How To Complete Your College Education As A Non-Traditional Student

At one point and time, college students were considered 18-24 years old and typically went away to live at a college campus in order to complete their education. Today over 70% of college students no longer fit into that mold and would be what was typically considered non-traditional students. If this describes your situation, learn more about how you can complete your degree, even if you never intend to set foot on the main college campus.

Learn About Nationwide Options

Many colleges have satellite campus locations all across the country. The number and location naturally vary by school, but many times these locations offer evening and weekend classes to help students with busy jobs and family life meet the demands of their degree. Studying at a nationwide campus sometimes limits what type of major you’ll be able to choose, so it is important to look at the locations closest to you, and figure out if this will work for your degree program. Even if the offerings don’t match your degree, there are usually other options that the school offers to work with students. Sometimes this can even include designing your own degree in order to maximize your college degree based on your career plans.

Consider Earning Your Degree Online

Completing your degree online carries the same weight and prestige as if you attended the college in person. Many online degree programs come in a variety of shapes and sizes and can range from an associate’s degree to a master’s. For example, you could choose to earn an online nursing degree or even focus on a program centered around English or psychology. Sometimes online degree programs can be completed in a shorter amount of time due to a condensed workload. It is important to talk to an advisor at your school and find out if this is a possibility for you, depending on what classes you want to take. Keep in mind certain online degree programs may ask you to take at least one in-class seat prior to graduation.

Discover the Benefits of Testing

Thanks to CLEP, short for the College Level Examination Progam, you might have the opportunity to test out of certain classes. This is helpful if you already have a lot of work or other experience in a particular area, or you’ve always performed well in that area in your schooling. While you likely will still need to take advanced classes or those that relate directly to your degree, this is a useful way to save time and money by putting your skills to the test and earning college credit for them.

Even if you consider yourself a non-traditional student, there are many ways you can complete your degree program without going to the main campus. Nationwide campus extensions are becoming popular and popping up all over the country. Many online programs have expanded, and make it possible to earn your complete college degree all from the comfort of your home. Finally, using CLEP can help you earn credit and test out of classes you are already proficient in. Understanding these benefits can make it possible to earn your degree quickly and start working in your chosen field.