I like idea number 1 because working adults don’t always qualify for subsidized loans, Pell Grants, and other grants due to their higher personal EFCs.
The UC system expects students to take a full load during traditional hours. I knew going in that I would have to greatly reduce my hours and maybe quit my day job. It has been hard to maintain a job with hours that are typically 9-5, but at least my boss is understanding and my work hours are very flexible. Still, there are reasons why I chose to attend UC over CSU as a non-traditional student:
~UC advisers and peer advisers (usually younger than me) have never treated me like anything other than THE student. I felt (and still feel) respected for my decision to finish my degree at my age.
~CSU repeatedly asked me “who is the student?” and implied that I was the parent of the student. Maybe it was because everyone on campus looked 16?
~UC Berkeley (and maybe others?) has a Transfer, Student Parent, Re-entry advising and support center. I haven’t used them since starting at Cal, but they were so helpful in getting me up and running. They offered weekly evening workshops in the summer to help us get our bearings on campus. Topics included appealing financial aid offers, balancing work and/or family and school, getting started in research, choosing a major, navigating bureaucracy, etc.
~CSU (or at least SDSU) didn’t seem to have any kind of support, not even for traditionally aged transfer students.
I also had a good experience in applying to Mills College. 25% of their student body is 25 and older. I felt like they had a very supportive community for non-traditional students. They even have a lounge and lockers for commuters.
My #1 wish: a career center counselor dedicated to students who have already worked in the real world, especially one who understands career changes. I am completely unsure of my next step and feel like I have too much experience (albeit not in the field I want to go into) to undertake an unpaid internship for the summer. I’d like to be able to meet with a career counselor who can help me re-structure my resume and find entry level or better jobs that recognize both my current skills and my new knowledge.