Adult College Students Should Know . . .

1. There is no need for guilt. Remember that you are seeking to improve your situation through education. The best gift you can give to your family is an education and when you receive your diploma everyone will agree that your sacrifice was worth it.
2. You are more well-rounded and at ease with people than traditional age students. Being older, you have had more experience in life. You’ve met more people and been to more places. Your experiences will serve you well as you pursue your degree.
3. That many institutions allow students to, “Create Degrees.” Putting together life experiences, testing, military experience and credit from other institutions can help create a degree unique to your needs.
4. That every institution publishes a catalog of its academic programs, policies, procedures and course descriptions. Before you enroll, get a catalog and check admissions policies, accreditation and if the university offers the major that you want and if not, prepares you to transfer to an institution that does.
5. The importance of having an academic advisor. This is a faculty or staff member that advises you about your program. They know all about your major and the requirements for graduation. They can also help you find internships and serve as a reference when you apply for jobs.
6. The value of remedial and developmental courses. Remedial courses don’t delay graduation but in realty may speed it up because they provide skills for success in future courses. If you are advised to take one of these courses, realize that you are being given the opportunity to do your best in school.
7. That every student comes to campus with specific goals, fears and misconceptions. Take time to know all kinds of students. You have strengths to share and can help each other overcome weaknesses.
8. That your concerns are “Real!” Don’t ignore them! Face up to them and seek help. Talk to your advisor about your concerns. You may be surprised at the resources that are available to you.
9. That difficult courses and professors are unavoidable. There will be courses that are required for your major and/or graduation that you would like to avoid. There will also be professors whose teaching methods don’t match your learning style. Try to cut down hours when you know you will have to devote extra time to a difficult class. Or take the class over a summer or mini-session when it is all you will have to focus on.
10. That you are becoming a role model for your family, friends and fellow employees. What you are experiencing and learning, both in content and survivorship skills, is worthy of respect…and you will get it! Don’t be surprised if others follow your lead. Children may start their homework when you begin your study time. The more disciplined you become, the more they’ll parallel your efforts. In that process, everyone wins!
11. The important dates for the semester. Such as days for advisement, registration, dropping and adding courses, mid-terms and finals. These dates are often found in the school catalog or bulletin. Put these dates into a master schedule for the semester.
12. That you should make copies of everything! All papers that you turn in to offices on campus and all major papers turned in to instructors. Campus personnel are humans and they deal with hundreds of students a day. Sometimes among all of this, things get lost. If you have copies you can speed up the completion of your paperwork. If you happen to be the one that has a paper lost, try to smile and be patient, you will get much better results with a smile.
13. Always ask to whom you are speaking when you make office inquiries. Write down the information that you receive, who told you what and the date and time of the call. Only saying that “someone” or “they” told you won’t get the problem resolved.
14. That many businesses give student discounts. The office of student services should have a list of these businesses. Be sure to ask when you go to restaurants and stores if they offer student discounts. Your student ID might be a source of savings.
15. The importance of quality time with your family. Once a week, have an evening when everyone is together. Sit at the table and share your week with each other. Or, go out to eat and enjoy a movie. Take your children to the park. Everyone should have a lot to talk about and it will give you dedicated time to catch up on things.
16. The importance of saying “No!” Going to school you can’t be all that you were before. It may be time to give up some activities. If you try to do everything you won’t give 100% to anything. Establish your priorities!
17. That attending college gives you the opportunity to make new friends. You will meet other adult students who share your ambitions and dreams. Many people find their best friends sitting right next to them in class. Invite someone to have a cup of coffee at the campus cafeteria. Start a study group and expand your circle of friends.
18. You will receive a syllabus on the first day of class. The course outline and expectations are found in the syllabus. Keep your syllabus!
19. Keep up with the class reading assigned for the class. Don’t go through and highlight everything in the book. If you are changing the book from white to yellow, green and blue, you are accomplishing little. A highlighter is just that…..to highlight major ideas and concepts.
20. That you should read your papers aloud before turning them in to the instructor. If it doesn’t make sense to you, it won’t make sense to your instructor. You can type with a word processing program so it can correct errors as you go.
21. Your instructors names, phone numbers, office location and hours and e-mail address. You should also remember their titles. Most instructors will tell you how they wish to be addressed on the first day of class. Unless you’re told to do so, never address an instructor by first name.
22. That failing one exam or one assignment in a course doesn’t equal failure in the class. Calmly evaluate why you got a failing grade and if you have questions go and see your instructor about it.
23. That your attitude is the key barometer of your success. You start like a gang buster, highly motivated and focused. And when everything gets a little bit hectic you can say two different things. “Wow, is this what I have gotten myself into?” Or, you can say, “This is interesting, difficult but, if it were easy I could buy it at the mall.” Always monitor your attitude and remember that the key point is persistence.
24. That many colleges give credit for life experience and credit by examination. You may be eligible for degree credit for previous work experience or other activities. This is sometimes called life experience credit. You may earn credit based on your performance on specified exams.
25. That some courses have core requisites and pre requisites. A course that must be taken at the same time as another is called a core requisite and a course that has to be taken before you take another is a pre requisite.
26. That when possible, courses and professors should be selected carefully. Too often, adult students select courses and professors based on when a course meets rather than with information about how the course or the professor will meet their needs. Of course, there will be times when you don’t have a choice.
27. That understanding the turf and your place in it gives you a clearer perception of how you will be received, helped and nurtured on your campus. Displaying attitudes, behaviors and actions that mirror these perceptions will help you gain further respect and assistance from instructors, college staff and fellow students. Getting off to a good start is the best investment in meeting your goals and dreams.
28. That you should check possible financial aid even if you think that you don’t qualify. You may be surprised and discover a grant, loan or student work program. Eligibility is influenced by many factors and you may meet some criteria. Some local clubs and organizations may offer scholarships to adult students.
29. That if you work, you will need to maintain a balance between work and school. Most students find it impossible to work full time and go to school full time so you may need to study part time while you have a full time job.
30. The importance of family support to you. While gathering that support begins well before admission, its emphasis needs to be continued weekly. Hold family meeting periodically. Early topics include being realistic about the financial and personal sacrifices that will be necessary in order for you to attend college. Later you can discuss weekly, monthly and full term projects that everyone should understand before demands in their lives surface. Make sure that everyone knows the long term benefits of the short term sacrifices.
31. You should become involved in campus activities. Studies show that students that have some sort of involvement with their institution tend to finish their educational goals. There are campus activities that you would enjoy. In addition, you may have experience and expertise that could be helpful to classmates.

References cited in this document:

Cambridge Stratford Study Skills Institute. (2000) 100 Things Every Adult College Student Ought to Know. Williamsville, NY: Carlette Jackson Hardin

Come to the WIT Spring Event to learn more!