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Facing Your Fears as an Adult Returning to School
By:
Matt McAllister
In case you hadn't noticed, career
colleges aren't just for learning a vocational trade anymore. Nowadays,
career colleges can help you obtain a Bachelor's, Master's, or even
Doctorate Degree in just about any field of study, or they can even help you
simply brush up on skills you might already have on your way to earning a
certification or Associate's Degree. So while some career schools might
still specialize in vocational trades like auto body repair, masonry or hair
styling, the majority of today's career colleges are designed to help
working professionals meet their career objectives.
Prompted by an inviting and growing selection of career and online colleges,
more adults are returning to school than ever before. Whether you're seeking
to advance your current career and education, break into a whole new field,
or just enjoy studying something you've always wanted to, going back to
school can be enjoyable and rewarding.
And yet, many potential students who could clearly benefit from enrollment
at a career college are hesitant to do so. The reason? In too many cases,
they are being held back by nothing other than their own fear.
The First Step is Admitting It
Let's begin by getting everything out on the table. Some reservations
commonly heard from working adults who are considering a return to college
include the concerns that:
They won't fit in
It's too expensive
There isn't enough time in the day
It will take forever to complete a degree
Employers won't view the degree (or certification) as credible
The coursework won't be valuable or useful
In reality, just about any student who has attended a career college—whether
online or on-campus—will tell you that there really isn't anything to fear
in a return to school. While they may have once had the same fears as you do
now, they learned very quickly that those fears were actually unwarranted.
By taking each fear one by one, we can begin to understand what these
current students now know and how glad they are that they didn't let their
fears hold them back.
I'm Afraid I Won't Fit In
It is common for a person in their thirties or forties to worry that they'll
stick out like a sore thumb in a classroom filled with "kids" from the ages
of 18 to 25. However, recent information from the Census Bureau and the U.S.
Department of Education states that adult students are the fastest growing
educational demographic, revealing that 40% of college students are now 25
or older. Further information from the National Center for Education
Statistics points out that students age 35 and older rose from 823,00 in
1970 to nearly 3 million by 2001.
If you're still worried about fitting in to the classroom as an adult, a few
facts that might help allay your concerns include:
With online learning, you'll be working on a more individual basis and won't
have to worry about 'standing out' in a physical classroom;
Many colleges, traditional or otherwise, have seen a spike in their 'older'
students, and it's likely you won't be the tiny minority that you expect;
and
Many older adults actually find it rejuvenating and refreshing to be in a
classroom environment with a younger group that is eager to learn.
I'm Afraid It Will Be Too Expensive
Tuition…books…it all adds up. And many potential students get scared off by
the investment it requires to earn their degree. But the key to overcoming
this fear is to consider it as just that: an investment in your future.
Think long term instead of short term. In almost every case, the career
advancement you will get after earning your degree will easily make up for
the upfront costs of attending school. Besides, many career
colleges—especially those online—may be more affordable than you realize. Do
your homework and weigh the long-term benefits before deciding not to enroll
in a school for this reason.
I'm Afraid It Will Take Up Too Much Time
For the busy working adult, the notion of taking on any additional endeavors
can be downright stifling. It's not always easy balancing work with personal
life, and adding school on top of all your other responsibilities might seem
virtually impossible.
And yet, it's not. You'd be amazed at how much extra time you can squeeze
into a day. Sure, there will be some sacrifices you'll have to make, but if
you just try watching a little less television, say, or letting your friends
know that you won't be able to make that barbecue next weekend, you'll be
amazed at how much time you can free up. Just remember to keep your eye on
the prize, and your sacrifices will all seem worthwhile.
One good option for students who might have a hard time committing to a
schedule is to enroll in online courses that are "asynchronous." The
asynchronous learning model works a bit like email in that you can access
the coursework, instructor's lessons and classmates comments at your
convenience, then respond whenever you are able. There are no set classes
for you to attend, no specific schedules that might conflict with the rest
of your day, and, because you'll be taking classes online, no commute time
for you to worry about.
I'm Afraid It Will Take Forever To Complete My Degree
Traditionally, a Bachelor's Degree takes up to four years to complete, a
Master's Degree requires at least two years, and a Doctorate Degree can take
up to eight years or more. That's all fine and good for someone who can
dedicate themselves to being a full time student, but for those who can only
commit to part-time status, those timelines might appear too far off the
horizon.
But the facts of the matter are that most degree programs at today's career
colleges are based on accelerated learning, meaning that most degrees take
less time to complete than traditional learning environments. Coursework is
based on shorter semesters—typically five weeks—and delivering a quality
education as rapidly as possible without sacrificing the student's ability
to learn and absorb the material. In some cases you can even earn your
degree is less than a year!
I'm Afraid That Employers Won't Take My Degree Seriously
Because their degree won't be coming from some top-name university like
Harvard or Yale, some would-be students decide that it's not worth getting a
degree from a school that employer's won't view as credible.
In reality, however, most employers today do view degrees from career
colleges as not only credible, but oftentimes on par with their more
traditional counterparts. It wasn't that long ago that many HR professional
may have viewed career colleges—particularly online career colleges—as
carrying less weight than traditional colleges, but as the online education
space evolves and faculty members and curriculums at online schools catches
up with those at traditional schools, more and more HR executives are
realizing the validity of degrees earned online or through career colleges.
In fact, to some, an online degree represents a certain career ambition,
technological prowess and commitment to seeing something through to the end
on behalf of the applicant.
I'm Afraid I Won't Learn Anything New Or Valuable
Many potential students are fearful of the fact that their trouble to go out
and earn their degree might be all for naught—that the classes won't teach
them anything they hadn't learned already in their professional experiences.
As anyone who has ever taken so much as a single class at a career college
or online school will tell you, however, this perception couldn't be further
from the truth. Classes at any accredited university are taught by qualified
experts with lots of experience in their chosen field, while you will also
be surrounded by classmates who bring their own, unique experiences to
share. Whether the "classroom" is physical or virtual, you will learn more
than you ever imagined from those around you.
Another point to consider is that most career colleges are centered around a
team learning approach, in which students learn not only from their
instructors, but from other students as well. With this approach, you'll
engage in dialogues with other students who have much to share from their
own work experiences, and you'll gain valuable lessons that you can take
back and immediately apply to your own work.
Why Make The Move?
In today's modern learning environment, with numerous career and online
schools focused entirely on their educational needs, adults have nothing to
fear in a return to school – and so much to gain. Here are some of the main
reasons more adults than ever are going back to school:
Career advancement or transition. If you're not currently working at the job
of your dreams, nothing can change that faster than a more advanced degree
and additional expertise.
To complete a degree from years ago. Plenty of first-time college students
leave before they earn a degree, and a return to college is a supremely
satisfying way to take care of that unfinished business.
To set an example for their children. What better way to encourage your
growing children to pursue a college education than getting one of your own?
To fully prepare for running their own business. Whether you're interested
in opening a B&B or your own accounting firm, the perfect college program is
available online or on-campus.
Returning to school is a big step, but it shouldn't be an overwhelming one.
For those who plan the move properly and take aim on getting all they can
out of life, it can be the best decision they ever make.
Copyright © 2005 Matt McAllister
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