I approached Pennstate this past August with a great deal of anxiety, interest, and excitement. I had no clue what school would be like, and I knew that I would have to learn how to adjust to my new student life. The rapid adaptation I would need is one that would be comparable a scientist in a lab, trying to discover a cure for the new strain of flu virus that would thrust the world into an unnecessary panic.
I had been out of academia for just over 5 years and had forgotten much more than I recalled; I was about to find the necessity of rapid adaptation. I would soon be thrust into a world in which everything would be new. I would be like a fish crawling out of the primordial goo with fresh legs about to take my first breath with fresh evolved lungs.
I am referred to as a “non-traditional” student. According to Leslie Lang, the coordinators for Adult Learner Programs and Studies here at Pennstate, there are 4000 non-traditional students enrolled at Pennstate. Leslie Lang says, "The criterion is any student over 24 years old who is enrolled as a first-time student, or under 24 with multiple roles: they're married, they're parents, or they have military experience." I fit the mold in that I have been out of high school for 5 years and am a veteran of the United States military.
With the economy still in a low position and many blue collar jobs leaving the US, many people older in age are taking the time to go back to school. People are beginning to realize the importance of education and accreditations in order to remain competitive in the working world. Jobs are now scarce and even graduates are not able to get jobs in the fields of which they studied. Now, to get a foot in the door an applicant needs to have something that ...
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...think that non-traditional students are not a big part of the melting pot of college life, however according to the National Center for Education Statistics non-traditional students now comprise 73% of the student body in the US. Students are now in need of becoming more financially independent by getting part time jobs and this gives them a separate role from just being a standard college student. They acquire the rapid adaptation that other mature students possess.
Each year as more and more people return to continue their education after a hiatus, we will have more and more experienced, varied, and knowledgeable people in Pennstate. We should all take the initiative and approach schooling with the idea of rapidly adapting, because not only does school require it, but life itself demands that you must be ready to adjust and evolve as the world does around you.
After being on the road for three years, I decided to check into returning to college at the University of Delaware and the University of Pennsylvania. Both universities informed me that I would have to retake my first two years that I had completed at Chattanooga State. I would have to commit for another four to six years of college. I did not have the time to do this. I wanted to be finished with my bachelor?s degree within two years if possible. So, later, when they realize that their choices are limited, their futures sealed or semi-gelled, they decide that school is where they need to be (Smith, 2001).
What are some more ways to aid first-generation students with the challenges faced in college?
Over the past few years, people have begun to see going to college as a way to achieve the American Dream through career-readiness. People used to go to college, hoping to get a better well-rounded education. For most the well-rounded education, it usually came with the courses required for a liberal arts education. The courses would provide a level of analytical and in-depth understanding that would prepare the students for both life and whichever career path chosen. No matter the amount of money paid, parents would be willing to gi...
If more people went to college, and less went the vocational route, jobs will take a momentous hit. Today, companies will not even touch an application that does not include a Bachelor’s Degree; even if the Bachelor’s Degree has nothing to do with the job being applied for. Attention is not given to whether the hopeful applicant qualifies for the job; all that matters is that the applicant has a Bachelor’s degree. Murray best sums up the American job market when he says, “Employers do not value what the student learned, just that the student has a degree” (Murray). However, if less people obtain a Bachelor’s Degree, employers will be forced to base applicants on their skills, and abilities. Furthermore, important vocational jobs that lie vacant will be filled. Good electricians, carpenters, and construction workers will always be in
Critics contend that the influx of nontraditionals into the college student market has accelerated a trend toward the “massification” of collegiate education – that is, that it has led to a watered down pedagogy that is far below the goals and expectation of the elite colleges. Nonetheless, the improvements in education oriented toward accommodation of the nontraditional student have had the practical effect of making college more affordable and accessible to all classes of people.
People continue to wonder if college is worth the time and money spent with numerous individuals still unemployed, a valid concern of young students. Despite the information the majority have heard about unemployment rates, this is not a valid argument. (Michael Greenstone and Adam Looney) notes, “In Apr. 2013 the unemployment rate for college graduates aged 25 and over with a bachelor’s degree was 3.6%, compared to 5.0% for associate’s degree holders, 7.5% for high school graduates, and 11.4% for high school drop-outs.” These statistics alone should put your mind at ease relieving concerns an individual may have in respects to finding a job in their field. Moreover, employers that can see someone’s passion toward the carrier they’re seeking will increases one’s chance of successfully finding
A high school diploma is not enough to pursue most careers in a difficult economy and job market. Without a college education there are fewer chances for career advancement or high earning potential.This is enough for anyone to rethink a college education. Nontraditional undergraduate students include a large portion of college enrollments. Between 2000 and 2013, enrollment rates for twenty five to twenty nine year olds increased from eleven to thirteen percent and thirty to thirty four year old students stayed steady at a seven percent increase. “The Condition of Education” 2015 Being slightly I tell myself regardless of what my children think I am not too ancient to attend college or start on a new
Low-SES children frequently live in highly stressful and disadvantaged school environments characterized by multiple risk factors for the development of psychosocial adjustment problems, including high rates of poverty, exposure to violence, and drug use (Jones & Forehand, 2003). There are alot of different programs that can be used for these students, for example mentoring programs in which school personnel provide social support for low-SES students, it has been shown that mentoring can increase positive attitudes toward school and a ce positive behavior changes of students (Richman, Rosenfield, & Bowen, 1998). Counselors should use different interventions and programs to help these students become more involved in school.
Enhancing commerciality to acquire a better job position, teaching your children of the importance of education through example, and an increasing in personal satisfaction and enrichment are all outcomes of going back to school. An environmental fear of campus life is a real thing for adult learners. In 2013 there were 8.2 million adult students compared to the 12.2 million students under the age of 25. The rates of increase for adult students are expected to increase higher than students less than 25 years of age according to the national center for educational statistics. The demand for MBAs and the attendance of professional schools is increasing. A master’s degree is almost mandatory in order to obtain a 6-figure career. The support of family members helps whenever the overwhelming feeling of loneliness begins to creep in. My son telling me he’s proud of me nearly brought me to tears and so I encourage everyone thinking about going back to school to dive
Attending college has changed quite a lot over the years. When it first arose, it was only accessible to the wealthy, and it was unheard of for everyone else. Only a few decades ago, a bachelor's degree could almost guarantee a comfortable job, and it was another advantage to any resume. In our current times, many students struggle and are unable to go to college due to the rising price tag that is not showing any signs of slowing down. A college degree is what most employers look for now-a-day, making it more essential than ever before.
As a byproduct of the change in college culture, it will create a “friendlier” environment for first generation. Students need to feel safe rather than out of place. Additionally, prestigious institutions need to take initiative to create new programs that will make college a painless transition for first generation students by implementing new policies such as mentors or clubs. As many colleges and universities have not taken the initiative to help first-generation students, North Carolina State University is one of the few exceptions. As a fellow first generation college student at North Carolina State University, I have reaped many benefits from the different organizations they have around campus. In the Poole College of Management, I was assigned a professional mentor in my future line of work that made the transition into college a better experience for me. After listening to his forums, I was able to use the skills I had learnt from my parents and apply it to college and my study habits benefiting me in countless possibilities. Additionally, the sociology department at North Carolina State University has created a program that guides first-generations students throughout all four years of college making the transition as
...her ups, and then once their ideas of education update, so can school systems, then teachers themselves. Maiers “Keys to Student Engagement” shows the raw potential that school systems already have. It also shows that students need the drive and ambition to succeed. Tristan’s article on edutopia provides ideas that are already in motion. His ideas and tips have already started to work in public high school in his community. With the guidance and vision of these three authors public school issues could cease to exist. Even though there’s a lot involved getting administrators (and some teachers) on board, it is possible, and in the near future, a reality.
When attaining a college degree, many of the obstacles and events people experience help them develop a wider perspective of the world and discover different ways to solve emerging problems. Events such as the experience one has to go through when meeting new people or attempting to cope with the new environment form a sense of diversity and quick
“About 48 percent of employed U.S. College graduates are in jobs that the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) suggests requires less than a four-year college education. Eleven percent of employed college graduates are in occupations requiring more than a high-school diploma but less than a bachelor’s, and 37 percent are in occupations requ...
Having spent twelve years of my school life in just one small red brick building, the years tend to fade into each other. But the year I remember most clearly and significantly is my senior year of high school, where I finally began to appreciate what this institution offered to any student who stopped to look. Before, school had been a chore, many times I simply did not feel motivated toward a subject enough to do the homework well, and seeing the same familiar faces around ever since I was 5 years old grew very tiring soon enough. But I began to see things from a different angle once I became a senior.