WDdareToDreamEducation copy

WDdareToDreamEducation copy

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  Maria Lewis Bethel,32, encountered one obstacle after another trying to get a university degree. She had three young children who needed care, jobs that didn’t leave time for classes and a dire lack of money. “I fell into the trap of thinking I had to wait for the perfect circumstances before going back to college,” says Maria, who had completed a few courses in the mid-’90s before letting life get in the way. “I knew I had the ability. I knew I had the talent. I just didn’t think it was possible.” PHOTODISC/PICTUREQUEST 5/10/05 www.womansday.com 95 mderdareto mderdareto wd s o y o u w a n t t o g o b a c k t o s c h o o l WHAT ARE YOUR DREAMS? ARE YOU READY TO MAKE THEM A REALITY? IN THIS YEARLONG SERIES, WOMAN’S DAY WILL HELP YOU DO JUST THAT. IN EACH ISSUE, YOU’LL FIND NEW, INNOVATIVE IDEAS AND SOLUTIONS AND HEAR FROM WOMEN WHO HAVE FACED THE SAME CHALLENGES YOU DO AND SURMOUNTED THEM. “SO YOU WANT TO GO BACK TO SCHOOL” EXPLAINS HOW TO ADVANCE YOUR GOALS THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION. s o y o u w a n t t o g o b a c k t o s c h o o l by Diane Harrington
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  Waking up eachday at 4:30 A.M., Maria, who lives in Highland Park, Pennsyl- vania, took three buses every morning to get her two oldest children to day care and herself to her management job at a women’s clothing store. “I had this empty feeling because I wasn’t doing what I’d planned to do, which was to become an attorney,” she says. “Finally, in March 2001, I decided that if I was going to be tired, I was going to be tired from doing something I wanted to do, and that was going back to school.” Like most women who start college later in life, Maria was concerned about being the odd kid out in the classroom. She needn’t have worried: Nearly 30 percent of today’s under- graduate students are over the age of 25. In fact, students over age 40 repre- sent the fastest-growing age group in post–high school education. “It isn’t easy to go back to school while raising a family. But it’s possible, it’s doable and it’s really important,” says Kay J. Kohl, Ph.D., executive director of the University Continuing Education Association in Washington, DC. “Once women get started and realize they’ve had some success, they get energized.” Get PsychedGoing back to school may strike fear in those who haven’t set foot in a classroom for years, even decades, but most women find that problem is quickly overcome. “It was hard get- ting back in the swing of actually attending classes, but it didn’t take long,” says Cheryl Cleveland, 54, of Douglas, Georgia. “The difference in going to school now is that I wanted to learn. It’s not something I had to do, it was a choice I made.” The impressive array of options today makes it easier than ever to get enthusiastic about returning to the classroom. Vocational schools, com- munity colleges and universities are actively courting nontraditional stu- dents. In addition, a host of foundations and for-profit and nonprofit organiza- tions are encourag- ing adults to go back to school by provid- ing various support services, information and scholarships. As you begin your search for the right school, check for adult-oriented amenities that meet your personal needs. For instance: q Programs for adult students. At the University of Akron in Ohio, the Adult Focus program provides mentoring, information on everything from admis- sions to child care, and seminars to help you be successful in the classroom. q Adult gathering places. The Universi- ty of Pittsburgh built an entire student union, the McCarl Center for Nontradi- tional Student Success. With a library and meeting rooms, as well as a lounge, it’s a place adult students can congregate. Women can even bring their children while they study or look for job information. q On-site child-care centers. The Bronx campus of Mercy College in Dobbs Ferry, New York, provides emergency backup care in case regular child care falls through. Get Real Surviving today’s fickle economy isn’t easy. “Jobs are changing, jobs are disap- pearing and new jobs are coming into being,” says Kohl. “Many new jobs, especially in the fastest-growing sectors of the economy, such as the allied health professions, require some college, often a bachelor’s degree or more.” Just ask yourself: Could you use a higher income? “The wage gap between women who have only a high school diploma and those who have some col- lege education has widened dramatical- ly and is going to continue to widen,” Kohl says. In 2003 the salary difference between a worker with a high school 96 www.womansday.com 5/10/05 Cheryl Cleveland STEP Maria Lewis Bethel 1STEP Please turn to page 98 My greatest wish is to have enough money to finish school. Cheryl Holder, Mt Airy, NC
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  diploma and onewith a bachelor’s degree was $19,100 a year—or nearly $1 million between graduation and retirement. Do you need extra training? Roughly half of today’s adult students are enrolled in higher education to obtain or maintain a state, industry or company certification or license. Linda Pedder, 46, of Troy, Michigan, is one of them. “I’ve been working as a para-educator for five years, helping elementary school stu- dents in reading and math. But the No Child Left Behind Act now requires, among other things, an associate’s degree or higher for the job,” she says. Would you like more responsibilities at work? Cheryl had been an administrative assistant at a university for more than 20 years. She headed back to school in 1997, at age 47, to study for an applied science degree in computer information systems. Her employer encouraged her to keep going, so in 2004 Cheryl earned her bache- lor’s in applied science in information technology from Valdosta State Universi- ty. “When cutbacks came to our office in March 2004, my degree allowed me to apply for a position as a computer support specialist and keep a job here,” she says. Cheryl is now responsible for keep- ing computers up and running in the southern region of Georgia. “Coworkers who lost jobs said if only they’d known what was in the future, they would have been ready, too. I had no clue what would be happening job-wise. I just wanted the personal satis- faction of completing a degree. I was fortunate that it paid off in the end.” Do you want to change pro- fessions? Becky Amos, 32, a single mom of a 10-year-old, currently works at a regional magazine. “My editorial career is limited because there are so few publica- tions here,” says Becky, who lives in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Rather than move to a larger city with more editorial opportuni- ties, she’s studying to become a registered nurse. “Nurses are needed everywhere. I can work in a hospital, a nursing home, a doctor’s office. My plan is to get a mas- ter’s degree to become a nurse practition- er, which will also broaden my options.” Find the Tıme & MoneyBlending college courses with parenting and a part- or full- time job is no easy task. Many women squeeze in just one or two courses at a time, usually on nights and weekends. Oth- ers opt for an online education, or “distance learning,” which frees them from the constraints of classroom hours (see “Getting an E-Degree”). Money is often another obsta- cle to continuing one’s educa- tion. According to the College Board’s Annu- al Survey of Colleges, the current average yearly tuition (ex- cluding books) for a public, in-state, four-year university is $5,132. At a four- year, private universi- ty, it jumps to $20,082. For a two-year public insti- tution, it’s $2,076 a year. How will you pay the bill? Find a patchwork of solutions. In Frankfort, New York, Diane Shephard, 45, mother of two college students, spent seven years working on an associate’s degree in early childhood education, taking one or two courses a semester so she could also work part-time as a waitress and at a day-care center to pay the bills. “It was hard study- STEP Becky Amos Getting an E-DegreeDistance learning—getting your degree via the Internet rather than in the classroom—is a great way to fit college into a hectic schedule of work, home and kids. “If 85 percent or more of the classwork is online, that’s considered an online degree,” says Kay J. Kohl, Ph.D., executive director of the University Continuing Education Association in Washington, DC. “What’s more common, though, is a blended program, in which some of the program is online and some is face-to-face. The advantage of online learning for the older student is convenience. A busy mom can connect with her classmates and complete her assignment on her own time.” A Google search for distance learning will turn up dozens of online university options. To find out if a school—online or otherwise—is regionally accredited, go to the Council for Higher Education’s web site, www.chea.org. First Things FirstOnce you decide to go to college, you’ll need to: q Research institutions by visiting their web sites. q Find out about federal, state and institutional financial aid. q Collect your high school and college transcripts. q Confirm that your GPA (grade point average) meets the requirements of your college of choice. q Ask the college whether you’ll need SAT or ACT scores. Many waive that requirement for adults. But GRE, LSAT and similar exams for advanced degrees still may be necessary, so schedule yours if it’s required. q Find out if the college of your choice offers college or university credit for prior learning and/or work experience. q Be sure the school you choose is regionally accredited. I am living my dream—I enrolled in night classes at a local community college. Denise Howard Willig, Brandon, FL 98 www.womansday.com 5/10/05 Please turn to page 100
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  ing, working andbeing there for my children, but I made the dean’s list every semester,” she says. “At one point I worked three jobs while taking one course a semester, but I did it.” Diane’s hard work paid off: She was promoted to assistant director at the day-care center. Investigate all your financial options. Linda, who needed to get an associate’s degree to keep her job, chose a com- munity college in part because the tuition was more affordable than state or private college fees. Cheryl, who studied com- puter technology to advance in her job, had some of her tuition paid for by her company. Ask your employer if the com- pany will help pay your tuition. Maria, who is on her way to a law degree, has attended college full- time with the help of child and spousal support after her divorce and a hefty tab of student loans and grants. Ask about financial assistance. About 60 percent of undergraduate students receive some form of financial aid, including federal or state student loans; aid packages from universities, community colleges or technical schools; and a variety of public and private grants and scholarships. Just a few examples: q The Lumina Foundation for Education is geared entire- ly toward encouraging and helping to fund college education, especially for adult learners. q Ohio State University’s Critical Difference for Women program offers scholarships and grants to women seek- ing advanced education. q The Forté Foundation, whose mission is to get more women into business school, helps women with scholar- ships and internships. q The American Association of University Women Educa- tional Foundation provides about $4 million in fellow- ships, grants and awards to female graduate students. q For additional financial help, Deborah Gwin, head of the University of Akron’s Adult Focus program, recommends using the government’s Hope Scholar- ship–Life-Long Learning Credits when doing your taxes; they benefit about 10 million taxpayers. Last year the combination of grant aid and federal tax breaks averaged about $2,300 per student in two-year public colleges, $3,300 for those at public four- year institutions, and $9,400 per student at private four-year institutions. Ask for, and Accept, HelpYou’ll find that people are more willing to lend a hand than you ever imagined. There’s no such thing as a stu- pid question, and what you need to know has probably already been asked and answered a hundred times before you got there. For example, all along the way, Maria has asked questions—lots of them—to financial aid personnel, professors and classmates. “I didn’t ask one person, I asked two. I got to know the staff. I got over being embarrassed or thinking I couldn’t do it,” she says. Her persistence paid off big. When the word spread that Maria’s life was an uphill battle, people everywhere reached out to make her path less rocky, from encouraging her to join a well-connected civic organiza- tion to hiring her on as a law office intern. Define your real objective. Get help from a friend or advisor if you’re having trouble pinning down your ultimate dream. “I discovered that I want to start a nonprofit for people who can’t afford attorneys,” Maria says. “Once I realized my ultimate goal, it was so much easier for me to focus on my classwork and say, ‘No matter what, this is what I have to do.’” Find your cheerleaders. Having moral support from family and friends can make the return to school easier. Cheryl says, “My husband, Larry, is so excited for me and encour- aged me when I wanted to just give up. I am more confi- dent in what I do now, and I just feel this immense pride for what I’ve accomplished.” Her grandchildren were proud, too, watching Cheryl receive her diploma. “I wanted them to see that you can do anything you want to at any age.” Look forward to what comes next. Many women get so hooked on learning, they don’t want to stop. Diane plans to get her bachelor’s degree. And Maria is waiting to hear if she’s been accepted to two different law schools. “There are days when you feel really tired,” says Maria. “In the beginning, I kept telling myself, ‘Just find a way to start school.’ Now I’m telling myself to find a way to finish. I’m glad I didn’t give up.” WD 100 www.womansday.com 5/10/05 STEP Diane Shephard My dream is for my daughter to finish school and make a wonderful life for herself. Karen Dickinson, Keller, TX NEXTISSUE Eureka! The Power of a Great Idea Dare to Dream! Share Your Dreams with Woman’s Day. Join our Dare to Dream Club online. Want help achieving your dream? Register what you want to achieve and get advice from other members on the steps you need to take. For more information, go to www.womansday.com/dreams.web