<p>I'm tap-dancing as I approach the final graduations of my youngest kids. As an older parent, I'm also studying my 401K, looking at those 55+ communities and small condos on the real estate sites, and watching that Retirement Countdown Clock that I found for a few bucks on-line. I'm giving due consideration to all of the usual retirement issues, such as cost-of-living and whether to try to stay close to my kids or pursue my own interests elsewhere. It will just be me, with no family other than the kids...and right now they're fantasizing about jobs all over the country. </p>
<p>I always loved school (have an undergrad and a post-grad degree). One of my retirement fantasies is to pursue some additional degrees. Is anyone aware of any colleges or universities that offer senior citizens the opportunity to matriculate for free or at a discount? I'll look at in-state tuitions too, but thought the CC community might be able to point me at some options. I've heard some schools allow seniors to audit classes, but I was thinking about earning credits.</p>
<p>My dad (retired) takes courses at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton. Not sure if it’s specifically a program for seniors or if there’s a way to earn credits too; plus, I don’t know the cost. But Boca Raton is sweet! He also speaks very highly of the free courses offered online via MIT. So don’t forget to look for all the on-line options too. They don’t offer the in-person socializing, but it does offer the intellectual stimulation. As more brick-and-mortar universities offer on-line options, there may be some hybrid opportunities (in-person/on-line) at lower costs than traditional universities. (I’m in the process of getting a master’s degree on-line via a very top university and I love it.)</p>
<p>My grandpa went back to college when he retired. He went to a local state school that had a special rate for senior’s. He paid $15/class–in the '70’s. He got his degree and kept taking classes, auditing most of them. He stopped taking classes when he was 88 years old. He traveled all over the world with the elderhostl program through the college too.</p>
<p>State colleges and universities offer free tuition to those over 60 in many cases, but often tuition is not the biggest part of the costs, and there are stipulations in some places that this applies only when there is room in the class for a non-paying student.</p>
<p>There are many low-residency and other alternative forms of schooling, for bachelor’s, master’s and PhD level students, that are often high quality, lower cost options. If you say something about what you want to study, maybe I could be specific.</p>
<p>There are also some senior living communities in college towns, with many possibilities for taking classes. Kendall at Hanover NH is one (Dartmouth), and there is one near LaSalle in MA. Must be many more.</p>
<p>Do you plan on using this degree for work, or will this be for pleasure (with or without credits)?</p>
<p>I found some of the much touted free online classes to be complete chaos, to be honest. If you take one of those, try to organize a local discussion group rather than rely on online discussion with 30,000 other people!</p>
<p>Thanks for suggestions! I’ll look at Scranton and the Florida schools. Florida in-state tuition is pretty reasonable (comparatively) so that’s already an option. </p>
<p>SteveMA – I want to be your Grandpa!</p>
<p>It’s exactly the free tuition degree options that you mentioned CompMom, that I would like to identify. I’d like to study everything! Might pursue a B.A. in art history, or a B.S. in business…but with no intention of pursuing a 2nd career. I’d enjoy the challenge of actually earning additional degrees, so I’m asking for suggestions for free or discounted tuition programs. There are also multiple benefits to being part of an academic community, so I’d prefer classroom instruction over online classes.</p>
<p>It’s not a degree program, but there are free free senior classes at UW (Washington). I’ve seen it in the extended learning catalogs the school sends out to locals.</p>
<p>The University of Kansas and University of South Carolina are two that I’m aware of with tuition waived for senior citizen residents, though I’m not sure if credits are awarded or it is considered more of an audited class.</p>
<p>If you want to think about not directly getting another degree, take a quick look at the offerings at the online provider Coursera. I have taken classes from professors at Princteon, Penn, Stanford, Duke, University of Washington, and several others - wide ranging courses (from a survey world history course to finance/econometrics to evolutionary biology to astronomy). </p>
<p>While you receive no real credit, you can delve into the subject matter as deeply as you want/don’t want (ranging from turning in all the course work, to listening to lectures as you hike up a mountain). The discussion forums are lively, the technology is rapidly improving, and there is no cost.</p>
<p>It started as a way to get a feel for the learning my S was doing, and it has developed into a real “learnfest.” My wife has now signed up for several courses.</p>
<p>We become ENs next year and want to do a bit of traveling; this type of learning is portable and, to me, fulfilling, and really enjoyable.</p>
<p>Sometimes the free classes aren’t offered to seniors for credit if they already have a bachelor’s degree- not sure where though.</p>
<p>Honestly, either state schools, continuing education programs at public or private schools, or educational programs offered specifically to retirees at private universities can be a good bet.</p>
<p>Harvard Extension is a good example, but they also have some institute for continued learning for seniors. I don’t remember the name of it.</p>
<p>Also, adult education centers (again, the one in Cambridge is a great example) have all kinds of courses, from history of photography to weaving to memoir writing.</p>
<p>You could delve into art history with some of these resources, and on your own. I agree that the degree can be a motivator. Would you be looking for an MA program?</p>
<p>Check out Goddard, Union Institute and University, and Lesley University, for some of those “low residency” programs, where you spend small amounts of time (5-10 days/semester) on campus with a cohort of others, then work independently with close support of faculty. Peers at Goddard and Union Institute tend to be pretty stimulating and inspiring- don’t know about Lesley’s program. Costs for these programs are relatively low because they depend on independent work.</p>
<p>Eckerd College in St. Petersburg has a well known PEL, (Program for experienced learners), program. Several locations including St. Pete, Tampa, Sarasota.</p>
<p>Sure it’s important to get a degree? CUNY allows seniors 60+ to audit courses for $80 a semester. At one of the CUNYs, Hunter College, for an additional $10 a year you can join the senior lounge. The lounge is only open to seniors enrolled in classes. It gets the NYTimes, WSJ and other publications and it gives seniors a way of meeting other older people. Some student orgs are open to seniors. I saw a Chekhov play where the old night watchman was played by somebody about 75. </p>
<p>You can’t take certain courses, notably intro foreign languages, and some faculty are more welcoming than others. You don’t get a degree.</p>