Earning a College credential may not be a straight line for you It could be a bit of a zig and zag. This article compiles a set of strategies for transfer students and adult learners going back to college with the goal of earning a degree or credential.
Putting college completion and degree attainment into perspective.
Higher Education is under a transformation - there are many alternative methods of earning college credit from free or low cost online courses to testing out of college level courses. There is no one-size-fits-all pathway to a college degree either. There are thousands of pathways. Choose the best methods that serve your interest and needs. In the process, education and the credentials you earn, can have a major impact on your life and the people around you. That is what is important to remember.
"Side Door Strategies" are a collection of ideas, thoughts, methods, suggestions and strategies to address the challenges of attending college in the 21st Century. Whether your quest is to finish college, or you are searching to rationalize going back to college, this article summarizes useful information for you to consider. I have nicknamed this collection "Side Door Strategies," because they involve alternatives or non-traditional steps to earn a college degree and credential. This compilation is geared toward adult learners, traditional students, veterans and contemporary students seeking to find their way to adult degree completion through alternative experiences and methods.
1.
Begin with self-reflection. Use the
Self-Assessment Center exercises, tools and examples to reflect on your interests, aptitudes, talents, knowledge, values, assumptions, skills and personality. We can infer how our traits, likes and dislikes form and impact our performance in jobs and academic effort. Itemize your characteristics to recognize your strengths and weaknesses. Knowing thyself can help set expectations and identify possible areas of study that may be of interest and target professions or vocations that could come from completing your college degree.
2.
Recognize where you are. One of the biggest reasons why students stop out of school, or change direction, or leave confused and disappointed, is the difficulty in assessing and determining direction or that the direction they chose is a misfit. More than likely this is because Step #1 above was not completed before enrollment and commitments were made. Most college degree programs require a concentration of study called the
College Major. The process of choosing and completing a College Major demonstrates one's ability to focus and specialize. Declaring a College Major that aligns with your interests can help you excel and stay tuned to your coursework. It is okay to be undecided and to not rush into things. That is why many schools focus on core education courses early in College and move into concentrations during the later stage of earning the college degree.
Read more about the Undecided Major...
3.
Explore career options that align with your interests, skills and abilities. Use career and interest exercises, tools and examples to research industries and occupations that align with the self-assessment in Step #1. Investigate how your interests generally align with activities of various jobs. Profile your skills. Learn about certification and licensure requirements. Spend time researching salary and compensation across industries, regions and jobs impacted by supply and demand.
Learn more about professions, industries, fast growing career opportunities and more...
4.
Track your progress - what we measure is what we do. Use the
Student Passport to track your academic progress toward completing your college degree. Because so many students transition across multiple institutions, the Student Passport provides a single place to consolidate your records so they can easily be shared with advisors. Compile course and assessment records in one portfolio and keep it up to date as you progress. When enrolled, make sure you receive a degree audit report by semester of your progress.
Open a Student Passport account, compile your academic history, assess your transfer credit potential and develop your course plan...
5.
Follow your passion to self-fulfillment. Develop a portfolio of your passions and interests. Make a list of all the things you like. Make a list of the things you don’t. Your interests and hopes can help you make a profession or vocation choice that is right for you. College can help you cultivate existing passions or help you find new ones.
Click here to read more about Following and Cultivating My Passion.
6.
Learning is what counts - it is part of growing. Classroom learning is a traditional method of transferring knowledge, validating delivery and comprehension through various forms of assessments. However, it is not the only method of learning.
Explore the Three Myths for Adults Returning to College
7. The structured learning environment of college offers many benefits. So does the learning we receive in industry, on the job, in the military and what you may learn volunteering or traveling. Training occurs and we learn how things work or how to do a task. We gain insights from other people and other places. Explore how learning styles differ and what types are right for you.
8.
We learn many things on our own and by doing thinks our way. A great deal of learning actually happens on your own as you read material, perform tasks and digest things. Yet, we also learn from others - in all sorts of settings from travel, volunteering, attending Church to playing sports. We learn socially and with people who help us extend our understanding and knowledge. Question things. Don't be afraid of being inquisitive.
9. Understand what College is and what College is not. College environments and earning a degree reflect five major divisions or parts. These parts vary greatly from school to school: the environment, the teaching and learning, the resources including content, the assessments, and the credentialing which are governed and influenced by traditions and practices.
10. Find the right school and path to the credentials you will need. Today we are not just searching for a single institution, but a network of learning opportunities that help us grow. We attempt to satisfy college degree requirements to earn a credential, which reflects accomplishment. The characteristics of institutions are all different. What are most important characteristics to you? Learn the differences between the types of institutions out there offering degrees and courses. Investigate institutions that can best serve your needs and circumstances. Will your path cross multiple institutions? How will coursework from one college be acceptable, comparable and applicable to another? How is learning outside the classroom respected and included in the assessment of where you are in earning your college degree?
11. Find the right major and concentrations that you can excel at. Selecting your major and areas of concentration are stepping stones to completing degree requirements. Picking an area of concentration is not exclusive. You should enrich your college experience with courses outside your concentration, which is why you have the option to take electives. This will give you exposure to college level work and appreciation for topics outside your comfort zone.
12. Pace yourself. Moderation is good. Keep the motivation strong. Attempting to complete your college degree requires a strong commitment to continuously apply a steady and logical, level effort. You don't have to rush to finish.
13. Don't run from problems. Overcoming obstacles and face problems head-on. Do you typically approach a problem from many perspectives or opt for the same solution that worked in the past? In our experience with overcoming obstacles, we all are faced with challenges that seem insurmountable, impossible and impractical to solve. Review fifteen ways of breaking down problems and solving them.
14. Testing your potential helps you know yourself. College is a place to develop and test potential. It is a training ground. Colleges come in all shapes and sizes. They offer a huge array of programs, learning environments, resources and formats. The college experience offers a simulated environment that allows one to test competencies, ideas, abilities, and aptitudes compared to others. As a byproduct, it also builds an individual's confidence.
15. Learning styles vary. Don't assume everyone learns the same way. As I look back upon my education, both formal and informal, I realize that I learned much more outside the classroom than inside. I learned from doing things and visual experiments, more so than book learning and lectures. Sitting in the lectures was not always fun, entertaining or challenging for me. Nor was it always a good use of time. What I took away most from college is how we learn to learn, how to apply efforts toward long-term goals incrementally and how to pace effort.
16. Getting over things when they don’t work. Divorcing yourself from failure is a hard thing to do. No one likes to make mistakes. We need to shift our emphasis from regret and loss to how we can learn from the failure, make adjustments and re-evaluate.
17. Benchmarking and comparison help you see where you are and how you are doing. Our learning and achievement is often compared through cohorts or groups defined by attribute describing some level of association. Grades are a reflection of benchmarking. If we are doing poorly, we should consider going back to Step #1.
18. Plan success. Be confident. Fear is to be conquered.. Thinking positive is a state of mind. It rests on the assurance and comfort that good things will happen with hard work. You will be noticed and recognized. Working smart and working to achieve good things will stand out.
19. Sharing with others helps you attain your goals. Having others know your goals is an important step in achieving what you strive for. Friends, family and co-workers are your advocates. Don’t leave them out of the process.
20. Know the rules. Don't get caught off-guard. Preparation is key. They often can be complicated and esoteric. Academic policies are somewhat convoluted and intertwined with jargon that takes a special dictionary to understand. It is important to learn the rules of your institution, college, department and major. Understand the degree requirements for your selected area of study.
21. Know why you need a credential. There are many ways to earn credentials. Attending college and seeking to earn a college degree is one. Do you know why it is important to you? You must value the outcome in order to value the investment.
22. Know the difference between price and cost. Learn to evaluate price, needs, wants and the cost of acquiring the value of an education. How can we save time and costs as we seek the value of our education?
24. Making College and Education affordable. Take advantage of Financial Aid. Ask for help.. Paying For College is not the same thing as making College Affordable. Let's review some of the ways we can keep the costs and fees within reach - while finding sources of funding.