Working While in College - The Reality for Many Non-Traditional Students
There are two main types of college students out there. Traditional students are those who attend college right out of high school. They usually take classes full-time, may live on campus, and go to classes in-person. The others are adults, also known as non-traditional students. They might have kids, a full-time career, or just need to balance many different aspects of life. Their classes may be taken in-person, online, or a combination of both. They usually live off campus, commute, and often attend classes part-time. While both of these types of students have one thing in common – they’re in school and are eager to learn – the adult students who work are becoming the majority at many schools.
Keeping Everything in Balance
Balance is the key to attending school while working full time. Whether you manage to attend school part-time while working full-time, you have a lot of different things to keep track of at once. Add in family obligations, such as caring for elderly relatives or keeping an eye on your children, things like housework, and many additional tasks, it can be tough to keep everything on track.
The best thing that working students can do is to stay organized and not take on too much. For example, if you know that you have to work full-time and take care of children, then attending classes part-time might be the best solution. It all comes down to knowing how much you can handle and not overloading your schedule.
Setting Up Flexible Schedules
In addition to balancing everything, non-traditional students need flexible course schedules. At Dean College, the School of Continuing Studies is designed specifically for this purpose, with many classes available during the evening. There are also online courses, with everything from discussion assignments to Zoom lectures. Other classes are offered as a hybrid, with some in-person attendance required, balanced out with plenty of online assignments as well. These flexible schedules make it easier for students to balance school and work. Because let’s face it, you can’t be in two places at once!
Attending Programs Designed for Working Students
Having a good support network is vital to the success of many adult students. At Dean College, the School of Continuing Studies was set up for this very purpose. Not only is the admissions process a little different, as it’s continuous with rolling deadlines, but the courses are offered the same way as well. There are a wide variety of programs to choose from, including bachelor’s degrees, associate’s degrees, and professional certificates in certain subjects. Plus, several program options are available entirely online, making it possible to never have to set foot on campus, unless you want to, that is.
It’s important for working non-traditional students to seek out programs that offer the support, options, and flexibility that they need. Keeping everything balanced takes some time, and it helps if there are different courses and programs to choose from. Although it may seem a little daunting at times, the end results – a degree and the chance to start or enhance your current career – make it all worthwhile.