One of the distinguishing characteristics of a nontrad is age. UT defines an "adult student" as someone who is over the age of 25. How many of us remember being 25? To me, that was eons ago! Studentmum tells me that in the UK, nontrads are known as "mature" students.
I am involved in an ongoing dialog on the Yahoo nontrad page regarding age discrimination. It seems that one of the members feels he is being discriminated against because he was asked to move out of student housing due to his age. The consensus from the group is that he needs to fight that discrimination since the information on his school's website says nothing about a student's age with regard to student housing. He is experiencing age discrimination - pure and simple.
Another topic in this discussion was age discrimination on the job. How many nontrads have been passed over at work for a younger person? I believe that many employers have bought into the attitude that "younger is better" - they don't have to pay a younger person as much, they can demand more from a younger person without fear of reprisal, etc. What employers don't get when they hire younger people is the benefit of experience, wisdom and maturity. In my opinion, "older" people are more punctual, they have a stronger work ethic and they understand what's expected in order to get the job done right the first time. All that is something one has to teach a younger person. That can be difficult with this generation's sense of entitlement.
Elizabeth Shepperd asked the Yahoo group if anyone had been the victim of discrimination - age, gender or race? I'm sure there are many stories out there regarding discrimination of all sorts.
My two cents' worth to the discussion was that as nontrads, while we are exploring our education, we should also explore where we fit in, find our niche. Orville Redenbacher said, "Do one thing and do it well." This evening, I had the chance to pass along some information I had garnered during my research on the German POW camps in Tennessee. It was cool to be able to speak from the broad base of knowledge I have accumulated on the subject. I am creating my niche. I want to know all there is to know about the German POW camps in Tennessee - not just one camp, but all four and several branch camps. I'm getting there. I'm creating my niche.
Nontrads have a great deal to offer - on the college campus, in the classroom, and in the boardroom! Things like life experience, wisdom, maturity, knowledge about a subject not many others may know about, etc.
Good luck in finding and/or creating your own niche. Stay tuned . . .
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 27, 2009
FAFSA, Financial Aid and Frappucino
I am part of a nontrad group on Yahoo. Recently, we had two new members join the group. One is a stay at home mom (SAHM) who is venturing out to return to school. The other new member wants to get her A.S. in Computer Science. Both ladies are asking great questions - things like, What kind of financial aid will I qualify for, if any? How do I return to school and not take out a loan to do so? Is it possible to get my degree when I have to work full time at a job with inflexible hours? What do I do if the classes I need are not available at night? Whew! Heavy stuff. I'll try to address the financial aid questions here and save the other class-related questions for another time.
First of all, the road to good financial aid begins with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). In order to fill out this form, you will need your previous year's tax return and any information you may have on your personal assets, receipt of government assistance, number of dependents not only in your household but also attending college, etc. In my family, three of us are in college. Next year, there will be four of us. My husband will be the only one not in college. That will have an effect on the amount of financial aid I receive next year.
Second, scour the Internet for financial aid resources. A good place to start is the U.S. Department of Education at http://www.ed.gov/students/prep/college/index.html. Deb Peterson recently posted about the 2010 Labor, Health & Education Appropriations bill. You can read about it at: http://adulted.about.com/b/2009/07/26/house-passes-bill-appropriating-dollars-to-adult-education.htm. Do your homework with regard to financial aid. Ask your school's financial aid office for assistance. They may be aware of resources you are not.
Lastly, save your finances by bypassing that frappucino. I love Starbucks, but now, I save it as a treat - like ice cream and chocolate. Saves money!
Good luck with the FAFSA and the financial aid. Get started early on your search! Good luck! Stay tuned . . .
First of all, the road to good financial aid begins with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). In order to fill out this form, you will need your previous year's tax return and any information you may have on your personal assets, receipt of government assistance, number of dependents not only in your household but also attending college, etc. In my family, three of us are in college. Next year, there will be four of us. My husband will be the only one not in college. That will have an effect on the amount of financial aid I receive next year.
Second, scour the Internet for financial aid resources. A good place to start is the U.S. Department of Education at http://www.ed.gov/students/prep/college/index.html. Deb Peterson recently posted about the 2010 Labor, Health & Education Appropriations bill. You can read about it at: http://adulted.about.com/b/2009/07/26/house-passes-bill-appropriating-dollars-to-adult-education.htm. Do your homework with regard to financial aid. Ask your school's financial aid office for assistance. They may be aware of resources you are not.
Lastly, save your finances by bypassing that frappucino. I love Starbucks, but now, I save it as a treat - like ice cream and chocolate. Saves money!
Good luck with the FAFSA and the financial aid. Get started early on your search! Good luck! Stay tuned . . .
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sharing Resources
I know I've said this before, but there are some very good blogs out there relating to nontraditional students and the challenges we face. There are also some great resources. Elizabeth Sheppard has a great blog. So does Deb Peterson. They are both listed on this site. Another great blog is:
http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/a-degree-of-courage-advice-for/
The author says that returning to school as a nontraditional student takes a degree of courage. That is so true. If an 18-year old college freshman feels overwhelmed by the whole experience, how is an older 30-, 40- and 50something supposed to feel about walking into a world that a) they might have never been in, or b) has changed drastically since they were in it last.
It takes courage to forge ahead in a culture one is unfamiliar with. Elizabeth, Deb and a host of others are there help us "bravely go where no man has gone before!" Okay, perhaps not the best words of encouragement, but you get the idea!
There is a large community of nontrads out there who are sharing resources - experiences, financial aid sites, educational programs, etc. I am encouraged that I am not walking in this "brave, new world" alone. Stay tuned . . .
http://blogcritics.org/culture/article/a-degree-of-courage-advice-for/
The author says that returning to school as a nontraditional student takes a degree of courage. That is so true. If an 18-year old college freshman feels overwhelmed by the whole experience, how is an older 30-, 40- and 50something supposed to feel about walking into a world that a) they might have never been in, or b) has changed drastically since they were in it last.
It takes courage to forge ahead in a culture one is unfamiliar with. Elizabeth, Deb and a host of others are there help us "bravely go where no man has gone before!" Okay, perhaps not the best words of encouragement, but you get the idea!
There is a large community of nontrads out there who are sharing resources - experiences, financial aid sites, educational programs, etc. I am encouraged that I am not walking in this "brave, new world" alone. Stay tuned . . .
A Journey Starts with a Single Step - the Community College
Deb Peterson recently blogged about President Obama encouraging folks to look into their local community college as a way to get back into school. Deb encouraged her readers that, if they are thinking about returning to school, it is worthwhile to check out the community college.
The community college is a great place to start one's journey back into school. It is cheaper than the university, there are smaller classes, and there are programs geared for the working adult student. If you are considering starting your journey at a community college, here are some things you may want to consider:
1. Make an appointment with an advisor to discuss your educational goals. Do you want to get a program certificate, an Associates Degree or do you want to continue on to a four-year institution? The advisor will help you to determine your best course of action depending on your goals. For example, will the classes you take at the community college transfer to the university?
2. Make an appointment with the Office of Financial Aid. They will help you determine if you qualify for a Pell Grant, student loans and scholarships. Don't let the cost of your education deter you from pursuing your educational goals.
3. Check out the campus. Walk around and see if you think you'd like being on that campus. Talk to some of the students. How far would you have to commute to go to school? How late is the library open? What is the food like in the UC? If you're going to be attending classes on that campus, you need to be comfortable there.
4. Find out what kinds of programs are available for nontraditional students. Is there an Adult Student Association or a similar group? How accessible is the faculty to the nontraditional students? Most faculty are around during the day while a good majority of the community college's nontraditional student population is around at night. How would you get a hold of or meet with your teachers?
5. Attend some campus activities like plays, etc. One of the community colleges here has a Hot Air Balloon Festival in September. Find out how the community college is melding into and contributing to the culture of the surrounding community.
6. Ask questions, ask questions, ask questions. Persevere until you get a satisfactory answer.
It has been my experience that there are many wonderful teachers at the community colleges. I had Professora Burdette for Spanish, Ms. Dagley for Western Civ I and a great Statistics teacher. The classes are smaller, so you not only get to know your teacher but you also get to know your classmates. That's helpful when it comes time to form a study group!
Thinking of going back to school? Check out your local community college! Stay tuned . . .
The community college is a great place to start one's journey back into school. It is cheaper than the university, there are smaller classes, and there are programs geared for the working adult student. If you are considering starting your journey at a community college, here are some things you may want to consider:
1. Make an appointment with an advisor to discuss your educational goals. Do you want to get a program certificate, an Associates Degree or do you want to continue on to a four-year institution? The advisor will help you to determine your best course of action depending on your goals. For example, will the classes you take at the community college transfer to the university?
2. Make an appointment with the Office of Financial Aid. They will help you determine if you qualify for a Pell Grant, student loans and scholarships. Don't let the cost of your education deter you from pursuing your educational goals.
3. Check out the campus. Walk around and see if you think you'd like being on that campus. Talk to some of the students. How far would you have to commute to go to school? How late is the library open? What is the food like in the UC? If you're going to be attending classes on that campus, you need to be comfortable there.
4. Find out what kinds of programs are available for nontraditional students. Is there an Adult Student Association or a similar group? How accessible is the faculty to the nontraditional students? Most faculty are around during the day while a good majority of the community college's nontraditional student population is around at night. How would you get a hold of or meet with your teachers?
5. Attend some campus activities like plays, etc. One of the community colleges here has a Hot Air Balloon Festival in September. Find out how the community college is melding into and contributing to the culture of the surrounding community.
6. Ask questions, ask questions, ask questions. Persevere until you get a satisfactory answer.
It has been my experience that there are many wonderful teachers at the community colleges. I had Professora Burdette for Spanish, Ms. Dagley for Western Civ I and a great Statistics teacher. The classes are smaller, so you not only get to know your teacher but you also get to know your classmates. That's helpful when it comes time to form a study group!
Thinking of going back to school? Check out your local community college! Stay tuned . . .
Discretion and TMPI
After much cajoling by my daughter, I got a Facebook page a couple months ago. At first it was fun and I reasoned that my motivation for getting it was to stay in contact with old classmates from high school. Now it has become a nuisance. I think folks on Facebook tend to post waaayyy too much stuff. Who needs a play-by-play of someone else's every waking hour?
I have heard that one has to be careful with what one posts on Facebook, blogs, etc. TMPI (Too Much Personal Information) is not a good thing. Teens tend not to think about what they post and end up getting in trouble for posting too much information. There have even been people whom one would think would know better (teachers, law enforcement personnel, etc.) who have posted too much information (explicit photos, etc.).
Pardon my soapbox, but whatever happened to face-to-face "social networking"? We have become a cyber society that only makes personal connections over the Internet! Okay, I'll get off the soapbox now.
With all that said, one of the biggest disadvantages to the social networking sites is that one has to remember to practice discretion. Personal information, photos, etc. that was once safe in the hands of a friend, is now available to a global network in a matter of minutes. Rule of thumb is, "If you don't want your Grandma seeing it, don't post it." The same goes with email. A slip of the finger can send your complaints about your boss throughout the entire corporation.
Every new communication device - cell phone, computer, Blackberry, etc. - ought to come with a book on cyber etiquette. The first rule of cyber etiquette should be "TMPI is not a good thing. Squash the personal need to make your life an open book."
It's almost like sitting in your car at the stoplight when a boom box on wheels pulls up two cars behind you and your windows start vibrating from the thundering bass. Not everyone needs to be driven into bass-induced deafness. By the same token, not everyone needs the gory details of how loud your newborn pooped, or how much money you spent on remodeling your home, or how many dance performances your daughter was in last month. If you feel the need to share, share with those who will rejoice in those details with you. The rest of us could care less. That may seem harsh, but TMPI is not always a good thing.
Stay tuned . . .
I have heard that one has to be careful with what one posts on Facebook, blogs, etc. TMPI (Too Much Personal Information) is not a good thing. Teens tend not to think about what they post and end up getting in trouble for posting too much information. There have even been people whom one would think would know better (teachers, law enforcement personnel, etc.) who have posted too much information (explicit photos, etc.).
Pardon my soapbox, but whatever happened to face-to-face "social networking"? We have become a cyber society that only makes personal connections over the Internet! Okay, I'll get off the soapbox now.
With all that said, one of the biggest disadvantages to the social networking sites is that one has to remember to practice discretion. Personal information, photos, etc. that was once safe in the hands of a friend, is now available to a global network in a matter of minutes. Rule of thumb is, "If you don't want your Grandma seeing it, don't post it." The same goes with email. A slip of the finger can send your complaints about your boss throughout the entire corporation.
Every new communication device - cell phone, computer, Blackberry, etc. - ought to come with a book on cyber etiquette. The first rule of cyber etiquette should be "TMPI is not a good thing. Squash the personal need to make your life an open book."
It's almost like sitting in your car at the stoplight when a boom box on wheels pulls up two cars behind you and your windows start vibrating from the thundering bass. Not everyone needs to be driven into bass-induced deafness. By the same token, not everyone needs the gory details of how loud your newborn pooped, or how much money you spent on remodeling your home, or how many dance performances your daughter was in last month. If you feel the need to share, share with those who will rejoice in those details with you. The rest of us could care less. That may seem harsh, but TMPI is not always a good thing.
Stay tuned . . .
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