Returning to College after a 10 year absence

Hello WW,

I am starting a new goal for myself and my family this year of going back to college. Right now, I am so nervous about this new goal of returning back to college after a 10 year absence.  I did not get good grades when I attended my community college after my high school graduation due to poor study skills.  I did not complete my Associates Degree due to my poor performance in college.

During that time, I got married and had two children. I want to go back to school for my two daughters, myself, and to achieve my dream of getting my Bachelor Degree in Computer Science so I can become a high school or community college teacher.

I do not know where to begin this journey.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

With Thanks,

Determined in Dallas

Dear Determined,

Congratulations on making the decision to return back to college to pursue your educational and career goals.   Have the discussion with your family about your goal of going back to college.  You will need a supportive network of family and friends during this time of being in school.

Some tips that you will need to do to start this educational journey.

1. Start researching the community colleges that you would like to attend. If your area is lucky to have more than one community college available, start asking questions from former and current students who attended that particular college. Ask ALOT of questions to get feedback on the college of your choice. Added bonus, you can research colleges that offers online classes that will fit your schedule if you need the flexibility attending classes on your own time.

2. Research and apply for financial aid as soon as possible.  The first step is to fill out the online application at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov and get the necessary documentation such as proof of income and tax return information ready. The financial aid process takes about three to seven weeks to process so have your information ready when the college need to verify this information.

3. Schedule a tour with the college and/or university that you want to attend. This tour will give you information about the campus, the resources available, and the atmosphere of the college classrooms.  This tour is very important when you are ready to attend a four year university.

4. After you chose your college, make an appointment to meet with an academic advisor to help you to plan your classes, degree plans and testing requirements. The advisor is a valuable resource of what classes that you will need to transfer to a four year university, the degree requirements for an Associates degree, and can assist you with the transfer process.  You will form a successful partnership with your advisor that will make your college experience more successful in the years to come.

5. Once you are admitted to the college, plan your classes and REGISTER EARLY to get the best course selection that fits your schedule.  If you wait at the last minute to register for classes, the courses that you want to take will not be available until the next semester.

6. Check with financial aid to make sure that your award is available to pay for your classes.  If the Financial Aid office need more information, you can provide this as soon as possible so your classes are paid for in a timely matter.  Accept your award as soon as you get the notification that you have a financial aid award available to you.

7. Check with the bookstore to see what textbooks that you will need for your classes. There is several options for textbooks now, such as book rentals, e-book downloads for the computer/e-readers, and used book purchases.  There is several excellent textbook websites, such as chegg.com that may have the textbooks that you may need and compare prices.

8. Plan out a study time schedule.  Usually, most students plan about 2 to 3 hours of study for each class taken. Take the time to plan this schedule and stick to it.  Get your support system on board for this one, you will need their encouragement to stick with the schedule.

9.  Talk to your instructors about your progress in class, discussion participation, and any other course related issues that you may have.  This is a trait of a successful student who cares about his or her progress in class.

10.  Celebrate every achievement that you accomplished, such as that A+ grade on that research paper, making an outstanding presentation, and/or mastering a difficult computer program.  This positive reinforcement is critical for your continued success throughout your community college and university journey.

You are embarking a life changing adventure, Determined.  Good Luck and keep in touch on your educational goals.

Take care,

WW