Going back to school... Help!

January 9, 2009 12:49 PM

I want to go back to school. Where do I start?

I'm 32 and never went to college. After making this post I have found myself more and more interested in going back to to college for a degree in finance/economics with the end goal of being a Financial Advisor.

So where do I start? I have no idea how to pick a school, what I should look for in/from them or even what they will want from me. Should I just pick up the phone book and call some of the local schools' admissions offices? How do I determine what schools I am interested in? There are a plethora of schools within commuting distance ranging from community college to Ivy League so I have plenty of options. I'm in central Mass. if that matters.

Financially I'm in a position where I can dedicate myself full time rather than part time, which helps, although I would need financial aid for full time at more expensive schools. Should I (can I?) consider going full time or am I limited to evening classes? How do schools typically deal with adult students?

I apologize if this rambled a bit, but that is because I don't even know the proper questions to ask yet. Thanks for the help :-)

posted by thekiltedwonder to education (12 comments total)

Start by looking at the websites of the schools close to you. Browse a bit, see what programs they have, what support they have for non-traditional students, and if you like the looks of some of them, arrange for tours or to speak to someone in the department you're interested in.

Schools typically deal with non-traditional students very well. As far as if you should go full time or part time, that's up to you. How long do you want to be in classes? Do you have to or want to work outside of the classroom (I know you said you're in a good position financially, but you may still want to work)?

Try the websites first. Go from there.
posted by cooker girl at 1:01 PM on January 9

As someone who took a decade to decide they felt like going to college, I think I understand what you're going through.

I'm actually closing in on my undergrad at Harvard University's Extension School. (Almost there.) It sounds like you've at least considered taking some classes there, judging from your post. I have genuinely enjoyed my time studying there and have recommended it to anyone who seems slightly interested.

The faculty is top notch, and many times you are following the same exact syllabus with the same professors as the kids taking classes during the day.

They have also made an effort to offer more classes with a distance learning option, which could help you cut down on commute time (as well as save cash and lessen your carbon footprint).

They're having a string of information sessions, which from my experience are quite informative and without the least bit of pressure, over the next couple of weeks. If you feel like checking the place out in person.

Our Spring semester starts the 26th.

Feel free to MeFi mail me. I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have.

No, I don't work for them, but maybe I should.
posted by YFiB at 1:14 PM on January 9 [1 favorite]

If your end objective is acting as an independent/self-employed financial adviser in the immediate vicinity, you are probably less interested in optimizing your credentials for getting a job than you are in getting the training you need to function. It sounds like you are not particularly interested in a liberal arts education or intellectual stimulation either (I don't mean that negatively, it's just that it probably diminishes your interest in a lot of distribution requirements and such). I would seriously consider someplace that allows you to get work experience credits and whatnot, and some degree that reeks of business -- perhaps even a certificate program or degree program administered by a business school.

I have lots to say about traditional business schools and the like (e.g., Sloan, HBS), but you are in a somewhat different position, and I don't know central Mass particularly well.
posted by Clyde Mnestra at 1:20 PM on January 9

You may also want to consider doing some of your liberal studies classes at a community college - it'll be a lot less expensive than taking them at a university. Just make sure your credits will transfer to the university you plan to finish your degree at.
posted by All.star at 1:27 PM on January 9

How do schools typically deal with adult students?

The bureaucracy of schools tends to deal with all students the same way. This may drive you insane with the tedious details and assumptions. For instance, I had to get my high school transcripts sent, even though I hadn't been in 10 years and of course the school had changed names and no longer kept records from there, etc, etc.

The individual counselors and teachers tend to treat you as the adult you are, so if possible try to find a human admissions counselor to talk, as it may help with some of the tedious BS. If not, just do it and get it over with, no sense letting it slow down your quest.

Definitely read this AskMetaFilter question. It looks at how to be an adult student going to college with 18-20 year olds, you should definitely read it and follow the advice in there.

As to how to pick a school, don't sweat it too much. I went back with realization that the specific school didn't matter so much as me being willing to learn and ask questions and get the most out the situation. Either you wind up learning a lot on your own or with others, but either way you're learning. Pick your major, see what schools are noted for doing that, compare and contrast all the little bits (is it near a major city? do want to move someplace by the ocean or warm? etc, etc) and go for it.

Good luck.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 1:30 PM on January 9

> I'm 32 and never went to college.

I returned to college at 34. You can do it!

> So where do I start?

I'd start by checking out the websites of the schools nearest you and seeing if they have the academic program that you are interested in.

After that, I'd consider commute time and how the college ranks in the Princeton Review and other lists. You can also make an appointment with the economics department head, just to talk about what it's like to study in your field there.

You also want to look into when your colleges of choice are accepting applications for the semester you are interested in. You've missed the spring semester (starts in a week or so), but could possibly get in for the summer if you wanted, or fall 2009.

> I have no idea how to pick a school, what I
> should look for in/from them or even what they will want from me.

Picking a school is like picking anything. All you want is what is right for you. A good thing to want is a school close by that's affordable, that offers a good education for the money (well-reviewed teachers, small classes, good rankings) and has a strong economics dept.

> Should I just pick up the phone book and call some of the local
> schools' admissions offices?

I think you could find out almost everything you want to know online more easily. Get on the websites of the schools you are interested in, and check out acceptance deadlines and courses of study (to see if they offer the major you want).

> Financially I'm in a position where I can dedicate myself full time
> rather than part time, which helps, although I would need financial
> aid for full time at more expensive schools.

In my experience, the U.S. govt. throws money at adult students. Make good grades, and you will get a lot of grant help.

> Should I (can I?)
> consider going full time or am I limited to evening classes? How do
> schools typically deal with adult students?

When do you work? That's the time that you can't go to class. If you work office hours, you will need to look into evening/nontraditional programs. Community colleges might be particularly helpful with this.

Community college is cheaper than university, and can be a great bargain IF the school is a good one. You can take your "core" (non-major) classes there and save yourself a bundle, though there are drawbacks, including fewer classes to choose from and having to take almost ALL your major classes in a two-year marathon. It's saner and more fun, IMO, to mix up major classes and electives.

You can't declare a major at a community college, and you won't be able to do as much exploration of your field, but it really is cheap. I had a GREAT time at my local community college and saved a ton of cash.

And BTW returning to school is the smartest thing I ever did. I have mentors, experiences, knowledge and all kinds of cool information I never would have had otherwise.

GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!!
posted by Jennifer S. at 1:31 PM on January 9

And BTW Brandon is right about the hassle of applying. Community college isn't picky, but a university will want you to recreate your 18-year-old high school self academically, and will not care who you are now.

Be prepared for hassle and tracking down high school transcripts, immunization records, all kinds of bs. But once that's done, each semester, for me, has less administrative hassle. It's not all as bad as the way it starts.
posted by Jennifer S. at 1:37 PM on January 9

I'll add my voice to those advocating starting at a CC. Applying directly to the university will mean taking the SAT but as a transfer student from a CC you can bypass that requirement. Check the uni you are interested in for the minimum credits required to qualify as a transfer.

I found transfering from a CC to a tough university was a snap since I had a 4.0 gpa and a large number of generals out of the way.

I was also 32 when I went to college and had a blast. Some of the profs were my age and I wasn't awe-struck or intimidated by them, so we could just talk like adults.

My big concern was that most of the freshmen were coming straight from H.S. and would have their schooling fresh in their brains, so I thought it would be a competitive disadvantage to me. Wrong! Turns out many (most?) of the kids right from H.S. are idiots, even the ones with good grades, and they are more interested in parties that classes. An adult student with a good attitude stands out, in a good way.
posted by trinity8-director at 2:10 PM on January 9

There's some very good advice here already. I'd like to add to it that, as soon as you have your taxes done, you should fill out your FAFSA, and have it sent to any schools you might be applying to. The earlier you get your info in, the better, when it comes to financial aid.
posted by PhoBWanKenobi at 2:43 PM on January 9

You've gotten lots of sound advice so far, but here's my .02:

I never even finished high school, but I returned to college at 30 and ended up with a BA and a master's. I started at a community college that had an adult re-entry program - this was a huge help, as it made a lot of the hassles of college bureaucracy easier (we "adults" had a separate campus, with free parking and night classes). I did the equivalent of two years there, then transferred to university, no SAT needed. And I loved every minute of it - I got so much more out of it than I would have at 18.

In this uncertain economy, I highly recommend avoiding student loans if you possibly can. That's my only regret - in order to be a fulltime student, I took out gigantic loans, with the expectation that I'd land a great job after finishing school. I ended up finishing school at the beginning of a tanking economy, so that part still needs some working out...
posted by chez shoes at 2:48 PM on January 9

Wow. Your responses have been incredibly helpful . I can't thank you guys enough. I'm going to dig around on the net, check out the Princeton Review, like Clyde Mnestra, suggested and go the the meeting that YFiB mentioned.

After that I will probably be back asking for more advice :-)
posted by thekiltedwonder at 4:41 PM on January 9

You might want to see if there is low cost career counseling program that could help you with these questions. One friend saw an advisor who specialized in women returning to the workplace and was able to point her to a school that accepted virtually all of the credit she had acquired at past colleges. (Most schools require you to earn a certain number of units at their own school.) The point is that these people may have local expertise on the strengths and weaknesses of local schools.
posted by metahawk at 10:18 PM on January 9