Adult Students A Painless Guide to Going Back to College

by Tanabe, Gen; Tanabe, Kelly

• ISBN13: 9781932662214
• ISBN10: 1932662219
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2007-09-01
• Publisher: SuperCollege

Summary

Whether you're going back to school for the first time, returning after an absence or advancing or changing your career, this book will help. Adult Students guides you step-by-step through the process of going back to school from making the decision to return to college to finding the right program to figuring out how to pay the tuition bills. Inside you will learn how to: Select the best college or university for your personal and career goals. Get free cash for college through scholarships and financial aid. Create a strong application and essay that reflect your past accomplishments and future goals. Plus, read 25 inspirational essays written by adult students. Repeat the successes and avoid the pitfalls of previous students. Save money by maximizing credits and your work or life experiences. Successfully make the transition from working life to student life. Book jacket.

Author Biography

Gen Tanabe and Kelly Tanabe are the authors of 1001 Ways to Pay For College; Accepted! 50 Successful Business School Admission Essays; Accepted! 50 Successful College Admission Essays; Get Free Cash for College; Get into Any College; How to Write a Winning Scholarship Essay; and Sallie Mae How to Pay for College. They live in Palo Alto, California.

Table of Contents

Promote Yourself By Going Back To School	p. 11
Promote yourself by going back to school	p. 12
How this book will help	p. 13
Should you return to school?	p. 15
How To Choose The Best Program For You	p. 17
Finding a college that fits	p. 18
What do you want?	p. 18
The "what I want" test	p. 19
Opportunities for learning	p. 22
Course options	p. 23
Degree and certificate programs	p. 24
Colleges and universities	p. 25
Is distance learning for you?	p. 27
How distance learning works	p. 28
How to tell if you are a distance learner	p. 28
Choosing a distance learning program	p. 29
How to succeed with distance learning	p. 30
How to narrow your choices	p. 31
Switch from researcher to analyst	p. 33
Creating a short list	p. 36
FAQs About Going Back To School	p. 37
Frequently asked questions	p. 38
Why do adults go back to school?	p. 38
What factors should adults consider?	p. 39
Is it too late to go back to school?	p. 41
How should adults select a school?	p. 41
What benefits should adults look for in a program?	p. 44
Should students consider cost when looking at schools?	p. 45
What are the advantages of different degree programs?	p. 46
What should students know about taking online courses?	p. 46
What qualities do you look for in selecting students?	p. 46
What might adult students be surprised to learn?	p. 48
What is your selection process?	p. 49
What is the best way to get the most credits transferred?	p. 51
Do old credits ever expire?	p. 51
What tips do you have to get the best recommendations?	p. 52
How can students convey their strengths?	p. 53
What are the qualities of a good admission essay?	p. 53
What advice do you have for the essay?	p. 54
Are there essay topics that don't work?	p. 54
Does your school offer scholarships for adult students?	p. 55
What are the best sources of money for adult students?	p. 56
What don't adult students know about paying for college?	p. 57
What are strategies for adults to succeed in the classroom?	p. 58
What common mistakes do students make?	p. 60
What advice do you have for students?	p. 61
Create A Winning Application	p. 63
Getting admitted should not be a mystery	p. 64
How the admission process works	p. 64
Putting together a compelling application	p. 65
The application form	p. 66
Standardized tests	p. 72
Craft An Admission Resume	p. 73
Writing your admission resume	p. 74
Resume basics	p. 74
How to match your resume to your goals	p. 76
How To Write A Winning Admission Essay	p. 79
How to write a winning essay	p. 80
Finding the perfect topic	p. 81
Start by taking a hard look at yourself	p. 82
Keep asking why	p. 83
Eliminating bad topics	p. 84
Talk it out with a friend	p. 85
Look for a snowflake	p. 86
Take the passion test	p. 87
Time to write	p. 87
Edit and re-edit	p. 89
Recycling	p. 90
The 18 most common essay-writing mistakes	p. 91
Successful Admission Essays	p. 97
Successful admission essays	p. 98
Explaining a break in your education	p. 98
Goals for your education	p. 104
Describing yourself	p. 156
Intellectual experience	p. 158
Overcoming challenges	p. 160
How To Interview Like A Pro	p. 167
Acing the admission interview	p. 168
The two-way interview	p. 168
Questions to expect	p. 169
Practice for the real thing	p. 170
Do your homework on the school	p. 170
Have a conversation, not interrogation	p. 171
Have an inquiring mind	p. 171
The scholarship interview	p. 172
Don't let your nerves get the best of you	p. 173
How To Get The Best Recommendations	p. 175
How to get the best recommendations	p. 176
Who to ask	p. 176
How to help your recommenders	p. 177
Earn Credits Outside of The Classroom	p. 179
Earn credits outside of the classroom	p. 180
Earn college credit through exams	p. 181
Get credit for life experience	p. 182
The learning portfolio evaluation	p. 182
Earn credit by credential evaluation	p. 183
Paying For College As An Adult Student	p. 185
How to pay for your education	p. 186
Getting your share of Federal financial aid	p. 186
Starting the financial aid process	p. 186
What happens after the numbers are crunched	p. 188
What you can expect from financial aid	p. 189
Tips for maximizing your financial aid	p. 191
Scholarships for adult students	p. 193
The internet	p. 194
Scholarship books	p. 195
Community service organizations	p. 196
Non-profit organizations and charities	p. 197
Professional associations	p. 198
Unions	p. 198
Local businesses-big and small	p. 199
Beyond financial aid and scholarships	p. 199
Student loans	p. 200
Private loans	p. 201
Money from your state	p. 202
Your college	p. 205
Your employer	p. 206
Federal and state retraining programs	p. 209
Tax breaks	p. 210
Other tax deductions	p. 212
Personal savings	p. 213
Learning more	p. 215
Balancing Your Studies And Your Life	p. 217
Balancing your studies and your life	p. 218
Work your schedule	p. 218
Get your family on board	p. 219
Become a bookworm	p. 220
Take advantage of what your school offers	p. 221
Parting words	p. 223
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