At this time of the year, many parents are preparing to send their children and grandchildren off to – or back to – colleges all over the country. However, there’s another group of students that we don’t hear discussed as often. Despite the traditional college ages of 18-24 being legal adults, many colleges consider this demographic ‘traditional students’, and the age 25+ to be ‘Adult Learners’, or ‘untraditional students’.
These ‘untraditional students’ make up a sizable chunk of Academia! According to an article published by BestColleges.Com, “approximately 3.9 million students over the age of 25 were enrolled in an undergraduate degree program in the U.S. These students, commonly referred to as adult learners, accounted for 24% of the 16.4 million enrolled students pursuing an undergraduate degree during the period. (Italics ours)
If you’re a part of this group, you may be struggling with the sheer number of back-to-school articles and life hacks—and how many of them are geared towards the traditional students. If this is the case, then this advice is especially for you.
Did You Know? AZTEC’s office assistants Joie and Leanna are both adult learners!
You may already have a full-time job, children, or struggle with your health. However, instead of letting these differences hinder your academic journey, the following tips can help you meet yourself where you’re at, take advantage of the circumstances you do have, and achieve your goals.
Tip #1- Get Credit for What You Already Know
Often used interchangeably, Credit for Prior Learning (CPL) and Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) programs have a similar purpose—to help you translate what you already know into valuable college credits. This is an incredible resource for those who’ve been in the workforce, received specialized training or certificates, or who’ve received mentoring in their career. It offers formal recognition of the skills and knowledge gained in nontraditional ways and transposes it into the traditional academic environment.
Rather than having one specific CPL/PLA program across colleges, most schools will have their own individual in-house resources to help guide you in their processes, and make sure you don’t miss any potential credits. The process may involve having an instructor help putting together a portfolio of your learning, or it may involve standardized testing to show your knowledge. Once you’ve met your school’s requirements, your school will let you know how many credits you qualify for, and what class requirements have been satisfied for your degree.
Tip #2- Test Out of Some Classes.
If your school doesn’t offer a CPL or PLA program, or if you simply prefer a more standardized, individualist process, another common ways to receive credits for what you already know is through the College-Level Examination Program(Also called CLEP Exams) through CollegeBoard.Org. These standardized tests generally take around 2 hours, depending on the subject and whether you test virtually or in your local center. The tests are pass/fail, and CollegeBoard.Org will send your transcripts directly to your school
At the time of writing, a single CLEP exam costs $99 and will earn you 3-4 college credits. That’s as low as $25 per credit! Compare that price to a google-estimated average cost of $406 per credit at an in-state college, or even the 150$ per credit of a community college, and it’s easy to see how the savings stack the more tests you complete!
Using this tool to test out of class not only saves you money, but valuable time. Instead of attending classes weekly and sitting through lectures and hours of study for material you already know, you can simply take a portion of your morning or afternoon to complete the class as it sits.
Tip #2.5- Did you know that organizations like Modern States offer free CLEP vouchers to students who complete their (also free) courses? This non-profit helps learners of all ages get real ACE-Recommended credits at no out-of-pocket cost to the student.
Tip #3- Utilize Online Educational Resources to Fulfill Your General Education Courses.
Kahn Academy is a free-to-use resource for students of all ages with a focus on K-12, but they also carry a number of college prep and Advanced Placement courses to help you fill in any gaps in your memory from being out of school. While they don’t offer credits themselves, many use this resource as a touchstone to build upon before starting classes.
For courses that you can complete independently and earn credits for, two options could be Sophia.Org or Study.Com. The two sites provide study courses and interactive challenges to ensure you understand the material and automatically create a transcript that can be transferred to your college with a simple online request. These two websites are paid options that run on a subscription model, but the pricing is far lower than your standard university price per credit.
At the time of writing this article, Sophia.org charges a flat $99 per month and you can take up to two active courses at a time. You can sign up for as many courses a month as you want, but no more than two can be active at one time. Study.com works the same way, boasting a beautiful curriculum with virtual textbooks, videos, and an on-the-go app you can download to your devices. These extra features come at an extra price, however, at $235 a month.
Which website you choose should take into account your learning style, and if your school is partnered with either website. For example, many University of New Hampshire students take their Gen Ed courses through Sophia.Org, while many Southern New Hampshire University students use Study.Com. Talk to your school advisor to confirm which site will fit your curriculum best!
As you can see, there are many ways to make it to your ultimate goal of graduating with a degree! These three tips are just some of many that can help you save thousands of dollars and countless hours of your precious time—time that you can rededicate to what really matters, like family, friends, and connecting with your community.
If you have any questions about your degree program and credit requirements, you should contact your student advisor.
However, if you have questions about saving for college, budgeting as a student, or laying the foundation for your finances post-degree, you should contact a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® to help you along the path and take the burden off your mind. At AZTEC Financial Group, we can help create a financial plan that aligns with your goals. It’s never too early or too late to get a helping hand!