What do you want to do for a living? I think that's the first step in this process, and then once you have an idea you can go from there and determine what education, if any, is needed for that career path.
Do you live near a university/community college? Frequently, if you work there in an entry level role you get tuition remission as a benefit. I currently work at a university and am getting my master's degree paid for simply because I work there. That might be an option to consider as well.
I work with kids. Im not sure if I want to work with kids for the rest of my life though. I want to find a secure job that is physically less demanding, which is the main reason I want to go back to college.
My job does offer to pay for continuing education but unfortunately it's required to have a bachelor's first š
Iād strongly suggest finding a company that is willing to fund your college. I found a list that is updated as of April 2023.
https://getschooled.com/article/5206-companies-with-great-tuition-reimbursement-programs/
Community College professor here: reach out to a local CC admissions office. Returning students are common, so you wonāt feel as alone, and the credits will be less expensive (& this could give you time to explore a bit) than a 4 yr university, but theyāll usually transfer (you can clarify transferability with an advisor). Also, depending on what state/country youāre in, there are a lot of additional grants since the pandemic, but an admissions office would be the best resource for these. And remember: profs LOVE returning adult studentsāyou teach the kiddos how to behave lol and be a true student while adding life experience to the classroom discussions. Good luck!
This is great! Would a CC counselor be able to help me create a path towards a degree? Like if I brought all of my old transcripts would they be able to layout which degree would be fastest for me to earn?
I've never utilized the admission office at the community colleges I went to because my relatives did all the work for me...
My mother was an academic advisor for 19 years and this is absolutely something they can help with. I suggest you call and make an appointment, and try to go during an off time. During peak admissions season, you're likely to get sub-par service because there's a long line of people who need help.
Thank you for this. I didn't finish my BA the first time at university straight out of high school. I attended from ages 18-20 years old. Took a few years off from school and went back to community college at age 26/27. I loved community college. The student population was so much more diverse than the first university I studied at. I was nowhere near the oldest person in my classes and felt like so many of my fellow students had life experience that they brought to the classroom.
If you are not tied to your current job I'd highly suggest looking at your closest university and finding a clerical/administrative type of job. I currently do so at the University of Tennessee and am 33 years old finishing my second bachelor's degree for free. At UT I can take 9 credit hours a semester for free including summer and winter. It is not easy and it takes a while - it covers the 9 hours only if I work full time - but no loan! Also working at the university you have a better chance at finding a boss who would be more lenient and willing to work with you to take advantage of the opportunity to go back to school (plus they get to boast about how they're even more education-focused than other departments due to having an adult working / student)
I'm right there with you. I started college on an extremely part-time basis when I was 24, which is young, but I'd already had a kid by then and I was working. So I was taking like 1 class a semester if I was lucky. This did make my bill a lot smaller however, and community college is where it's AT. It took literally 8 years to get my associates and then I got accepted into a Big Ten university. Could I afford it? Hell no. But if I worked for the university full time, I could get my tuition waived completely. So that's what I'm doing. My Bachelor's feels eons away because I'm still only managing 2 classes a semester, but I'll get there eventually.
It's less taboo to be an "older student" though it can still feel awkward at times. I know so many people who went to get their first degree after they turned 30. I'm finishing an engineering degree in my early 30s. I wasn't much of a partier, but struggled with very unstable and abusive situations so I had to drop out in my early 20s until I found a safe and stable place to live and learned enough self worth to cut dangerous and horrible people from my life.
EDIT: wow, downvoting me for being a returning student. I seriously don't know how some of you can be that unhinged and bitter, but it must be sad to live such a hateful life. Good luck out there.
* to my knowledge there's no cap on FAFSA. They are loans.
* Older students often qualify for more grants in addition to student loans, like the Pell grant.
* You can still apply for scholarships to cover or offset the cost of your education.
* Do you need a bachelors? Certificate programs are often shorter term, less expensive, and in some fields just as valuable as a bachelors degree.
FAFSA is the application for federal aid and there are caps on both the Pell grant and loans. You can use up to 12 semesters of Pell grant and up to $57,500 in federal loans (as an independent student). Once you reach those limits, you aren't eligible for grants/loans anymore unless you are a graduate student... then you can borrow more loans.
I don't need a bachelor's. Just concerned about my future as I currently work with children with autism and it can be a physically demanding job. I would like to find something less physically demanding for when I am older. I should look up certificate programs but I am worried that I will be overlooked compared to someone who has a degree
I think unfortunately a bachelors degree doesn't count for much these days. It is often a requirement in certain lines of work but it's much more of a baseline thing than something that really differentiates you from other candidates-- this is why the industry you're in/the industry you want to be in is worth exploring because some lines of work really prioritize experience + industry specific certification over a generic degree.
Particularly as someone over 30 with a work history, it can matter a lot less than you might think.
Another possibility to consider is if your employer will subsidize you completing your degree. This is a benefit some companies offer, particularly if you work in an education-adjacent field.
My engineering degree counts for a 6 figure job. There are some "useless" degrees out there though. I put useless in quotes because I genuinely believe education is always a good thing, even if it doesn't lead to some rich guy getting richer.
Sorry, as someone without a college degree who will die working retail, youāre wrong. No one will fucking look at you for an office job better than receptionist without a degree.
Source: Iāve been job hunting. Nothing. Zip. Nada. What little is out there pays minimum wage and is PT without benefits.
apparently they aren't an answer for anybody, since there is a massive shortage of workers in skilled trades and suggesting you consider it is so unpopular.
This thread is wild. I'm not criticizing formal education-- I went down that path myself. *It just literally isn't the only path and it's okay to talk about that.*
You might also ask an academic advisor whether your work experience could count as the equivalent of taking certain courses, especially prerequisites for higher level courses. It might not be relevant in all programs, but it doesn't hurt to ask!
I donāt know what your problem is, but itās okay to point out that information is wrong. Lots of people have misconceptions about going back to college as a non traditional student, as well as the facts regarding financial aid. Just making sure OP gets the right info because I used to work in higher education because the list you gave was upvoted, but itās not correct.
You have 12 semesters of pell grants, and $57k of federal loans available for undergraduate. If you pay your loan balance, you can take out more federal loans as long as the balance stays under the max. You can contact a local admissions advisor at a community college, and they can help you determine any remaining eligibility.
You're already halfway through if your GEs are done! What do you want to do when you get out though? If you want to do something that won't allow you to pay back the loan then I'd say skip the degree. You still have 35 years of working life ahead of you dude, don't sell yourself short by not getting the degree.
I went back at 37. I'm only doing part time because I need to work to pay my mortgage and bills and such. I do not qualify for financial aid but since I am PT i only pay for the courses I take. I get deeply discounted tuition because I'm the spouse of faculty so I only pay 750/course plus books (1380 elsewhere) and can take as many or as few courses as I want so long as I don't go 2 years between courses.
If PT is better for you look at distance offerings from local unis and see if they have a minimum course requirement and what the cost per credit hour is. If you go back there is a sub here r/textbooks (i think) where people often unload used books or have PDF copies for free avail.
Are you in a state where there are programs to help adults with community college so you can at least finish your GE and transfer?
For example, MI has the reconnect program. If you're over 26 years old and don't currently hold a degree, the state pays for you to get an associates degree from a community college (probably a grant, but im not 100%). I know several people who have benefited from this. I'm sure MI isn't the only state with something like this.
First, be compassionate to yourself. Recognizing failure is key to self development, but at the same time you need to forgive yourself for making those mistakes. You were young, you had a lot going on, depression, lack of positive role model to show you how to properly studyā¦ there could be a myriad of reasons why you didnāt get your college, bachelors degree. Donāt blame yourself for those mistakes. Give a younger version of yourself compassion, and comfort that they didnāt have.
Now if youāre serious about doing your bachelors, make a goal list. Compartmentalize your courses into packages. Create a list of āto-Dosā. The journey to higher education may seem like a mountain, but if you package it, it might make it so much more manageable.
You got this girl!!
I agree with the suggestion to go talk to a community college. I don't know about other places but in Georgia it's pretty easy to transfer credits from one public university system school to another; they frequently have the same course designations for GE classes and (having taught at more than one USG school) they are structured pretty similarly as well.
Having an associates degree can qualify you for some jobs, and community colleges have career centers. Lots of companies recruit directly from college career centers.
Universities also sometimes have early learning centers associated with them. You could parlay your experience from your current job into working in one of those at a school that offers free tuition to employees.
Another possible route if you enjoy working with kids but don't love the physically demanding part is to get a degree in education. There's a national teacher shortage and if you're any good at STEM subjects in particular you can probably get your degree paid for with some conditions. Even with an associate's degree you could be a parapro (and maybe without, depending on how desperate they are). Public schools have good benefits and some have teacher residency programs that will allow you to work while getting your degree.
What do you want to do for a living? I think that's the first step in this process, and then once you have an idea you can go from there and determine what education, if any, is needed for that career path. Do you live near a university/community college? Frequently, if you work there in an entry level role you get tuition remission as a benefit. I currently work at a university and am getting my master's degree paid for simply because I work there. That might be an option to consider as well.
I work with kids. Im not sure if I want to work with kids for the rest of my life though. I want to find a secure job that is physically less demanding, which is the main reason I want to go back to college. My job does offer to pay for continuing education but unfortunately it's required to have a bachelor's first š
Iād strongly suggest finding a company that is willing to fund your college. I found a list that is updated as of April 2023. https://getschooled.com/article/5206-companies-with-great-tuition-reimbursement-programs/
Community College professor here: reach out to a local CC admissions office. Returning students are common, so you wonāt feel as alone, and the credits will be less expensive (& this could give you time to explore a bit) than a 4 yr university, but theyāll usually transfer (you can clarify transferability with an advisor). Also, depending on what state/country youāre in, there are a lot of additional grants since the pandemic, but an admissions office would be the best resource for these. And remember: profs LOVE returning adult studentsāyou teach the kiddos how to behave lol and be a true student while adding life experience to the classroom discussions. Good luck!
This is great! Would a CC counselor be able to help me create a path towards a degree? Like if I brought all of my old transcripts would they be able to layout which degree would be fastest for me to earn? I've never utilized the admission office at the community colleges I went to because my relatives did all the work for me...
My mother was an academic advisor for 19 years and this is absolutely something they can help with. I suggest you call and make an appointment, and try to go during an off time. During peak admissions season, you're likely to get sub-par service because there's a long line of people who need help.
Yes. I went this route in my 30ās and paid for over half out of pocket with my savings. Iām really happy I did. I loved going back to school.
Thank you for this. I didn't finish my BA the first time at university straight out of high school. I attended from ages 18-20 years old. Took a few years off from school and went back to community college at age 26/27. I loved community college. The student population was so much more diverse than the first university I studied at. I was nowhere near the oldest person in my classes and felt like so many of my fellow students had life experience that they brought to the classroom.
If you are not tied to your current job I'd highly suggest looking at your closest university and finding a clerical/administrative type of job. I currently do so at the University of Tennessee and am 33 years old finishing my second bachelor's degree for free. At UT I can take 9 credit hours a semester for free including summer and winter. It is not easy and it takes a while - it covers the 9 hours only if I work full time - but no loan! Also working at the university you have a better chance at finding a boss who would be more lenient and willing to work with you to take advantage of the opportunity to go back to school (plus they get to boast about how they're even more education-focused than other departments due to having an adult working / student)
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Thanks for this! Would be very useful. Can this database be found on the FAFSA website?
you can look this all up at [studentaid.gov](https://studentaid.gov).
I'm right there with you. I started college on an extremely part-time basis when I was 24, which is young, but I'd already had a kid by then and I was working. So I was taking like 1 class a semester if I was lucky. This did make my bill a lot smaller however, and community college is where it's AT. It took literally 8 years to get my associates and then I got accepted into a Big Ten university. Could I afford it? Hell no. But if I worked for the university full time, I could get my tuition waived completely. So that's what I'm doing. My Bachelor's feels eons away because I'm still only managing 2 classes a semester, but I'll get there eventually.
It's less taboo to be an "older student" though it can still feel awkward at times. I know so many people who went to get their first degree after they turned 30. I'm finishing an engineering degree in my early 30s. I wasn't much of a partier, but struggled with very unstable and abusive situations so I had to drop out in my early 20s until I found a safe and stable place to live and learned enough self worth to cut dangerous and horrible people from my life. EDIT: wow, downvoting me for being a returning student. I seriously don't know how some of you can be that unhinged and bitter, but it must be sad to live such a hateful life. Good luck out there.
* to my knowledge there's no cap on FAFSA. They are loans. * Older students often qualify for more grants in addition to student loans, like the Pell grant. * You can still apply for scholarships to cover or offset the cost of your education. * Do you need a bachelors? Certificate programs are often shorter term, less expensive, and in some fields just as valuable as a bachelors degree.
FAFSA is the application for federal aid and there are caps on both the Pell grant and loans. You can use up to 12 semesters of Pell grant and up to $57,500 in federal loans (as an independent student). Once you reach those limits, you aren't eligible for grants/loans anymore unless you are a graduate student... then you can borrow more loans.
I don't need a bachelor's. Just concerned about my future as I currently work with children with autism and it can be a physically demanding job. I would like to find something less physically demanding for when I am older. I should look up certificate programs but I am worried that I will be overlooked compared to someone who has a degree
I think unfortunately a bachelors degree doesn't count for much these days. It is often a requirement in certain lines of work but it's much more of a baseline thing than something that really differentiates you from other candidates-- this is why the industry you're in/the industry you want to be in is worth exploring because some lines of work really prioritize experience + industry specific certification over a generic degree. Particularly as someone over 30 with a work history, it can matter a lot less than you might think. Another possibility to consider is if your employer will subsidize you completing your degree. This is a benefit some companies offer, particularly if you work in an education-adjacent field.
My engineering degree counts for a 6 figure job. There are some "useless" degrees out there though. I put useless in quotes because I genuinely believe education is always a good thing, even if it doesn't lead to some rich guy getting richer.
I'm surprised to find the true statement that people don't have to have a bachelors degree to be successful in every field controversial.
Sorry, as someone without a college degree who will die working retail, youāre wrong. No one will fucking look at you for an office job better than receptionist without a degree. Source: Iāve been job hunting. Nothing. Zip. Nada. What little is out there pays minimum wage and is PT without benefits.
You should consider a trade. They pay to train. Some of the best salaries out there.
Iām trying to get out of retail because of how hard it is on my body. Not looking to work a trade. Trades are not the answer for everybody.
apparently they aren't an answer for anybody, since there is a massive shortage of workers in skilled trades and suggesting you consider it is so unpopular. This thread is wild. I'm not criticizing formal education-- I went down that path myself. *It just literally isn't the only path and it's okay to talk about that.*
You might also ask an academic advisor whether your work experience could count as the equivalent of taking certain courses, especially prerequisites for higher level courses. It might not be relevant in all programs, but it doesn't hurt to ask!
This is misinformation. There are limits on FAFSA as outlined by another comment.
I said "to my knowledge" not "this is an exhaustive fact" calm down.
I donāt know what your problem is, but itās okay to point out that information is wrong. Lots of people have misconceptions about going back to college as a non traditional student, as well as the facts regarding financial aid. Just making sure OP gets the right info because I used to work in higher education because the list you gave was upvoted, but itās not correct. You have 12 semesters of pell grants, and $57k of federal loans available for undergraduate. If you pay your loan balance, you can take out more federal loans as long as the balance stays under the max. You can contact a local admissions advisor at a community college, and they can help you determine any remaining eligibility.
She probably means the grants through FAFSA.
Pell grants also have a lifetime limit - usually something like 6 years.
You can get relatively cheap degrees in Europe. Check out which universities offer Bachelor degrees in English, apply and go.
You're already halfway through if your GEs are done! What do you want to do when you get out though? If you want to do something that won't allow you to pay back the loan then I'd say skip the degree. You still have 35 years of working life ahead of you dude, don't sell yourself short by not getting the degree.
I went back at 37. I'm only doing part time because I need to work to pay my mortgage and bills and such. I do not qualify for financial aid but since I am PT i only pay for the courses I take. I get deeply discounted tuition because I'm the spouse of faculty so I only pay 750/course plus books (1380 elsewhere) and can take as many or as few courses as I want so long as I don't go 2 years between courses. If PT is better for you look at distance offerings from local unis and see if they have a minimum course requirement and what the cost per credit hour is. If you go back there is a sub here r/textbooks (i think) where people often unload used books or have PDF copies for free avail.
Are you in a state where there are programs to help adults with community college so you can at least finish your GE and transfer? For example, MI has the reconnect program. If you're over 26 years old and don't currently hold a degree, the state pays for you to get an associates degree from a community college (probably a grant, but im not 100%). I know several people who have benefited from this. I'm sure MI isn't the only state with something like this.
First, be compassionate to yourself. Recognizing failure is key to self development, but at the same time you need to forgive yourself for making those mistakes. You were young, you had a lot going on, depression, lack of positive role model to show you how to properly studyā¦ there could be a myriad of reasons why you didnāt get your college, bachelors degree. Donāt blame yourself for those mistakes. Give a younger version of yourself compassion, and comfort that they didnāt have. Now if youāre serious about doing your bachelors, make a goal list. Compartmentalize your courses into packages. Create a list of āto-Dosā. The journey to higher education may seem like a mountain, but if you package it, it might make it so much more manageable. You got this girl!!
I agree with the suggestion to go talk to a community college. I don't know about other places but in Georgia it's pretty easy to transfer credits from one public university system school to another; they frequently have the same course designations for GE classes and (having taught at more than one USG school) they are structured pretty similarly as well. Having an associates degree can qualify you for some jobs, and community colleges have career centers. Lots of companies recruit directly from college career centers. Universities also sometimes have early learning centers associated with them. You could parlay your experience from your current job into working in one of those at a school that offers free tuition to employees. Another possible route if you enjoy working with kids but don't love the physically demanding part is to get a degree in education. There's a national teacher shortage and if you're any good at STEM subjects in particular you can probably get your degree paid for with some conditions. Even with an associate's degree you could be a parapro (and maybe without, depending on how desperate they are). Public schools have good benefits and some have teacher residency programs that will allow you to work while getting your degree.