I may be going to college next year-HELP !

[sunflowerlady]

I will be 40 years old in March and have never been to college. I never even took Algebra in high school.:001_huh: For the past year , I have been considering going to school and working toward a nursing degree. Basically, I am considering it for several reasons one of which is to help provide for my and dh's future once dd is grown.

 

I did a FAFSA forecaster and it seems I may be eligible for some Pell grant money. Although, I can only attend part time, so I am not sure how that will work out. We will continue to homeschool, so I will have to work around that.

 

Also, since I have ZERO college credits, I have to start with taking the prerequisites. So, I have a rather long road ahead of me. I worry about being too old, not being able to do the work, etc etc. Then I worry about how it will affect my marriage and home life.:tongue_smilie: Yes, I am a worry wart.

 

Since I have to take entrance testing which will include Algebra, I am now taking it upon myself to learn Algebra. We have acquired a free Videotext Algebra module A, which I have begun to work through.:willy_nilly: My sister owns a few of the other modules. I will get them from her and continue working through the course. Hopefully, by the time I have to take the test next year, I can place into Intermediate Algebra instead of College Prep. My degree requires College Algebra.:glare: I doubt I can place right into that without a Prep course.

 

I just wanted to share with someone. Dh probably doesn't want to hear me talk about it anymore. :tongue_smilie:

 

Any advice or input is welcome.:bigear:

 

Thanks.

[Julie in Austin]

That's AWESOME!

 

You are brave. And you'll do great!

[angela in ohio]

I would find out what else is on the entrance exam and study up in those areas, too. If you can place out of any classes or avoid any classes that won't give you credit toward a degree, you will save money.

 

How fun to have a new adventure! I would get my nursing degree in a heartbeat if I didn't faint at the sight of blood or needles. I think it is a smart degree move, though.

[catalinakel]

I would be in contact with the college soon. They usually have a department that helps 'non-traditional' students with getting going and being successful. If you could connect with someone there, you would have an ally and guide for getting going in the right direction, and learning the ropes so to speak.

 

btw, I have attended nine different colleges since 1978...didn't earn an associates degree until 1983, then a bachelor's in 1994. This year I was a graduate student, but bailed for health reasons. Going to school when you are older is really fun in my opinion. You are there to learn rather than because your folks sent you.

 

I am not sure that studying for the math placement exam for the college is a good idea. They will place you where you belong in terms of your current math skills. I started with college math, and eventually finished algebra two.

 

Most colleges have tutoring centers for math and writing, at least, and these are good places to get free help with assignments. Good students get help when needed...don't forget that. Make a point of meeting your instructors also. They usually love it when a student shows an interest in class...so many do not.

 

Figuring our your style for study is important. Will you work at home, or only at the college library? Do you like to work late at night, early in the morning or mid-day? Definitely have hubby and kiddos on board with this decision...your commitment to your studies will determine your success, and having those at home on board is huge.

 

Obviously I have lots of advice...bt, dt, feel free to pm me if you like. And ask away! college is a big adventure, but I loved it as an older student.

[sunflowerlady]

Thanks everyone.:)

 

I have a copy of sample questions for the CPT test. The CPT is the Computerized Placement Test. It is reading comprehension skills, sentence construction, general math and algebra. When I did the sample test, I did pretty well on the reading comprehension and sentence skills. The math and algebra -well , I need work.

 

The reason I am refreshing my math skills is to try to avoid having to take College Prep Algebra. This would save time and effort. If I could place in Intermediate Algebra ( which is still a prep course) I could take that and then go on to College Algebra.

 

BTW- regarding being afraid of blood and needles-I am squeamish, but I plan to get over it. :D

 

I will probably do my studying at home. Dd is on board and dh is so-so. He thinks I will get tired of going to school for so many years. He may be right, but I want to at least try.:confused:

[Heidi]

Good for you! I'm going to school online right now. It is fulfilling to be learning and working towards a goal. I'm a happier mother and wife; my family is definitely benefiting from me going back to school. It can be tough sometimes; just make sure your priorities are in order. Best of luck!!!

[meet me in paris]

Good for you!

 

I went back in my 30's, then went to grad school, and now I'm teaching. :001_smile:

 

I agree w/pp - try to get as many credits as you can without taking classes. It's cheaper, quicker, and you'll feel a tremendous sense of accomplishment when those credits start racking up. CLEPs are good, as is Excelsior College (find them online - you may be able to find a way to take their exams for credit if your school accepts them - I took 2). Ask at your college's office - they will tell you what exams they accept. Then you can basically read a book on the subject, take an exam, and get the credit. I think I did about 25 credits that way, and I would have done more if I had known about it sooner.

 

Intermediate algebra is certainly not the end of the world. If you can get yourself through Algebra 1, you may place out of it, though. I had to take IA, but I hadn't looked at math in almost 20 years. I think if I had studied more I could have tested out, but honestly, it was nice to have an instructor instead of having to re-learn on my own.

 

Best of luck!

[Pretty in Pink]

Way to go! You can do it. I'm in school right now as well, working on a BS in Nursing. I'm having fun (and this is my third time going back to college, btw).

 

I take as many classes as I can online but do all of my science courses on campus. When I begin nursing courses I will take most of those on campus as well (things like ethics you can take online though).

 

If you go half-time then you will receive half of the Pell money you qualify for. My school's financial aide department made an exception for me regarding our income, because my dh received a substantial bonus through the military, which raised our income to a disqualifying level for Pell. The school deducted the bonus from our income because it was a "one-time" thing. I don't know if that helps you or not.

[homeschoolally]

Congrats!!

 

If you can get your hands on the Life of Fred books I think you'd be able to knock off a LOT of the math easily. I've heard some people have found them at the library.

 

I worked through some trying to prepare for the GRE, it was the most painless math I've ever experienced!

 

Good luck with school!