The Non-Traditional Student Blog (BA)

#9 in a series: Going to school part-time seems to take forever. What can you do?

This posting is an Expanded continuation of a posting called: More Tips for Nontraditional Students: 10 situations, plus possible solutions.

#9. Going to school part-time seems to take forever.

Going to school part-time seems to take forever.

I said: Know that you are not alone... one of these days, you WILL have completed your studies. Think of the long-term picture and try to be patient. ALSO: consider amping things up and going full-time, IF you have enough money and/or support.

But it actually is not so easy. If you are not careful, you could lose interest in school. If there is ANY way to go full-time for awhile and just get it done, you should. BUT if you can't, you need to find the motivation to keep on going.

A Nontraditional Student group may provide you with the support you need. There are some listed on the Nontraditional Student website, under your state. Just scroll down until you see the state, and click on your area. There are also pages for other areas.

On the plus side, taking classes a little at a time MIGHT free you up to do better, with more study time. And you will have the chance, hopefully, to get to know your teachers better.

Here are some articles to help you while you go back to school part-time. Some are time savers, others advice articles. I hope they are helpful!

Get to know your college professors (this goes for all teachers too)

Some study and final project tips

Textbook options include renting, e-books, more.

10 Motivational Tips for the Nontraditional Student

Here are the "Expanded answers to the Advice Posting so far:

#1: Were your grades great, or would you like a redo of them, nontraditional students?

#2: Not enough credits to graduate, CLEP, addition, accreditation, transfers, more.

#3. Are you taking the courses you want to take? Or is it time to change course?

#4. You don't know if you want to continue, for any reason. Can you continue on?

#5. Are your student loans adding up too fast?

#6. You may want to transfer schools... some things to think about.

#7. Are you bored with school? Want more fun? Try these things.

#8. You wanted A's, but you got B's or C's (or a combination)...

Here is the original posting again you might like to check out: More Tips for Nontraditional Students: 10 situations, plus possible solutions.

My next posting will talk about #10: (For the beginning or the middle of the semester only) You have signed up for too many classes.

#10. (For the beginning or the middle of the semester only) You have signed up for too many classes. - See more at: http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-tips-for-nontraditional-students.html#.U9_b10jGJox

Going to school part-time seems to take forever.

Again, good luck this summer, whether you are in school, on vacation, at a job, or whatever you are choosing to do.

#5. You have Student Loans that seem to be adding up too fast. - See more at: http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-tips-for-nontraditional-students.html#.U59gn6jGJox

Betsyanne

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog

Join Nontrads on Facebook, Nontrads on Yahoo, and Nontrads on Twitter

#8 in a series: You wanted A's, but you got B's or C's (or a combination)... some tips about that.

This posting is an Expanded continuation of a posting called: More Tips for Nontraditional Students: 10 situations, plus possible solutions.

#8. You wanted A's, you got B's or C's.
<or a combination...>

What I said in the first posting: This is not the end of the world. You can always take a class again, but you may not need to. Try joining a study group if a class seems to be difficult to you next semester.

This is not the end of the world. You can always take a class again, but you may not need to. Try joining a study group if a class seems to be difficult to you next semester. - See more at: http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-tips-for-nontraditional-students.html#.U9Ab36iFWtp

Let me go into more that can happen behind the scenes about a grade. I used to think grades were JUST a reflection of how much work you put into a class. Now I know better. It actually happens sometimes that a teacher does not give you the grade you think you deserve. And some <a minority, I truly believe> are unfair and "play favorites".

Well, other people told me in the past that they did not get a grade they felt was fair. This happened just once when I first went to school. It happened to me later as a nontraditional student once too. <Happily, it only happened in the one class> I knocked myself out with my final report, and did pretty well the rest of the time too. AND never missed a class, took good notes, etc. etc. etc. I also was respectful of the teacher. BUT I didn't get an A in the class. I really did deserve one.

What happened? There was also a weird thing that happened right before my Final Play demonstration. <My notes came up missing, and I KNOW I had them right before I began.> I think I laid them down just for a moment. What happened? I don't know. Even minus the notes fiasco, I still think I did much better than OK.

But I didn't do anything about it at the end of the semester after I saw my grade. Turns out that this teacher didn't give back our final Notebooks. I had to go get mine from the Department later. AND this teacher left. I don't know why. Maybe the grades were not fair for more students. I will never know.

I think you CAN talk to the teacher about this if it ever happens to you. Back then I didn't think it would do any good. And I was really not sure if this would have been wise. Turns out maybe it would have been, thinking back with 20/20 vision. AND you can also talk to the Department Head if your conference doesn't bring your grade up where you think it should be.

I think MOST of the time what happens is, another class is a lot harder than others most times. And that's where a person's greatest effort goes. The other classes may suffer. But generally, the more time you spend working and studying, the better.

Other tips:

1. Don't miss a class. True, you can get notes from somebody else, but unless you are really sick and this doesn't happen much, it could hurt your grade.

2. ASK your teacher if you have a question. No sense not doing it. You might be embarrassed to admit you don't understand something, BUT it will be worth the higher grade to ask.

3. If you are in a really hard class, form a study group. This can help SO much, and can help your grade a LOT. But do it early... before midterms.

It's true.... a bad grade or even a bad semester does NOT mean you have to quit. It may mean you need to ramp up the study time or even cut back on work hours. But a positive attitude can help so much, and you can "learn" to study better too.

Here are some other past Nontrad Blog postings that might help you.

My favorite Study Guide site - the Joe Landsberger Study Guides and Strategies Site

Study Groups for Nontraditional Students

and

What to do when you are sick... and a nontraditional student.

Here are the "Expanded answers to the Advice Posting so far:

#1: Were your grades great, or would you like a redo of them, nontraditional students?

#2: Not enough credits to graduate, CLEP, addition, accreditation, transfers, more.

#3. Are you taking the courses you want to take? Or is it time to change course?

#4. You don't know if you want to continue, for any reason. Can you continue on?

#5. Are your student loans adding up too fast?

#6. You may want to transfer schools... some things to think about.

#7. Are you bored with school? Want more fun? Try these things.

Here is the original posting again you might like to check out: More Tips for Nontraditional Students: 10 situations, plus possible solutions.

My next posting will talk about #9: Going back to school part-time seems to take forever...

Going to school part-time seems to take forever.

Again, good luck this summer, whether you are in school, on vacation, at a job, or whatever you are choosing to do.

#5. You have Student Loans that seem to be adding up too fast. - See more at: http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-tips-for-nontraditional-students.html#.U59gn6jGJox

Betsyanne

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog

Join Nontrads on Facebook, Nontrads on Yahoo, and Nontrads on Twitter

#7 in a series: Are you bored with school? Want more fun? Try these things.

This posting is an Expanded continuation of a posting called: More Tips for Nontraditional Students: 10 situations, plus possible solutions.

#7. School has become boring, or not fun at all.
The short answer I had on the original posting was: See if you can join a Club or Nontraditional Student group at your school. This might help.

It might. But you may not have a group there. Worse yet, you may have other reasons why school is not interesting to you anymore.

Are you having trouble with your classes? Maybe not. If your classes are boring, the good part of that is maybe you know what is going on and will get an A in each boring class. All you have to do is wait for that. And force yourself to attend class, sometimes easier said than done.

If it's become a duty, and you are having no fun at all, that is a really bad thing. It might make you quit if you don't do something about it. Luckily, there are more avenues for nontraditional students nowadays than there used to be. A study group might win a few friends for you (and better marks), but there are now OTHER groups that you might be able to join. Online nontrad groups are available too (see the bottom for these links) but actual Campus Clubs and Organizations are now more open than ever to all ages.

Is there a way you can make school more interesting? A Club may be just the ticket for that. Choose a club that really interests you. Love theater? Join the Theater Club. Or you might want to choose a Sorority or Fraternity. Yes, you heard right. Some now allow older students to join! (Of course, check first).

Try taking notes - - and asking questions of your teachers to make things more interesting. Find out if you can do any extra credit projects to fill up your time if you are bored. And if you decide to add a club to your activities, new friendships and an active social calendar will soon help your boredom - a LOT.

Here are some other past Nontrad Blog postings that might help you.

Study Groups for Nontraditional Students

On-Campus Clubs for the Nontraditional Student

and

10 Motivational Tips for the Non-Traditional Student

Here are the "Expanded answers to the Advice Posting so far:

#1: Were your grades great, or would you like a redo of them, nontraditional students?

#2: Not enough credits to graduate, CLEP, addition, accreditation, transfers, more.

#3. Are you taking the courses you want to take? Or is it time to change course?

#4. You don't know if you want to continue, for any reason. Can you continue on?

#5. Are your student loans adding up too fast?

#6. You may want to transfer schools... some things to think about.

Here is the original posting again you might like to check out: More Tips for Nontraditional Students: 10 situations, plus possible solutions.

My next posting will talk about #8: You wanted A's, you got B's or C's.

Again, good luck this summer, whether you are in school, on vacation, at a job, or whatever you are choosing to do.

#5. You have Student Loans that seem to be adding up too fast. - See more at: http://non-traditional-students.blogspot.com/2014/05/more-tips-for-nontraditional-students.html#.U59gn6jGJox

Betsyanne

Some Nontrad links: The Nontrad site and blog

Join Nontrads on Facebook, Nontrads on Yahoo, and Nontrads on Twitter