Thinking About Going Back to School as a Non-Traditional Student?
By Deb Peterson, About.com Guide to Continuing Education
If you're over 25 and returning to school as a non-traditional student, you'll find help here whether you're goal is your GED credential, a degree, professional certificate, or anything else.
- Decide - Should You Go Back to School?
- Find the Right School
- Get Your GED Credential
- Get Your Degree
- Get a Professional Certificate
- Learn English as a Second Language (ESL)
- Pay for School - Scholarships and Loans
- Study Smarter
- Balance Your Life
- Quiz Yourself
- Read - Books for Adult Students
- Extras
Decide - Should You Go Back to School?
Going back to school when you've already got a life filled with family, work, community, sports, and hobbies can be a real challenge. And yet many adults return to the classroom every year at every age. If you're thinking about going back to school, we can help with information and encouragement.
Find the Right School
How do you know which school is right for you? Find school profiles here and other articles to help you make a wise choice.
Get Your GED Credential
It doesn't matter why you didn't finish high school. You still can. Passing the GED test is the equivalent of getting your high school diploma. Find out what's involved, and be on your way to a better job, a degree, or the accomplishment of a dream. It's never too late. You can do it. We're here to help.
- 10 GED Prep Resources
- What Is GED?
- GED Overview
- GED Requirements by State (USA)
- GED Books
- The GED Test - An Overview
- The GED Writing Test
- The GED Reading Test
- The GED Social Studies Test
- The GED Science Test
- The GED Math Test
- 10 Ways to Study for Your GED at Home
- Online GED and High School - Can You Trust Them?
- Accredited - Be Sure Your School or Program is Accredited
Get Your Degree
Still thinking about getting your Bachelor's degree? Master's? Doctorate? Here's the info you need to choose the right degree and the right school, make your way through the admissions process, and fit in with the other students, no matter how old you are.
- Jobs - 10 Ways to Discover the Credentials for the Jobs You Want
- Which Degree Is Right for You?
- 12 Steps Toward Your College Degree
- Your Salary Goes Up with a Degree
- Learn a Trade, Find a Job
- Choosing the Right School
- The Sometimes Winding Path to Graduate Degrees
- Spencer's Checklist for Finishing College
- Accredited - Be Sure Your School or Program is Accredited
Get a Professional Certificate
Many careers require certification, and most certificates require annual credits in continuing education to keep professionals current in their field. Are you up to date? Have you always wanted to get a better job through certification?
- What Is Professional Certification?
- What Are Continuing Education Units (CEUs)?
- The Power of Networking at Conferences
- Accredited - Be Sure Your School or Program is Accredited
Learn English as a Second Language (ESL)
Learning English as a second language is a dream for many people, and it can be a tough language to learn. It doesn't have to be any tougher because you're an adult. Find information and encouragement here, and check back often for new content.
- The Beauty of Wrong English Translation
- Language Learning - 5 Methods of Language Learning
- Learn ESL Through Movement
- Learning a New Language on the Internet
- Learning English at School with Your Children
- English Idioms - A Year in the Life of an ESL Student
Pay for School - Scholarships and Loans
One of your primary considerations in whether or not to go back to school is going to be finances. How will you pay for school? Where and how can you get a scholarship? There are people and resources available to help you.
- www.fafsa.gov (free) vs. www.fafsa.org (service)
- www.fafsa.gov - June 30 Deadline at www.fafsa.gov for Financial Aid
- Scholarships - The Gift of Confidence
- Student Loans from Banks
- Grant Money Opportunities
- Government Loans for Students
- The Spencer Foundation
- Scholarships for Working Moms and Dads
Study Smarter
Once you've decided to go back to school, how do you fit it all in your already busy life? How do you balance going to work, studying for school, spending time with your family, and living your life? Study smarter. We'll help you.
- 10 Study Skills for Non-Traditional Students
- 6 Must-Have Computer Skills for Adult Students
- Create a Study Space
- Give a Speech People Remember
- Are You Choosing Stress?
- Tips for Adult Students
- Learn How To Write a SMAART Goal, a Personal Essay...
- Improve Your Speaking Skills
- 5 Places to Rent Your Textbooks
- Begin With the End in Mind
Balance Your Life
Balancing school, work, and life can be a challenge. Find help here, from child care options to time management tips.
- 8 Child Care Options
- The Mighty Date Book
- Get Organized
- Improve Your Efficiency
- Begin with the End in Mind
Quiz Yourself
Quizzes of all kinds, from learning styles inventories to personality tests, are handy tools that help students make learning easier. Do you know how your personality affects the way you learn? If you don't find what you need here, let me know and I'll do some digging for you. Check back often for new listings.
Read - Books for Adult Students
There are books galore to help you be a better student. Find reviews here.
- Cool Colleges
- The 2009 Job Hunting in Hard Times Edition of What Color Is Your Parachute?
- The Global Achievement Gap
- The Adult Student's Guide to Survival & Success
- Major in Success
- i before e (except after c)
- A Year in the Life of an ESL Student
- Made to Stick - 6 Principles for Making Anything More Memorable
Extras
We all love the extra little things about life, don't we? Here are a few extras for the non-trad student.
