- Discuss your chart with your advisor AND one of your instructors. Or discuss it with the division chair or dean. Make sure that you understand the steps you need to take to get to graduation by the date you intend to graduate.
- Get your general education courses out of the way as soon as possible, but also make sure that you are taking the first level of pre-requisite courses as early as you are allowed to do so. Some colleges are very strict about taking anything other than general education courses during your first two to four semesters. Others allow you to register for any classes you wish to as long as you have the pre-requisite classes behind you.
- Keep your college catalog. This is your binding contract with the college. Even if the required courses change for your program, you should be able to graduate according to the requirements in effect when you start your first college class. You may have to substitute classes if required classes are dropped due to program changes. If that happens, be sure to discuss with the division chair or dean which classes will be appropriate substitutions. It is also your guide to when classes will be offered.
- Occasionally, classes are cancelled due to low enrollment. If this happens to a required class you need for graduation, visit with the division chair or dean to find out what your options are. You may be able to complete an independent study for the course under the supervision of one of the instructors. Keep in mind that instructors are not paid for supervising independent studies, so they are doing this only to help you out. Be appreciative and do your work on time to ensure that the instructor in question does not regret taking on this extra work.
Nontraditional students sometimes have trouble identifying steps to succeed in their college careers, because they are unfamiliar with course pre-requisites and scheduling. Essentially, you must become your own advocate, and take responsibility for your own education. The more you know about how college planning works, the better able you are to get your courses in the right order, at the right time.
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Nontraditional Students and High School Transcripts
Believe it or not, nontraditional students have to supply their high school transcripts when applying for admission to college--even if you graduated high school thirty years ago or more. For some nontraditional students, this is not easy to get. When my husband decided to attend some college classes, the school he where had graduated had closed for a period of ten years, due to low enrollment.
Fortunately, one of the administrative assistants of the school district was able to locate the transcript by going through boxes of old records that had been in a closet for many, many years. This lady, bless her, took the time to find his transcript. If she hadn't, it is possible he would not have been admitted without taking the GED (which was mentioned at one point by a college official).
As soon as you make the decision to be a student again, contact the high school counsellor where you graduated. Give them a long lead time to find the transcript, especially if you graduated before computers and even more time if you graduated before microfiche became popular for keeping records. This will make it more likely the transcript will arrive within the allotted time period. Even if you don't know where you want to attend college classes, most high school administrations would appreciate a heads up that you are planning to go and will be requesting the transcript soon.
As for the transcript contents, don't worry too much if your high school GPA was less than stellar. You just need it to show that you completed high school. Most colleges will require nontraditional students to take the ACT, SAT, or a some kind of placement test to give them an idea where to place you as far as Math and English courses go. They want to make sure they don't put you in an Algebra class if you need to brush up on basic mathematics and pre-algebra, etc.
Going to school and being a student again is stressful enough without worrying about the highschool transcript Just be sure you request it early, then spend your worry time prepping for the ACT or SAT!
Fortunately, one of the administrative assistants of the school district was able to locate the transcript by going through boxes of old records that had been in a closet for many, many years. This lady, bless her, took the time to find his transcript. If she hadn't, it is possible he would not have been admitted without taking the GED (which was mentioned at one point by a college official).
As soon as you make the decision to be a student again, contact the high school counsellor where you graduated. Give them a long lead time to find the transcript, especially if you graduated before computers and even more time if you graduated before microfiche became popular for keeping records. This will make it more likely the transcript will arrive within the allotted time period. Even if you don't know where you want to attend college classes, most high school administrations would appreciate a heads up that you are planning to go and will be requesting the transcript soon.
As for the transcript contents, don't worry too much if your high school GPA was less than stellar. You just need it to show that you completed high school. Most colleges will require nontraditional students to take the ACT, SAT, or a some kind of placement test to give them an idea where to place you as far as Math and English courses go. They want to make sure they don't put you in an Algebra class if you need to brush up on basic mathematics and pre-algebra, etc.
Going to school and being a student again is stressful enough without worrying about the highschool transcript Just be sure you request it early, then spend your worry time prepping for the ACT or SAT!
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