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Conquering Your Fears

**This content is excerpted from the Guerilla Manual for Adult College Students. To learn more about the book or author visit AdultStudents.com .

"Walking through those doors was the hardest thing I ever did."
Evelyn S., 41, married and the mother of two, originally started school in the mid-70s. About 25 years later she earned her Bachelor's.

The Fear Factor.

Is there reason to be afraid of going to college as an adult? You bet there is. Let's look at your fears, and try to put them into perspective.

"....a couple of days before the deadline to sign up I was in tears. I told my husband I couldn't do it and he kept on telling me, 'you have to have confidence in yourself. You can do it. You're bright, you can do it.' And I was just so afraid."
Ann H., 33, married with one child, finally did do it: She graduated with a Bachelor's degree and a 3.75 GPA.

Fear: My academic skills are shot.
I'll never be able to keep up with the requirements.

This is probably the most common fear: fear of failing, probably badly, probably in the public glare of a classroom, and definitely in front of your family and in a classroom full of people a lot younger. And while this fear sounds perfectly rational - you have been out of school a long time, you know! - it's nonsense. The evidence suggests just the reverse: that adult students are actually better students. And usually much better.

Fighting the fear of failure

1. This entire book - and others like it - are dedicated to helping you succeed in college, by showing you (or reminding you) how to pick the right classes, take notes, study, pass tests, manage your time efficiently and so forth. Although going to college as an adult is a big project, it can be done. Many millions of adult students before you have done it. Seven or eight million more are in school right now. And most of them were just like you (and me): scared to death of failing.

   Don't stop by reading this book - buy some of the others. Most of them are very good, and all of them have some positive advice to offer. There are several listed in the Reference section in the back of this book.

2. Go to your local college bookstore and browse through the textbooks being used in their courses. Most of them are very straightforward and easy to understand. And if you can comprehend the material while you're standing in a busy bookstore, imagine how much clearer and more interesting it will be when you have an expert at the front of the room helping you.
3. Find an adult student and take a look at the work they are doing. Look at their texts, their tests, their notes, the papers they write. This is not, as they say, brain surgery or rocket science. College courses are designed to accommodate average, ordinary people who work at an average rate with an average set of brains and skills. And college teachers are in the business of helping you acquire knowledge. They want you to learn. You can do this.
4. Find an interesting course and take it. Your local community college offers hundreds of courses on every conceivable topic, from English 101 to Tibetan Cooking. Pick a course that you think you'd find attractive, and take it.

"I was afraid I wouldn't get the grades, I was afraid I wouldn't be accomplished. And I was afraid that I would be making a fool of myself."
Evelyn S.,41, married with two kids, started college the first time in 1975. She dropped out. She returned in 1995 and eventually graduated with a Bachelor's Degree and a GPA of 3.5.

Fear: I know I can't read, write or do simple math well enough to do college level work.

Well, this might actually be true, but at this point you're really only guessing. Your skills might be just fine. And even if it is true, it's not a good reason to stop you. Skills can be improved, and sometimes it doesn't take very much to make a dramatic improvement in them.

Fighting the fear of inadequate skills

1. Your local college will be happy to give you a series of tests that can assess your skill levels in reading, writing and math. If your basic skills are a little weak - and don't be so quick to assume that - the college can recommend the sorts of courses you should take to get them back up to par.
2. Basic skills courses are widely available. Your local college, your city school district, your county, your state and private organizations like Literacy Volunteers all run them. And many of them are free or nearly free.
3. All bookstores and libraries have books on developing your skills. Check your librarian or an adviser at the organization where you took the skills tests for some recommendations.

"I never even got a high school diploma. All I have is a GED."
Rich H., 44, finished his Bachelor's Degree in just 2-1/2 years. He worked full time, has six kids and a nearly perfect GPA.

Fear: I never graduated from high school.
How can I get into a college?

Lots of people never successfully completed high school. The author of this book is one of them. And surprise! You don't need to graduate from high school to go to college if you're an adult. Virtually all community colleges will allow you to take classes without ever asking if you graduated from high school. They're not interested in what you did or didn't accomplish 10, 20 or 30 years ago - they want to know what you can do now. But if this still bothers you - even though it doesn't bother your college - here's some things you can do.

Fighting the fear of being a high school dropout

1. The GED (General Educational Development) Tests are widely available and regularly scheduled. A call to your city school district or college counseling office can get you the details. If you pass these tests - and there's no reason why you can't - you have a high school diploma that's recognized all over the country.
2. Many colleges have a program that automatically grants you a high school diploma if you successfully complete the first year of college work. Some require as little as 24 hours of successful credit.
3. Colleges often also sponsor high school diploma programs that run concurrently with their college classes.

Fear: I'm going to be a misfit in that place, surrounded by people young enough to be my kids.

You'll be delighted to learn that most colleges are jam-packed with adult students. About half of everyone in college in this country is over 25. Adult students are all over every campus, and their numbers grow every semester. Most colleges would simply have to close their doors if they lost the financial support that adult students contribute. Still worried? Consider a few points....

Fighting the fear of being the misfit as an adult student

1. The average age of a college student is now about 30.
2. About 2/3 of all college students are part-time students.
3. Adult students almost always get better grades than younger students.
4. Adult students often become the leaders in everything from classroom discussions to special campus groups like the student newspaper, social action groups and clubs.
5. Adults students are almost invariably looked up to by the younger students, and often seek adult students out for advice and help. Maybe your kids never listened to you - but you can bet the young kids in your classes will!

"I always tell my husband that (the cost) is about like buying a used car."
Ann H.

Fear: I'll never be able to afford college.

While it isn't getting any cheaper to go to school, you'll be pleasantly surprised at how much help is actually available to help pay for your education. There's an entire chapter in this book devoted to financing, but briefly....

Fighting the fear of not having enough money

1. Community colleges in particular are usually much less expensive than four year schools. Taking two years at your community college and transferring into a four year school can save you lots of money.
2. Employers may pick up all or most of the cost of college courses for their employees. Your personnel office or your union will have the details.
3. Most adult students will qualify for some sort of financial aid, from loans and grants to outright scholarships. The financial aid office at your college will give you all the information and forms you need to start the process.
4. There are lots of ways to cut the costs of transportation, meals, books and supplies, all necessary and expensive additions to the cost of basic tuition. See Chapter 7.

"If I see an hour laying around, I pick it up, tuck it away for later."
Patrick A., 46, on time management skills.

Fear: I don't have the time to go to college.

While this might actually seem true at first glance, it's usually the very busy people who do find the time. The adult students who were interviewed for this book were all very busy, and they still found the time to go to school. So have the many hundreds of students I have advised over the years. They all did it by managing their time effectively. See Chapter 11 for more information on this topic. And you don't have to completely give up the rest of your life to make time for college...you merely have to rearrange it a bit. Try these tactics:

Fighting the fear of not having enough time

1. Most colleges offer courses on different schedules to accommodate busy people like you - one or two nights a week, weekends, early in the morning, during lunch hours, short accelerated courses in the summer and between long semesters, etc.
2. Employers can often be very flexible for employees who are trying to better themselves. It can't hurt to ask if they will modify your work schedule somewhat to suit your college schedule needs.
3. Many courses don't even require you to be in a classroom - you can do much of the work at home, on your own schedule.
4. Consider a shorter program. Maybe your goal can be an Associate's degree for now.

As I walked around campus I saw a lot of older people. You know, my age, and older or younger, but in their 30s and 40s and 50s. You feel a little bit better, a little more at home."
Deanne L., 39 and the mother of two kids, started school at a community college in the late 70s. She kept at it a bit at a time and earned a Bachelor's Degree in the late 90s.

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