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Making the Decision to Attend College as a Mature Adult

March 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Making the choice to go back to college as a mature adult can be a difficult decision. There are many factors to consider. Can you manage your marriage, your children, your job, your other commitments, and school? How much time can you devote to your studies? Why are you choosing to go back to school? Will the time and financial investment be worth the benefits that furthering your education will bring to you and your family? Are the sacrifices you will be making in time missed with your family and the financial burden it may place on your family worth the potential benefits?

Once you have considered all of these options and determined that going back to college is what is best for you and your family at this point there will be other things to consider. If your choice to further your education is based on a need for some continuing education or a higher degree to advance in your career, you may need to do some research to ensure that you are taking the appropriate coursework to reach your goals in the shortest period of time. You definitely do not want to be wasting any time or money on this venture.

However, if you have chosen to attend college in pursuit of a new career, you may have more flexibility in choosing classes and deciding on the appropriate amount of time to spend working towards your new degree or career goals. Your options will most likely be limited more by your financial situation or family commitments than time constraints.

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Distance Learning for Adults — Is it Right for You?

February 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Distance learning is not the right choice for everyone. There are many things to consider before deciding if this choice is best for you. Online learning requires discipline to complete coursework on your own, self-paced learning, studying and working alone on your classes, and an ability to understand and work a computer well.

There are many positive aspects to online learning, however. With online courses you are able to complete your coursework at your own pace, for the most part. You are able to work alone, which allows you to work at a pace that is conducive to your learning level. When you take courses online it is less disruptive to your family life than a traditional classroom may be.

Through online courses you can earn a degree faster than you would through the traditional classroom. When you complete coursework and receive a degree through an accredited and reputable institution online it is the same as earning the same degree through the traditional classroom.

Although there are many positives to online learning, there are some negative aspects that you need to consider to determine if it is right for you. Some academic areas may not be conducive to online learning. For example math and science courses may not be suitable for an online classroom. Not all degrees are available online, although more are be added every day. When you have a question you usually have to wait for a response. Your computer skills need to be advanced enough that you can easily access classroom pages, discussion boards, and upload assignments. You will need to have high-speed internet to be able to properly access your assignments and classroom instruction.

Once you have considered all the pros and cons, it is time to make a decision of what is best for you.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Online Learning Tagged With: ,

Education Required to be a Secondary Education Teacher

February 18, 2011 by Leave a Comment

You may be considering being a teacher and have decided upon teaching high school students. To make that decision you need to know more about what that requires. The teacher workforce in the United States is becoming and more and more educated. Therefore, it is important for you to know what education is necessary to reach your goals.

Whether you are entering this aspect of your career goals right out of high school or a little later in life, entering school with a clear goal in mind of where you want your education to take you will help you stay focused and get where you want to be faster. There are many different undergraduate degree programs available. It is important for you to stay focused in order to choose the right program for your goals.

To teach at a secondary education level you will need at least a Bachelor’s Degree. You could obtain a Bachelor’s of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree. Again, knowing your ultimate goals can lead you in the right direction for your degree. For example, if English is your passion, you will want to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in English for Secondary Teachers.

However, if you are more suited to teach mathematics your focus will be on a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics for Secondary Teachers. It is not uncommon for students to be unsure of what area they want to teach or may even want to be able to teach in more than one area. In this instance working on a Bachelor of Arts in Education degree is the way to go. Once you have a better idea of the specific area you are most interested in, you may add additional coursework specific to that subject.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: ,

Finish High School at Any Age

February 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

No matter what your age, you now have the option of finishing high school and earning your high school diploma. There are many online schools that now offer an opportunity for adults to earn their high school diploma.

With the way the workforce is nowadays it is becoming necessary to have a high school diploma to get a good job. Some adults may simply have a desire to finally be able to say that they graduated from high school. Others may want to go onto college but prefer a high school diploma rather than simply “testing out” and receiving a G.E.D. or H.S.E.D. certificate. Whatever the reason an individual wants to receive their high school diploma, the option is now there for them to do so.

When choosing a school to complete your high school education and receive a diploma, consider your needs. When you are searching for an online school do you need flexibility to be able to work around your other commitments in your life? Are you looking for the least expensive option? Maybe you need to find a way to finish your high school credits and earn your diploma as quickly as possible. These are all things you need to look at and consider when you are searching for the right school.

During the application process you may be required to supply transcripts and/or other documentation of coursework you have already completed in the past. If you are an older adult this may be difficult to get. Most schools have counselors that can help you through this process.

Most importantly when searching for the right school, you need to check that they are accredited. This is especially important if you are planning to attend college, as most colleges will only accept a diploma from an accredited school.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: ,

Tax Tips for College Students and Recent Grads

February 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment

As a student – or as someone who has just graduated college recently – you probably have student loans that you’re dealing with. You can deduct that interest on your federal income tax return, and there are also tax credits that exist for students. Be sure that you’re claiming your maximum refund, because you’re owed that money and you’ll want to get it back so you can put it to good use. There’s no point in letting the IRS just keep it, especially when you’ve been paying your taxes and trying to work toward getting a better job (after which you’ll be asked to pay more taxes, because you’ll be earning more money). When you’re just out of high school and into college with a low-paying job, you’ll generally fall into the lowest tax bracket.

Of course, if you’re someone who has gone back to school after an extended time in the workforce, you might be making substantially more – and paying higher taxes. Either way, you should know how to file so you can claim your student loan interest and other student credits. If you’re not sure how to handle this, you can get tax tips from the pros, or you can have a professional handle your return. Doing your own return costs you less, but not if you miss a lot of deductions that you could have taken.

Be sure you know your filing status, and whether you can be claimed by someone else on his or her return. You should also know that you can get deductions if you have children, and for a lot of medical expenses. Don’t assume that you just have to pay and pay, and that you can’t get anything back. Just take legitimate student deductions, and you shouldn’t have any problems. That will help you maximize your refund, too.

Filed Under: Adult Education, Education Tagged With: ,

Challenge of Teaching Adults

February 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Adult students are in the classroom because they choose to be. When adults enter college it is because they have a strong desire to further their career or learn something new. Adult students do not have the time or money to waste time on schooling that is insignificant or trivial. Therefore, it becomes necessary for instructors of adult students to recognize this and offer more thorough explanations in their classes about why what they are learning is important to their learning process.

Understand and respect that your students have different learning styles and it is important to find ways to reach each student through their specific learning style. For example, visual learners rely on pictures and graphs. A visual learner learns best through visually seeing the information. Auditory learners learn by hearing. An auditory learner will listen carefully to everything that is said to get the most from what is being taught. Kinesthetic learners learn by doing. The more a kinesthetic learner is able to feel and touch what they are being taught, the easier it is for them to retain the information.

No matter the age of the student, a student cannot learn until they are ready to learn. This is an old adage that many teachers may not quite grasp. Although, when teaching adult students it can be assumed that they are in your classroom because they are ready to be taught. Therefore, as an instructor of adult students it is now your job to simply look for teaching moments to expound on a subject or bring in a new topic.

One of the most important aspects of teaching adults is to be positive and encouraging. Give older adults time to respond to your questions; they may need a few moments to consider their response. As an instructor you have the unique opportunity to inspire self-confidence and enthusiasm in your students. A successful teacher can change lives!

Filed Under: Adult Education, Continuing Education Tagged With: ,

Another Step Toward Prosperity

February 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment
This is going to come as a surprise to everyone as it certainly did to me, but I am seriously thinking of going back to school, and getting an advanced degree.  I know that the process is hard, no matter which school you to go or which curriculum you choose to study. It barely matters if you go for an MFA, an MBA, or a master’s in psychology; they’re all pretty hard.  I’m still not sure if I want to go for a master’s or a doctorate yet.  In truth, I still may end up chickening out of the whole deal.  It isn’t like the process is easy.
After all, even with a GMAT prep course, just getting into a reputable MBA program could be a pretty surreal ordeal in itself.  And then, once you’ve taken that one test, all you’ve accomplished is getting into the program.  Like they say about all the elite schools, it’s pretty hard to get in, but it is really hard to get out.  Of course, that might just be the last traces of my inner loser talking.  Do you ever hear a little voice in your head that always tell you that you’re going to fail at whatever you do?  Admittedly, I do sometimes.
Granted, listening to that little voice is a sure route to going completely insane.  But at the same time, I keep wondering if maybe it’s right.  Do I really have what it takes to take my education to the next level?  Do I have the gumption, the moxie, or even the chutzpah to go all out and just gun it toward a goal that’s this ambitious?  Maybe admitting you’re afraid isn’t very tough or macho, but I have to admit that this one kind of floors me.  No matter how many prep courses I may take, I still feel very “small fish, big pond” here.
Filed Under: Adult Education, Online Learning Tagged With: ,

Challenges Facing Adults Entering College

January 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Adults entering or re-entering college have always been considered non-traditional students. Adult students are considered students over the age of 25. Adults are now returning to college in records numbers and comprise a large percentage of the student population. More adult women than men are entering college, although a larger percentage of men are now returning to college to improve upon their previous education for furthering their career or learn a new skill to re-enter the workforce.
There are different challenges for adults entering college than there are for the younger traditional students. When considering going back to college some of the challenges an adult student are generally faced with include marriage, children, jobs, community commitments, financial responsibilities, or possibly even caring for elderly parents. These responsibilities can be time consuming and/or financially draining. Making the decision to go back to school to obtain a degree requires a time and financial commitment. Many factors need to be weighed in order to find a way to make college work.
Adults may also have concerns about returning to college because they may feel that they are “too old” or that they will have difficulty “fitting in” with the younger, traditional students. However, because of the number of non-traditional, adult students enter college has risen so drastically, adults are no longer “non-traditional.” In fact, according to the Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE), adult students over the age of 25 currently make up over 47 percent of the new or returning student population on most college campuses across the United States.
There is research that also shows that more adults over the age of 50 are now returning to college to pursue new careers or lifelong dreams. This may be due to the economy and the fact that many people are unable to retire as young as they used to be able to. These older adults have most likely decided that they want to find a way to enjoy their “golden years” doing something they enjoy while earning a living.

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High School Drop Outs — A Major Problem in America

January 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Dropping out of high school can lead to a lifetime of poverty and other problems if these teens never try going back to school or getting educated or trained in a career. High school drop outs are more likely to become teen parents or end up serving time in prison. A large percentage of teens that drop out of high school end up always working low paying jobs and many will end up receiving public assistance. Some of these teens will not even get jobs and will continue to live off of other people.

Approximately seven thousands teens drop out of high school every day. Generally low income and minority students seem to be in the highest percentile of students who drop out. Certain parts of the country tend to have higher drop out rates than others as well.

There is not any one specific reason that teens drop out of high school, but some of the top reasons include difficulty transitioning to high school, a deficiency in basic skills, and not developing social networks.

Researchers are finding that students can start to display behaviors that indicate they are at risk of dropping out of high school as soon as sixth grade. These include failing grades or poor attendance. Another indicator is a student’s lack of social engagement.

Not everyone who drops out of high school is a “delinquent” or has a lack of desire to learn. Sometimes there are extenuating circumstances that lead to a need for a teen to drop out. Many times in this situation these teens will find a way to get back to school and further their education. This, however, is rare and definitely not the typical response for these teens.

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Taking High School Courses Online

January 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Not everyone chooses to obtain their education the same way. There are many students who are not able to attend a traditional school for one reason or another or possibly their parents have chosen for them to be schooled at home. Perhaps someone was unable to complete their high school education due to an illness or an accident. Whatever the reason, there are options for completing your high school education through online courses.

There are many different online schools to choose from. Some are private while others are considered charter schools and are governed by state laws. Most online high schools offer a regular high school diploma at the completion of your educational requirements. Educational requirements do vary from state to state, so it is best to research this when looking at schools. It is also important to determine if the online high school you are looking at is an accredited school. Colleges will not accept coursework done through a school which is not accredited. There may also be some jobs that will not accept high school completion through an unaccredited school.

Because of the increasing popularity of online high schools there are more options available to choose from. Not all online high schools are the same. Some offer only the basic core courses while others offer a huge variety of courses to choose from as well as electives and extra coursework options. Many online high schools also offer a variety of AP courses and even courses that can be taken for college credits as well.

Many state universities are also offering high school courses online now. Many of these courses are designed to be supplemental to your traditional high school career rather than exclusive, so they do not offer diploma programs but may have a program that gives you a full transcript of your coursework completed through their school.

Not all students taking online high school courses are attempting to complete their entire high school career online. Some may just be supplementing their traditional school experience with courses they would not otherwise have access to.

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