Non-traditional College Student: A Viewpoint
I have always wanted to get my degree and as I entered the workforce out of high school. I found myself moving through life living the American dream, making money, during the next few years a person begins to settle in and get comfortable with the position. I began looking at colleges and found myself very unfamiliar with what was needed to get started. I knew, for me, that online schooling was the only way that would allow me to follow my dream of obtaining a degree, and, in tandem, do the necessary school work on my own time and not be dependent on a classroom schedule. I chose an online university to get started with my new goal. After a quarter of struggling to understand the school’s process and not being able to meet face to face, I began to feel the pressure of college and decided not to sign up for another quarter.
About six months later the company made some personnel changes and I found myself reporting to a new manager. One day I distinctively remember sitting across from my new manager and seeing him sifting through resumes for a new position—one would make it to his desk; others would simply land in the trash. I eventually asked him what his methodology was—and why so many resumes were simply tossed out and, he said it was a simple elimination process. Those applications with a degree go in the pile on my desk, and those with no degree go directly into the trash. My heart skipped a beat and then dropped to the floor; it was then that I realized I was at risk of being grouped with all those other applicants in the trash can.
Although the first online university where I initially pursued my degree was not the correct fit for me during that time, and as an adult going back to school it was clear that I will probably need help from time to time and wanted to have access to instructors if I needed assistance. During the past six months I drove past a new Rasmussen College campus being built close to work and on my daily route to and from work. I decided that now is the time and made an appointment with an admissions representative. The admissions representative answered my questions and was able to make me feel comfortable with my decision to go back to college. We created a plan and to this day I never looked back…Rasmussen College was the right fit for me.
Finding quiet time for me to work on my course work and using my time management skills allowed me to work out schedule time for family, work, entertainment, and schooling. At times I felt overwhelmed with my workload however; I was never at a point of quitting and if I ever found myself at that level I would think back to the new manager and him tossing resumes into the garbage can. Going back to school after being in the work world has given me a big advantage versus going to college after high school. I can use personal experiences and real life situations to create a better learning environment for me and others in my class.
I am so excited being so close to finishing my goal, with graduation in December. Just like many other events in your life, the end looks so far away, next thing you know you are almost done. Like many professional athletes make reference to “What will you do after you finish college?” My decision? I am taking my family to Disney World.
