Graduate from College at Age 50 and older Is Not Old School Anymore by Laurens Wright
DO THE IMPOSSIBLE
POSSIBLE COLLEGE AFTER 50?
At one time it would have been almost impossible for a person over 50 years old to be able to go back to college and finish with a degree. This age group had full time jobs and because of the economy, children, activities and trying to build for retirement, did not put college on a high priority. When the age of computers grew, the possibilities of graduating changed. The likelihood of obtaining the required money, the required time and the means of acquiring the college status moved upward.
The way the person must think is of believing that it can be done. Just sitting back thinking that the degree will come to you just is not enough to make it happen. The person must take the first step and commit to the thought. The next step of the agenda, is to contact colleges in person or on-line to see what is available, desired and obtainable. Not all colleges have the right courses or programs that are suited for everyone, including the older person starting back to college. After finding the right program that the student wants to dive into, there are the steps of attending or participation in the classes.
One of the upcoming ways of attending classes is on the computer, while at home or where the computer can be set up, called on-line courses. The computer classes can be the most challenging to the older adult because of the problems of finding help in solving problems, understanding the terminology, and not being able navigate the web. The students who take on-line classes also need trouble-shooting capabilities to correct the problems when their computer or programs goes haywire or on the blitz. Especially with the fast moving courses, even minutes can mean the difference between passing the course and failing the course. There are still the standard classroom settings, satellite classes and off-campus classrooms, if this would be desired.
One of the fantastic ways that the older adults and also anyone who has a full time job can get through college fast and with concentrated studies is the accelerated courses. This proves to be a challenge to any person because one course is studied from start to finish in one month. Yes, in just 4 short weeks, a whole course has been finished and put under the belt as completed. These courses are usually between 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM three nights a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. In theory, 12 courses or more can be taken in one year, but because of Holidays, 11 courses are very possible. These courses are for those students that have the drive to finish and must burn some after mid-night oil to get the assignments completed.
One of the things stressed is that even with the college degree, a job is not guaranteed and may not improve a person's life, especially for those over 50 years old. The achievement and self satisfaction are some of the greatest outcomes of the college degree. So, after the degree, a person might be stuck with a minimum wage job, but will always be able to strive for a high paying and a decent job. One would have to weigh the fact that not all jobs will hire an older person, even with a college degree and also weigh the fact that they might have to take out loans to achieve this goal. The statistics show that people who have college degrees make more money and by networking and research, can achieve even higher paying jobs, so a college student who has a degree can always achieve more.
There are many different college programs and selections of colleges. The will for the older adult wanting to go back to college is to be highly praised. There are many private and public colleges that are willing to work different schedules to accommodate the working student. Looking for financial aid or money to attend college or continuing education can be burdensome, but the student should not get discouraged. There is always hope and other sources,like grants, that lie and wait for someone to find them. Some companies and work forces offer incentives and encouragement for their employees to continue in college and learning. The great companies offer better careers for those employees that have higher education and suggest more money to boot.
All in all, the graduation from a great college is very well possible. Two years ago, at 53 YEARS OLD, I graduated from Limestone College, with a 4 year Business Degree, with a 3.895 GPA. I can say that it was a very, very hard road and I learned a great deal. The satisfaction of accomplishment is my greatest award. I can say, "I DID IT!!!!!!"
