Why aren’t you going to college?
You may have heard this question a number of times – from counselors, your parents, even your friends: “Why aren’t you going to college?”
According to Deborah Hirst, Ph.D., a career counselor with a private practice in Ann Arbor, there may be a number of reasons for putting off your education including time and budget constraints, family responsibilities, poor academic performance, even lack of confidence.
She says that some people may be convinced they don’t have the time for school because of hours spent working to pay bills. They think they need to start school with a complete load of courses and don’t think of taking one class to start off. Often, they’re unsure about financial aid and don’t know where to seek out the information to make an informed decision.
“Students often underestimate their abilities,” Hirst says. “What they need to realize is that the reason they may not have done well in high school was that they weren’t participating. They never cracked a book; maybe they didn’t attend class regularly. Most often there were other issues going on at the time that left them little energy to focus on academics.
“But, now they’re at a different point in their lives – they’re striving for independence and looking for a better standard of living. They realize that to achieve further, they need to get an education. “Past school experiences remain etched in the mind of young people and influence how they see themselves in any future academic endeavor. They continue to look backward at their lives instead of forward and often don’t realistically examine their current situation.”
Not ready for college?
Hirst often sees parents who come in with a son or daughter who is finishing high school and may not be ready for a four-year college. Both the parents and the teenagers wonder if the student is cut out for college or should choose an alternative.
“In some cases, Mom and Dad are providing all the motivation,” Hirst says. With these clients, Hirst often recommends counseling for the young person separate from his or her parents. This helps the students assess their maturity level and begin to look at where they are in their lives and where they want to go.
“It’s also helpful if parents set a date for reducing financial assistance and gradually hand over responsibility to their son or daughter,” Hirst says. “One plan is to have parents continue to provide for some living expenses and have the student pay for classes. Getting there and studying is a whole different experience for students if they’re paying the bills.”
Going it alone
Another group who faces challenges in going to college are those people who have disconnected from their families. They’ve moved out and are living on their own. “These people are working to support themselves and often lack the time, energy or money to go to school,” Hirst says.
“Then they reach a point where they realize that all this work isn’t getting them ahead. I suggest they enroll in one or two classes to put some balance into their lives. Sometimes taking just one class – meeting other people, being regarded as an adult learner, and learning something new – sparks their interest and gives them the confidence to go on.”
Overcoming barriers
Rebecca Trester got married right out of high school and before she knew it, she was raising three young children. But, she had set a goal to continue her education and she was determined to achieve that goal.
And she did.
By the time her youngest child was four years old, Rebecca had graduated with honors from the Surgery Technology Program at her local community college and had accepted a full-time position with a nearby hospital.
How did she do it?
“Because I married and had my family right out of high school, I had planned to start college within five years,” Trester says. “The same month that my oldest child went to kindergarten, I began my first semester at Eastern Michigan University to earn a teaching certificate. I attended two semesters, but then I took a break. I was quite sure I would pursue a teaching certificate, but I couldn’t imagine taking classes on a part-time basis for eight to ten years, while sacrificing my family. And it would have been financially impossible to attend on a full-time basis for the rest of my college career.
“When I read about the Surgical Technology program it seemed very interesting, as well as tangible, so I signed up. “Thankfully, I have an awesome husband who picked up the slack so I had a little more study time. But we were basically living on a single income. I worked part time at my children’s day care, which provided a decent discount, but my income pretty much just covered day care costs while I was at school.” “The biggest barrier I experienced was the pressure I’d put on myself,” she says. “It was made very clear that if you didn’t do well in class, you may not be finishing the course, and I wanted to do well. “I paid attention in class, and I knew it was pointless to try to study while my kids needed my attention, so I just didn’t do it then; I usually found myself hitting the books between 10 p.m. and 1 a.m.
“I also did things that I enjoyed,” Trester added. “ I love to play softball, and it fit into my crazy schedule so I played during the fall and spring seasons. I was even awarded the 99-00 Scholar Athlete! “I feel proud that I accomplished the goals I’d set for myself, and that I was successful with the program I completed.”
Common excuses for not going to college and reasons why they shouldn’t stop you
My grades aren’t good enough for college
When deciding who gets in, colleges examine the whole person not just one small part. They look at such things as letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, jobs you have or had, or special talents in art, music and sports.
To improve your academic record, you can take courses at your community college. The classes are usually smaller and easier to navigate and they are a lot less expensive than four-year institutions.
I can’t afford it
There is a lot of financial aid available to help you pay for college. This year alone there is almost $26 billion waiting for students who need money for college. Students who qualify can take advantage of scholarships, grants, loans and work study opportunities. Financial aid may be applied to such things as tuition, books, equipment, child care, transportation and living expenses.
I think college may be too difficult for me
Not likely if you are willing to work hard. Thousands of students graduate from college every year, and chances are many of them were afraid college would be too difficult for them – but they made it in spite of their fears.
Plus, there are many services designed to help you achieve success. College counseling departments can help you assess your educational interests and skills, and most colleges have special programs that provide counseling, skill building and job education services including refresher courses in the basics like reading, writing and mathematics.
International students can talk to counselors about academics, advising and tutors. Interpreters and readers can assist with classroom learning.
I don’t even know what I want to major in or what to do with my life!
The great majority of college students don’t have a clue about these things, either. But there are a slew of resources to help you figure things out. The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a handbook that gives projections for more than 200 occupations so you can see which jobs are most likely to be in demand.
Career planning departments help students make career changes and career decisions through self-paced interest testing, career related e-books and one-on-one counseling.
There is no way I can go to college full time
So go part time. Most colleges offer programs you can attend in the evening or on the weekends; some even hold all-day workshops that replace week-long class time. Opportunities for distance learning and Internet courses abound, and most colleges have community extension centers that are more convenient than going to the main campus.
I am too old to go to college
As they say, “You are never too old to learn.” Recent statistics from the Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Education show that adult students are the fastest growing educational demographic. Almost 40 percent are over 25 (with an average age of 30) and these numbers are steadily increasing.