Key Information
Returning to College, Continuing to Learn, After 50: Stories of 15 Individuals Who Made a College Comeback and a Commitment to Lifelong Learning, By Susan Sarver
2017 [ISBN; 1-978-58107-302-7; 142 pages; 6 x 9 inch; soft cover] $18.95
Thinking about entering college or embarking on a new educational path but hesitating because the faculty and other students will likely be around the ages of children or grandchildren? This collection of inspiring stories from 15 individuals who made a successful academic comeback after age 50 and continue to build their knowledge prove you’re never too old to learn.
These scholars, ranging from age 55 to 98, include a former garment factory worker who tested for the GED at age 52 then made her way through college to become a special education teacher and an engineer who left a 30-year career in his late fifties to enter medical school. Their stories are filled with success strategies that will help the mature student navigate various systems of education, carry on through criticism, tackle new technologies, and manage the human dynamics associated with intergenerational learning. They also show how abundant life and professional experiences can work to your advantage.
This little book belongs on the reading list of anyone thinking about heading back to school or planning for a life of continued learning.
The Contents
Acknowledgements……………………………………………………………v
Preface………………………………………………………………………….. vii
Chapter 1 — Thinking it Through……………………………………….1
Part I — Going for a Formal Degree…………………………….13
Chapter 2 — Clearing Admission Hurdles………………………….15
Chapter 3 — Rising Above Rejection………………………………..27
Chapter 4 — Pushing Past Critics………………………………………31
Chapter 5 — Juggling School, Family, Life………………………..37
Chapter 6 — Encountering Faculty and Fellow Students………49
Chapter 7 — Making the Program Your Own……………………..59
Chapter 8 — Tackling Technology…………………………………….67
Chapter 9 — Papers, Tests, Grades, and Distinction…………….73
Chapter 10 — Making an Impact, Deciding What’s Next………………………………………………………………..81
Part II — Extending the Learning Life…………………………89
Chapter 11 — Learning as a Lifestyle……………………………….91
Chapter 12 — Teaching and Learning………………………………..97
Chapter 13 — Fulfilling a Dream…………………………………….105
Chapter 14 — Creating Your Own Course of Study……………111
Chapter 15 — More Options to Explore……………………………121
Works Cited………………………………………………………………….129
About the Author……………………………………………………………131
About the Author
Susan Sarver’s writing has appeared in various anthologies, journals, magazines, and newspapers, including The Christian Science Monitor, Portland Review, and Reader’s Digest. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Oregon State University-Cascades and lives in the high desert of Central Oregon.
Susan became interested in the subject of this work after returning to college at the age of … let’s just say one appropriate for this title.