All Grown up and Going Back to School

So you’re all grown up now, and you’re about to embark on a journey you thought was finished long ago: your education. Perhaps you’re returning to finish a degree you started when you were younger or maybe you’re heading back to earn an advanced degree that will put your career on the fast track. Whatever your reasons, getting an education as a non-traditional student is a vastly different experience from the typical carefree undergraduate years. Now that you’re older, you may have a partner, children, a mortgage, and/or a full-time job to juggle in addition to your scholastic obligations. Trying to manage all of these responsibilities may seem daunting, but plenty of returning students have succeeded before you. Read on for important information and tips on going back to school as a non-traditional student.

Financial Aid Isn’t Just for Beginners

Federal loans and other forms of tuition assistance aren’t just for those spry 18-year-old undergrads. Financial aid for non-traditional students is also available in abundance. In fact, most of the resources available to traditional students are also available to you. The primary difference is that, because you are older, your parents’ assets and income will no longer enter into the picture. Instead, only your assets and income (and those of your spouse, if you’re married) will be considered when you apply for financial aid. Here are some other financial aid tips for returning students:

• Don’t be afraid to appeal your initial financial aid award. If you are quitting your job to return to school full time, you may run into a problem because your financial aid award will be based on your income for the previous year. If your initial award is skimpy, appeal it. Most financial aid officers will adjust your award based on your expected income.
• Look into tuition assistance with your employer. For returning students who plan to continue working full or part time, ask your employer or human resources department about the possibility of tuition reimbursement or assistance.
• Don’t forget about scholarships. An increasing number of scholarships are available to non-traditional or returning students. Look online for a scholarship search engine or visit your prospective school’s scholarship or financial aid office for more information.

Time Management

Arguably the single biggest issue facing returning students is a dearth of time combined with an abundance of obligations. Trying to work, study, attend class, and possibly raise a family simultaneously is a difficult endeavor. To help you manage your time effectively as a non-traditional student, consider the following suggestions:

• Prioritize. With returning students, school and study time often take a backseat to all other obligations. As a student, though, school should be a top priority. Try adjusting or reducing your other obligations in order to accommodate your class and study schedule.
• Lose the perfectionism. You are already doing an admirable and ambitious thing by returning to school at an older age. Don’t put added pressure on yourself by holding yourself to impossibly high academic standards.
• Ease into it. For non-traditional students, the first semester back is often the hardest because it is a period of adjustment. Take it easy your first semester and then gradually increase your course load.