The Non-Traditional Student Blog (BA): going back to school

Showing posts with label going back to school. Show all posts

College, trade school, a GED - is one on your bucket list?

This posting is for people who have always wanted to go back to school, but keep putting it off.

There can be many valid reasons for putting going back to school on a bucket list for "someday"... It's hard to change habits and make that jump into something new.

Finances may be tight. Family responsibilities can take a lot of time. Sometimes there just doesn't seem to be a way to make college or GED dreams happen.

Are you one of those people who keep putting off going back to school? Has it been a long time since you were in school?

This site can help you get your GED, if this is holding you back: The Your GED Site.

There are other sites and groups that can help you with the motivation you need to go back to school, whether it is GED class, a trade school, or college. Some links that help with those things are below this posting that you might also find helpful.

The first step is that phone call for an appointment to talk to an admittance person or appointment with a school guidance person.

After that, you can fill out a FAFSA to see how much money you can get with a student loan. Some schools will help with child care, and have groups and special study areas just for students going back to school after a break.

Of course, be careful about for-profit schools. Public schools can be safer for you. Make sure that you are going to an accredited school and you will be able to transfer your credits later on too.

So... does this article nudge you a little bit? I hope so. I was a nontraditional student and I learned so much. It gave me more self-confidence, and taught me a lot about the world.

All for now,

Betsyanne

Former and current non-traditional student
Kentucky

Here are some more of my Nontrad links:
The Nontrad site and blog
Join Nontrads on Facebook
Nontrads on Yahoo
Nontrads on Twitter

A reminder: Get connected, nontraditional students!

Hi to all nontraditional students!

Nontraditional students are a growing group across the country and abroad. Older students are realizing that they can change their lives and go for their dreams.

There are many nontraditional student blogs and websites online to help them in their educational journey.

I have several that may be helpful to you. Along with this blog for nontraditional students, there is also the Nontraditional Student website, Nontraditional students on Facebook, the Nontraditional Student Yahoo Group, and a Twitter site.

The Nontraditional Student website has different state pages where people can look up nontraditional student groups in their state. They can also submit their group to the site.

Nontraditional students on Facebook has 538 Likes. Members can post to the Wall, and there are links and interesting cartoons and articles listed there.

Nontraditional Student Yahoo Group has 278 members. Three just joined recently. Right now, there is an introduction for a new member from Texas. I like the fact that the group is diverse and has people from all over in it. Members give advice and share how they are doing as nontraditional students or people helping them or thinking about going back to school soon.

The Twitter site shares web links and links to interesting sites for nontraditional students. There is also a site for scholarship and grant seekers at the ScholarsGrants Twitter page.

Here are some more links you may enjoy:
The Nontraditional Student blog Big List of Nontrad Links

Later!

Betsyanne
Former and current Nontraditional Student

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog
Join Nontrads on Facebook
Nontrads on Yahoo and
Nontrads on Twitter

Many would-be nontraditional students can get in a rut and put dreams off to someday...

In a cubicle - from the Microsoft Clipart pages.

Responsibility for others...

Older people can sometimes be very responsible... for other people.

And nontraditional students going back to school after a break - or thinking about it - can spend a lot of time doing things for other people, and ignoring themselves.

Sometimes life just happens. You get married, you have a child or children, you are working full-time and feeling more comfortable, but really you are in a rut.

You just do what you have to do, and that is a choice of honor for many. And it's easy to forget what you really wanted to do, once upon a time.

Putting dreams off... to "someday".

What ever happened about college - about trade school - about those dreams you or others used to have? Well, many times, they are put on the back shelf. There is only so much time, and there are responsibilities people have to others, to family, parents, or (sometimes) to debt collectors or things they must have and pay for.

It's great when a student has somebody else to help, maybe a family or partner, or money set back. But that is not always the case for many people.

When you - or somebody else - can break through and go back to school, it can be the start of a whole new life, greater happiness, fulfillment, and a change for the better. As I hear a lot, it can be "a dream come true."

Looking towards the future - from the MS Clipart Pages.

Do you know somebody who wants to go back to school? Or maybe it is you yourself? Try these links out for size, and see what opportunities are out there for you.

A nontraditional student can start going back to school anytime... in the spring, next fall, next summer, or sometimes right now.

Here is the official FAFSA site - find out what help is available for nontraditional students wanting to go back to school.

And check out the 3 most popular postings here on the BA Nontrad Blog:

Finding Scholarships and Grants for School

Thinking about Graduate School - is it for you?

Michelle Fabio's Introduction to Law School for Nontraditional Students