Going back to school in my 30s—what should I plan for?

Start by getting an official degree audit from the school you want to finish at; ask whether you can lock a catalog year and how your old credits articulate, including any expiration on major-specific courses. Bring syllabi or course descriptions for old classes; sometimes they'll waive a prereq or award substitution, and ask about credit-by-exam or prior learning assessment to skip classes you already know. Map requirements backwards from graduation: list the remaining upper-division and capstone courses, then identify the prereqs and when they run (some rotate once a year), so you don't get stuck waiting. With full-time work and family, plan to start with one course the first term, maybe two after you see the load; assume 6–9 hours a week per 3-credit online class. Favor asynchronous online sections and standard-length terms at first; accelerated 7–8 week classes are efficient but brutal when you're new to the rhythm.

Put school in your calendar like a shift: two 90-minute weeknight blocks and a 2–3 hour weekend block per class, with a 30-minute "admin" slot to check announcements, submit, and plan; protect one no-school night to avoid burnout. Negotiate with your partner up front (childcare coverage during your study blocks, chore swap, emergency backup) and set a 15-minute weekly check-in to adjust when life happens. Use tutoring, writing center, and disability/learning support if you qualify—online appointments exist—and learn the add/drop and withdrawal dates so you can pivot without financial penalties. On money, file the FAFSA even part-time, ask HR about tuition assistance, and use payment plans; budget for hidden costs like proctoring fees, graduation fees, and required software, and ask instructors early about free or low-cost texts. To keep momentum, aim for a quick win like a stackable certificate that counts toward the degree, track grades and deadlines in one place, and if a week goes sideways, communicate early with instructors and drop before the refund deadline rather than sinking time and cash.

Been there with a toddler on my hip and calls at 7 a.m., but it's doable and honestly kind of energizing. Get a degree audit from the school, verify what transfers, and sketch a two‑year map with only 1–2 evening/online classes per term; build a shared family calendar so everyone knows "class nights." Ask about prior learning/credit-by-exam to skip stuff, and lock a fixed study block after bedtime plus one weekend nap-time session.

I keep misplacing phones and logins, so I get the chaos; stuff will go sideways right when midterms hit. Expect at least one blown evening from kid fever or overtime, so build slack: one no‑class night per week and professors who record lectures. Put every deadline in two places, and keep copies of syllabi and notes in the cloud so one lost device doesn't tank you.

Map prereqs forward from your target capstone and schedule by term. Pick fully asynchronous sections, budget textbooks as used or OER, and keep one buffer week. Talk to advisors in writing only so you have a paper trail.

idk, one class first term, see vibes, then scale. For what it's worth, taking a few minutes to practice this in a calm setting usually helps it stick.

Inventory old credits, request an official transfer evaluation, then list remaining prereqs in order and note which run online at night. Cap enrollment to your busy season; set file names by course and date to avoid uploading Week 5 to Chem while stirring sauce. Back up childcare and commute plans, and email professors early about workload and pacing.

Already covered in the sidebar. Do a degree audit, get a transfer evaluation, limit to 6 credits while working full-time, set a fixed study block. When those are done, come back with specific course questions.

Yes to this season of life! Start with a degree audit and talk to registrar about which old credits still count, plus any prior learning or CLEP-type options. Many schools honor the old catalog you started under, so ask which requirements you can lock in and which you can waive.

Then hype the basics: family meeting to pick two protected study windows, meal-prep on Sunday, and a standing library slot after bedtime. Tell your boss early and request predictable evenings. If work offers tuition help, even a small amount, stack it with payment plans so you aren't stressing every month.

Two classes max, same nights, automate bills, Sunday reset, done.