7 Ways to Make College Work For You

We see you. You’re a few years out of high school (okay, maybe more than a few). Some college. No college. Working the 9-to-5...or the second shift. Serious about your career, your family, your life. Ready to get ahead. Some may call you “non-traditional.” We don’t. Wilson’s undergraduate program is adult-friendly, meaning it’s accessible to students in all walks of life. It’s flexible, fitting around your schedule, finances and goals.

Doubting whether you can make getting your degree a reality? Consider these seven ways you can make college fit into your grown-up life:  

1. Get your employer to pay for it

Smarter employees mean better work, and many companies now offer tuition assistance programs for staff members who want to pursue higher education. For example, Best Buy provides up to $3,500 a year for undergraduate studies through its tuition assistance program. Other companies with similar programs include Home Depot, UPS, Verizon Wireless and Gap—just to name a few. Ask your human resources manager if such a program is available at your workplace.

2. Become a night owl

After clocking out of work, swap your happy hour drinks for a venti latte and head straight to class. At Wilson, there are five undergraduate degrees you can earn completely by taking classes at night: accounting, business management, early childhood education, English and communications. Not only do you get to choose the class times most convenient for you, but you’ll cover more ground in less time with condensed course material designed for evening power classes.

3. Identify all of the WiFi hotspots at your favorite hangouts

At Wilson, our on-campus classes can be supplemented with select online coursework, so you can take your learning out of the classroom and into your real life, wherever you are. Unlike colleges that only offer classes online, Wilson gives you the benefit of having some classes “in the cloud” at an institution that exists on the ground—a local, accredited, liberal arts college with accessible professors available to meet for extra help and support. 

4. Stay laser focused on career advancement

You’re a star employee, produce great work and always meet your deadlines. But for the past few promotions, you’ve been passed up. The truth is, in today’s job market you can only get so far without a college degree. When you make the decision to go to school for you and your career, it’s easy to stay motivated. And if you're not sure what direction your degree can take you, Wilson's career development office has got you covered. 

5. Treat going to class like it’s your job

Leave the Uggs and sweats at home, dress to impress and show up on time to each and every class. Remember, this is your education, on your terms. By being present, you’ll get important face time with the professor, the ability to participate in class discussions and the chance to hear questions you may never have thought of asking.

At Wilson, the small student-faculty ratio allows you to exercise your critical thinking muscles to explore challenging new ideas and solve complex problems. And, not to mention, just by showing up you will shape the classroom experience for other students with your own unique experience and perspective.

6. Actually read the syllabus

A rookie mistake: a student receives the syllabus on the first day of class, only to file it away in a binder until something is “due.” On the first day of class, take your syllabus and enter in all of the recommended readings, assignment deadlines and test dates into your Outlook calendar, and—here’s the tricky part—actually stick to them. Your sleep is much too valuable to be wasted pulling all-nighters after a semester of procrastination. Plus, you’ll retain much more information to take into your real-world career and beyond.

7. Consider going part time

Going part time is one of the best-kept secrets to saving money on college tuition. Many colleges offer discounted tuition rates to part time students. Wilson is one such school, with rates for part time students significantly lower than full-time tuition, making it more affordable than any other schools in the area (apart from community college). Even better, financial aid is available to those who qualify.

Think you’re cut out to be a college student? Schedule a meeting with an advisor today to see if the Adult Degree Program at Wilson College is right for you. The program is open to degree seeking adults who have been out of school for four years and offers all of the same majors, both full-and part-time, as our undergraduate program. Get started today.