How did you become a non-traditional student?

[crshore]

Now that I'm at the end of my academic journey, I'm interested in learning about how other people became non-traditional students and the obstacles they've had to face in their pursuit of a college degree. If anyone feels like sharing, I'd love to read your story.

[PatsGirl1]

I'm poor, pregnant, and a military spouse with a soon-to-be deployed husband. lol condensed version

I was tired of only being able to afford 2 classes a semester and it will have taken me 6 years to finish. I want to be done by the time the baby gets here (end of July-ish) and I have no problems studying on my own.

[killerkitty]

My turn? cool.

I used to work as an EMT and was in Paramedic school when I got pregnant, and I never ended up finishing school. The past couple years have been crazy to say the least, but I really managed to get my $hit together and I ended up in a nice lil' clerical job for the state. I need to get a degree very badly because I CANNOT keep doing mindless busy work all day long. I have to be using my brain, lol. Data entering, labeling, filing, organizing, date stamping, eck,... it's terrible.

Anyways, there's a ton of state jobs that just require a degree, any degree. And once you're in, it's easy to move around, I could be making a heck of a lot more money and have a much better job in like, months really. And this is just the way to go. Somehow I stumbled on to these boards, I don't even know how...but I'm really happy I did. Like, 2 months ago, I thought that getting a degree would mean atleast 4 years of long hard classes. BRUTAL.

So, hehe I guess that's how I got started with everything. I'm going to be enrolling in TESC because I qualify for grants and there's a lot of classes I don't think I'd be able to test out of.

I think this is the only realistic[I][/I] option for me. I'm pretty motivated and hope to get done before I'm 27, (I'm 25 now) and if I do, I'll have a lot of people on here to thank.......actually I already do

[cookderosa]

Now that I'm at the end of my academic journey, I'm interested in learning about how other people became non-traditional students and the obstacles they've had to face in their pursuit of a college degree. If anyone feels like sharing, I'd love to read your story.

>>

Good thing I'm not in a writing mood LOL tonight. The short version is that I read a book for my friend called "Accelerated Distance Learning" by Brad Voeller. We both homeschool our children, and her son is older- so she read it and wanted me to read it so we could look into some of the ideas together. When I read the book I felt a bomb go off in my head! I switched gears and decided to try an exam myself before I started helping any of our kids. I took Human Growth and Development- and went into a month-long internet research frenzy. I didn't sleep, I read read read everything on testing and distance education. I didn't know squat before then. My motivation was to get educated enough to advise my children about college options- and through that process I decided to go for it myself. I am so glad I did- and not only do I feel ready to help provide guidance to my children, but my husband is earning his bachelor degree too! When the time comes, I think I can help my children find the most direct route to their goal and avoid some of the pitfalls I encountered along the way.
I'll be graduating in 5 months (!) and enrolling (upon acceptance) in 2 masters programs simultaneously. One hybrid and one totally at a distance. My husband wants to earn his MBA. My son is planning on taking CLEP biology and statistics with me (maybe) and I have a very solid high school curriculum planned for my children that will be college credit-rich, and I won't hesitate to suggest my children enroll in online classes to hang at the nest just a bit longer :eek:

[HawkGuy]

I joined the Army right out of high school after slacking off for too long and not even caring about college. The Army was a wake up call to the importance of an education. The only problem was, they never gave me the time to get one

So, during my second tour in Iraq, I decided to visit my education center. I found our about CLEP tests and decided to study to take one. I found Instantcert online, and the rest is history.

[larry7crys]

Stationed in San Diego after a grueling 2 years of Naval Nuke Power Training. Got put on a submarine and then sent off to deployment shortly therafter. Came back and started into a crazy maintenance period. During this time, I signed up for Navy College PACE classes (which the boat won't let you take until you are fully qualified) and finished those. No assignments due, although some have quizzes, but all PACE course have a midterm and a final. Got major rectal surgery in October and still recovering. Decided to persue a degree after laying down for a whole month. I don't remember how I came across this site, but I'm glad I did. Started to take CLEPs and DSSTs to fulfill my degree requirements in November. It amazes me that every military branch always talks about education but really, no one expects you to take them to their word. In my case, if I didn't get the surgery and still have problems, I'm pretty sure I would be stuck in the mud like everyone else on the sub. I have NEVER seen anyone in the Navy, except for 2 people (special cases), get their degrees in their first enlistment term, meaning most people wait until they get to shore duty or get out to finish. So HawkGuy, I know where you're coming from (educational wise).

[crshore]

I've really enjoyed reading everyone's stories thus far. From military service to homeschooling and family obligations, non-traditional students are a diverse crowd!

Patsgirl - I can totally relate to your position.

killerkitty - I agree with your sentiments 100% about how brutal boring jobs are and how a degree will open door to a new life.

cinderly - I can also relate to having a "difficult" childhood (putting in mildly).

I started out my college journey at UMASS as a freshman. I loved it there, but unfortunately, I wasn't able to afford go back a second year. So I moved back to my home city and rented an apartment, thinking I'd be able to save up to go back the next year. Well, when you're paying rent and bills with a low-paying job at age 19, there's really no way to save.

I got pregnant at age 20, had my son, and married his dad shortly thereafter. And this is where it all went wrong! I had to work full-time (and then some) to support my family, so I was not able to go to classes in the evenings, as I was not able to afford another sitter (my ex-husband generally went out with friends every night) nor was I willing for my son to be in 20 hours of daycare per day! Occasionally, I'd scrape some money together for a class, maybe every year or two.

When I finally discovered Charter Oak, I was only able to take a class or two occasionally because of finances. My ex had a serious spending problem and chronically owed tens of thousands of dollars to the IRS because he was self-employed and never paid his taxes, because he said he had, "other bills." So I basically had my entire check withheld for taxes every week. I had to do this so the IRS didn't put a lien on our house. Also, I couldn't take out students loans because I had to pay off tremendous amounts of my husband's credit card debt just so we could survive.

After twelve years of this misery, I finally decided to divorce. My ex was always out with his friends and neglected me and our son, was not supportive of me finishing my education, he was a financial disaster. We sold our house, which paid off all his debt, but there was nothing left over. I moved into a small, dingy rental with our son. But I was happier than I'd even been! I was able to apply for and get student loans. In three semesters, I was able to finish my degree, something I wasn't able to do in the previous TWELVE YEARS while I was married to him.

As I mentioned in another thread, he laughed at me after our divorce about the fact I didn't have a degree. I guess there's nothing for him to laugh about any more!

[GettinMyBA]

Might sound crazy, but my story stems from Smoking Pot!! :confused:

My daughter is 21 months old. My wife is a foreigner - she's from Turkey and has been in the U.S. for 9 years. While we've been together for the full 9 years that she's been in America, and while I like to think that we have a great marriage, it's very obvious that we grew up in complete polar opposite types of backgrounds:

I'm money motivated and she couldn't care less (all people who have money say that!). She went to the best (American) college in Turkey and graduated with a dual Bach. degree and an MBA. I went to a 2-year community college to get my associate degree in diagnostic medical radiography after spending 6 years in the Navy. She was an executive in a multi-national company and I was selling cars. She never touched a drug in high school (or beyond) and I... ok, let's just say that my childhood was pretty wild.

So... one day we were having a conversation about how to give our daughter the best opportunities in life. I pointed out that she will be able to have the best of both worlds when it came to parental attitudes: My wife can say "don't smoke pot because it's bad and i'm a perfect example of how you don't have to crumble to pressure - I've never smoked pot". I can counter that by saying "Look, I've been there and done that, so I am speaking from actual experience. My life was made very difficult because of this and I want to make sure you don't make the same mistakes I made" (or something along those lines). We figure that neither of us is completely right or completely wrong, but together, we really have a compelling story to tell. This entire story began us talking about other differences in our lives - maybe for the first time that we've every actually sat down specifically to discuss how we were different from eachother. The topic of education eventually came up.

She's (obviously) a big proponent of a good education. I really never cared - I make six figures, lead a happpy life, have plenty of free time, and spend a lot of it with my daughter and wife. Am I really missing anything?

YES, I am. I don't have my degree and I don't like the idea that I will have to try to convince my daughter to get hers when I don't have my own. It's very different than my wife's drug situation because drugs are a negative and education is a positive thing. It's all well & good for her to show herself as a successful person who has never done drugs, but as a semi-successful businessman, I cannot show my daughter the negative impact of not having a degree because I don't experience any! Fact is, I've been lucky. very lucky. The chances of others getting so lucky are slim - you need that degree. Period. My goal is to have earned my BA is Lib Studies by the end of next month. Still looks doable, still on track. I don't need a specific degree for my field - any (legitimately obtained) 4 year degree will do. I just need a degree for my daughter.

.

[april004]

My story starts with extreme parental pressure. In high school I received excellent grades and all my teachers expected me to go straight to college. In one of my few acts of teenage rebellion I signed up for the Army. My dad was against it from the get go. No, he wasn't a pacifist, he was also a Vietnam Vet. But he was extremely conservative and sexist in his view. The miltary was no place for a woman and if a woman wanted to be in the service she should only be in the medical field.

I was 17 at the time of wanting to go into the army and my dad refused to sign unless I picked a medical MOS.

I received a great score on the Asvab and I had numerous options. One was the Army's language school in Monterey. I very much wanted to go. I have always loved languages and have taught myself two just for the fun of it. In retrospect I should have waited a few months when I was 18 and picked what I wanted.

At meps I ended up picking 91 B(medic).

91 B eventually lead to 91 C/91W(Licensed Practical Nurse).

I always received excellent reviews, etc. I was encouraged to go get my RN.
I took a few courses here and there telling people that's what I was pursuing. But I took my brick and mortar classes inconsistently. Bio 1 year, English the next, Algebra the year after. At that time I didn't know why I kept putting off my education. Now I know. My heart isn't into getting the coveted Rn, in fact it was never into nursing - period.

Call me crazy in this time of a nursing shortage but nursing is not what I ever wanted to do.

Now that I have come to accept this I, am pursing my degree full blast. If my plans don't work out I can always fall back on doing LPN work. At least I'll have my degree in hand that I received on my own terms.