Non-traditional students: Support and Advice

Kinda nervous jumping back in. Particularly after my epic meltdown in junior year.

I'm planning on doing this in the next year or so. I've never attended any higher education and I'm terrified.

Very brave of you! To be honest, if I started out as a traditional student, I probably would've lost my nerve. Are you planning on starting off in a community college or in a four year college/university?

Grr.. if I HADN'T started out...

This is me. University after 14 years of working.Now considering postgraduate study. Could possibly advise on UK education?

If it's at all comforting, when I was last at school, (six years ago) there was a small but visible presence of older students there. Older meaning at least 40+ since I couldn't tell the late twenties/thirties crowd apart from TAs/grad students. In the past six years, with the way the economy is, there probably are a lot of people in the same situation.

I'll be starting out at a community college and transfering eventually. It's a massive life-change for me: quitting job and moving to another state. It's daunting. I've been reading lots of books just to learn about how college works.

xp Yeah, that's the impression I got from everytihng I've read.

I went to law school as a non-traditional student when I was 32 (quit my job and moved to another state to do it, too), and I teach classes of mostly non-traditional students at community college now. The two years prior to law school, I had gone to a local four year college for a paralegal certificate so I could ease myself back into school and so I could have recent, good grades on my grad school (didn't intend to go to law school initially) applications. I went to undergrad right out of high school but my grades weren't very good.

Going back as a nontraditional student to law school was pretty cool. I was more self-assured than I was in undergrad, plus more focused. I got good grades, which felt good and created a feedback loop where I worked harder to continue to get good grades, which gave me more confidence. Traditional students could be very annoying, but I found it to be a really positive experience once I got past my initial jitters. Plus there were plenty of nontraditional students there so I didn't feel out of place.

My law school also had an extra "How to go to school" class that they put some students in. I wasn't placed there because I had recent college experience getting the paralegal certificate, but my friends who did take the class said it was really helpful.

Now that I'm on the other side of it, I find that non-trad students are my favorites because they bring a wealth of experience into the classroom. There's a lot of support for non-traditional students at this college, and I'm guessing that will be the case where you are going, too.

Basically, institutionally speaking, I think you'll be fine. It won't be like Rodney Dangerfield in Back to School. Schools these days really do a lot to make non-traditional students feel a part of the school community. Sometimes just hanging out in the student lounge and studying instead of going home to study in my study hole made me feel more connected. Get to know your advisor and stay in touch with that person about programs from non-traditional students and other campus resources.