by Ann Palmieri

Created on: January 13, 2008

Take a deep breath! Exhale! This is a good way to expel fear and nervousness. Don't let your fears keep you from going to college. Just do it! Fear of going to college is keeping you from some great rewards in your life. If you have been out of school for more than a few years, you will need to do some brushing up on your writing skills, your computer skills, your reading skills, and your math skills. Besides these basics, you need to learn to schedule your time, manage your finances, and prepare a workspace for yourself at home.

Refresher Courses

Thankfully, there are classes at local colleges that will prepare you for back to college issues. Call your local community college and inquire about refresher courses before entering a college program. Many high schools have programs in the evening for adults who want to go to college. These basic skills courses will take you some time to master if you were an average student. Once you get the "hang" of studying and writing again, your memory will kick in and help you.

How to Succeed in college

There are also courses for college freshmen that deal with scheduling your time, finances, and workspace. The course also evaluates your learning style as well as your personality profile which will help you in the classroom. Another course that you will want to take is a computer course that teaches the basics about the Internet and at least one word processing program. If you have never learned to type, start with a keyboard course.

Use your experiences

Adults who go back to college find it stressful to compete with younger students, but after the first semester, those students usually respect the experiences that the older student is bringing to the classroom. Then the students learn to interact better, each relying on the other for his/her special qualities. It is also good to communicate with younger students because they have a new outlook on life that may challenge you and encourage you in your schooling.

There's Help Available

Besides the basic courses you will be taking, there are also "labs" that provide special help for the new student. These labs are usually free for students; you just need to inquire about them. Ask your counselor for all the help you might need. Even before you begin your basic skills classes, you might want to take a personality profile or a measuring profile of what types of jobs you prefer. These will be helpful as you choose your overall purpose for going to college. Do you want a better job? A different job? A better-paying job? Or do you just want a skill, so you can get a job? These questions will help you decide on your course of study. Take your time, stay on course, and finish the race. You may take a little longer than your younger counterpart, but the work will be worth the wait in terms of higher pay, better self-image, and a happier person.

Education is a life-long process. Just remember that each person learns differently. Don't give up. Keep on course. Keep your eye on your goal. Best wishes.

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