College admission officers must determine your educational level. If you have taken some college courses before, take inventory of your past credits and course descriptions to see how these might apply now toward earning a degree. Professional experience also might be count as credits; talk to college counselors who specialize in adult students about using work experience, skill sets and specialties. They will work to translate these into applicable courses in the curriculum.
Adult learners often are reluctant to leave their jobs while pursuing a college degree. Part-time or evening classes are options for adult learners. Colleges that offer services to adult learners recognize this need and can set up customized course paths toward your degree. However, there are minimum hours -- typically 12 to 24 hours per week -- that you should commit to studying. Some courses are specifically designed to help students in this regard through distance and online learning.
Workers are typically not eligible for most student grants and loans because of their age, independent status or salary levels. However, there are specialized loans for adult learners that different schools and third-party entities offer. These loans weigh current salary as a lesser factor and qualitatively consider overall financial need: number of children, a spouse and other personal circumstances. Additionally, a company might be willing to sponsor some of your educational expenses in exchange for a contractual commitment to work there after graduation.
Adult students often struggle more than younger students and experience the subsequent failure rate because they have a hard time readjusting to an academic style of learning. Potential adult students should consider taking short preparatory courses to get started and reach out to fellow adult students in similar situations. Colleges often have these resources and networks handy.