by Lisa Lemke

Created on: January 15, 2008

If you have decided to get back into the classroom there are some skills that can help your journey go a bit smoother and can help reduce stress when the pressure is on. These skills can be useful for anyone, but if you are an adult learner, and have added pressures of a family, they are crucial.

Most people have the reading and writing skills necessary to survive in their day-to-day life, but if it has been a while since you have been in a classroom setting, you may need to brush up on some skills.

* Basic reading, writing and math skills. Unless you help your child with their homework, it has probably been a while since you thought about verbs, nouns, adjectives and things such as sentence structure. When was the last time you needed to multiply 2 fractions? Unless you already work with these things on a regular basis, you probably haven't given basic reading and math skills much thought. The benefits of these courses are that they can get you "back into the swing of things" and help you prepare for your new academic focus.

* Basic computer and keyboarding skills. Handwritten assignments complete with ink strikeouts and white out might have been overlooked in high school but not at college. Most Professors will not even accept handwritten submissions, as they don't need to spend the extra time deciphering your hen scratching. Having word processing skills will help you to revise and edit your work so that the teacher only sees your best. In addition, many Professors and classes now use the Internet and e-mail to keep students informed. As such, a working knowledge of how to access the Internet and use e-mail is essential.

Many communities will offer basic upgrading skills free of charge through public school boards.

* Budgeting skills. Attending college is a major financial undertaking for most people. Whether you are receiving financial aid or paying by some other means, being able to budget correctly is a must. You will have to pay for obvious things such as tuition and textbooks. Nevertheless, have you thought about the added expense of eating more meals and snacks on campus, or are you going to need to brown bag it?

* Time management skills. There are varying estimates as to the amount of time a student will spend on their studies, but there is no doubt that it is a big time consumer. Time management will be an even bigger issue if you have a family. You and the kids will have an adjustment to go through, when mom or dad has to sit down and do their homework

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