Survival Strategies for Returning Adult Students

Tips and Tricks for Adults who are Going Back to School

Sep 6, 2009

Adults that find themselves going back to school in order to compete in this economy need a leg up on their high-school senior counterparts.

As the economy continues to decline and more and more Americans find themselves displaced from the workforce after 10-20 years of dedicated service, many are finding themselves re-entering the college system in order to obtain a degree in a field that is still flush with opportunity. A few key tactics can make this rewarding.

Mechanics who specialized in older vehicles find themselves going back to school to learn the computer systems that are involved in the newer models of cars in order to be able to maintain a majority of the fleet on the road today, as catering to a few holdouts from yesteryear is no longer a financially viable option.

Displaced workers are finding that they are automatically disqualified from many positions specifically for not possessing a Bachelor’s Degree. The interesting fact is that 80% of the time, the subject in which the Degree was obtained is irrelevant, the fact that an effort was made to continue education past the high school level is the important factor.

The junior college system is over populated with students fresh out of high school competing with returning students for places in the classes that are critical to obtaining any degree, such as mathematics, English, and the sciences.

As one who has recently shuffled off a decade or longer absence from academia will attest to, getting back into the swing of things is not exactly as simple as riding a bicycle. There are certain factors for success that must be relearned in order to make the transition and secondary education as easy as possible.

6 Must Do’s To Get Back In The Saddle Quickly

Buy the textbook. In some classes the instructor may say that the text is optional – get it anyways because the ability to highlight in the text and mark any areas that the instructor covers in more detail will make it easier to study for tests than simply relying on handwritten notes scratched in class while the instructor is talking at 100 words per minute.

Do the homework and look over the homework shortly before the next class, preferably on the same day as the class. Having the information fresh will greatly assist in learning the new information that is presented that day, as well as any pop quizzes that the instructor may pull.

Journal about the class that just ended. This is especially helpful if there is a break of 30 minutes or more between classes. Writing about what was just learned will embed that knowledge more fully into the memory banks, along with the benefit of helping to clear the mind and focus for the upcoming class. Journal entries don’t have to be long, just enough to get any thoughts down on paper that did not find their way into notes that were taken earlier in the class.

Office hours are not just for suck-ups. Instructors are available during office hours for a reason. They are there to discuss and go over topics previously covered in class that may not have been fully understood. And if life or illness happen to intrude on the occasional class causing a lack of attendance for that day, stopping by during office hours and asking the instructor for a brief rundown of the information that was missed will prevent getting further behind.

Tutors who have taken just about every class in the school’s curriculum are generally available on campus, and even online. The basic classes like English, math, science, and history generally have tutors in the library or student services building on most major campuses.

9 Habits of Highly Successful Students

Going back to school can be a daunting proposition, but armed with the correct tools and resources it can be one of the most rewarding experiences of adult life. Just remember to study, work hard, and ask lots of questions. The decision to continue an education past high school is one that is definitely obtainable and instrumental to success to those who pursue it passionately.

The copyright of the article Survival Strategies for Returning Adult Students in Adult Education is owned by Cecilia Johnson. Permission to republish Survival Strategies for Returning Adult Students in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.