Not everyone has a strong relationship with their parents or even any family they can turn to for help with college tuition. Perhaps your parents have told you they won’t contribute financially, so you have to find out how to pay for your degree yourself. Paying for college on your own is a massive undertaking, but it is possible.
Student Loans/Tuition
There are both government-backed and private student loan options. Federal loans are issued through the U.S. Department of Education, but private loans can come from banks and other lending institutions. Private student loans offer greater flexibility, and they can help you cover your education bills as well as budget more efficiently after graduation. You should carefully research federal vs. private student loans before you commit to any. Everyone’s financial situation and prospects are different, so you should plan ahead and choose the option that works best for you.
Scholarships and Grants
Government and private scholarships, as well as grants, are available for students who qualify. Many organizations and even colleges offer merit-based scholarships for students who can demonstrate financial need. You can also qualify for funding if you are in the military, have a child, or meet other standards. You can browse a scholarship directory to find different award opportunities based on your own talents and needs. You should also talk to your school’s financial aid office to ask about different scholarship opportunities. They may know of some that you don’t find on your own.
Work-Study Programs
Most colleges and universities offer work-study programs that employ actively enrolled students and allow them to allocate a portion of their pay toward their tuition. While you may not earn enough to fully cover the cost of your degree, this is an excellent way to offset the cost of how much you have to borrow and ultimately graduate with less student loan debt. If you plan on working part-time in school, you can also look for jobs that offer tuition reimbursement benefits. If you decide to pursue a traditionally demanding career like one in the legal or medical field, these work-study programs can also help you learn important life skills like how to balance responsibility and fun. A work-study might not be one of the most common tips to help you survive nursing school but look at what is not obvious and revel in the benefits that exist under the surface.
The education sector plays a significant role in society, and therefore it offers a wide array of exciting opportunities to advance your career.
Whether you’re considering a mid-career change or simply looking to make a greater impact on the world, you may already have what it takes to kick off a solid career in educational leadership. Here are some qualities that will make you a great fit.
You have problem-solving skills
There’s no better way to put your problem-solving skills to the test than working in education. Teachers, principals, and other NYC education jobs require you to think quickly on your feet to ensure that all children, regardless of their background, have ongoing access to a high-quality education. From developing curriculum to engaging with teachers and families, to advocating for what’s best for students, educators are involved in discerning the most important decisions that pave the way for a better educational experience.
You are strategic
If strategic preparation is your game, you could have the makings of a great teacher. The best teachers are extremely intentional: every move they make is carefully planned, starting with a study of the evidence (e.g., student work!). You create achievable but rigorous goals based on relevant data. Once you pinpoint a goal, you know how to map out a plan to get there. You understand how to clearly get from point A to point B and have the judgment to make adjustments or reroute when the time comes. You responsibly leverage results to create culturally responsive and equitable learning opportunities. When you achieve results, you can confidently back them up with evidence and envision the next best steps with a solid plan. All the while, you ensure your whole team is aligned and ready to tackle the game plan together.
You have leadership skills
No matter what role you play in education, leadership skills are crucial. The decisions you make will have a significant impact on everyone you encounter and will trickle down to students and families. If you can make executive decisions, but also understands the importance of collaborating and receiving feedback that informs those decisions, teaching could be a great career path for you. After all, education is never a one-person show. Educators bring people together and are able to cultivate and develop leadership in others. While they command the classroom, they know when to step up and when to take a step back.
You are a great communicator
Great educators are great communicators. They express ideas efficiently and effectively in a way that is accessible and reassuring to whomever they are engaged with. They actively seek to understand their audience, the people they work with and know how to connect with them in a way that is unique and personalized. They do more than talk in the room; they are great listeners who know how to implement feedback just as well as they give feedback.
You love working with people
If you love working with people, you will thrive in education. People are at the center of this work, and if people are at the center of your heart, every day in an education role will feel purposeful. Great education leaders see the best in people and help them see the best in themselves. In addition to helping students receive the best education possible, they enjoy collaborating with teammates and being involved in the community. Being able to connect with people puts educators in a unique position to build the community, which this work is all about. It is more than setting up structures to teach children; it involves looking at the bigger picture and leaving a positive impact on children’s lives as a whole as well as the community.
You want to change the world for the better
Educators are at the forefront of building up the next generation of leaders and advocating for changes in the education system. They are on the front lines of the fight for equity in education and serve as lights in the dark. They are optimistic and have a whatever-it-takes-attitude because they want to see changes that will echo into the future. They take daily steps to ensure that each day is a little better than the day before because as Oprah Winfrey said, “Doing the best at this moment put you in the best place for the next moment.”
You are organized
Working as an educational leader involves overseeing many moving parts and managing multiple tasks, outside of overlooking a group of people. If you know how to prioritize, meet deadlines, and shift gears when necessary, you will thrive as a leader in education. Schools leaders need to be prepared to adapt to last-minute changes and the unexpected (because there will be plenty of those to come). But if you have schedules and plans in place, you can efficiently deal with anything that comes your way.
You are a good learner
If you consider yourself a lifelong learner, education is for you. That’s right—great education leaders love to immerse themselves in learning new things. They have the intellectual capacity and knowledge mastery that is foundational to teaching. Their passion for delving into new subjects and ideas allows them to inspire that same curiosity and engagement in everyone around them. At the end of the day, knowledge is power, and education is a career path where a passion for learning is absolutely foundational to excelling.
You foster inclusive environments
Schools are places where students, staff, and parents feel a sense of belonging. As a leader, you are intentional about getting to know everyone you work with so you can implement practices and create an environment where everyone feels comfortable and can thrive. This work is more than a job; it is an opportunity to close the achievement gap and create equitable opportunities for children. This starts with the attitude and perspective of leadership to break down barriers and propose new ways of doing things that will open up new doors for all.
You are passionate about your work
Education leaders largely influence the school culture and climate. Their energy and drive are contagious and inspire others to be the best they can, despite challenges. They believe that all children can achieve their full potential, and that starts with high expectations. They foster an environment that is both joyful and demanding, where productive struggle leads to accomplishment, not failure.
Do you have what it takes?
Overall, individuals from a variety of professions and experiences can excel in education—after all, they’re building up the next generation of businesspeople, medical professionals, engineers, artists, and more. Working in education is an opportunity to leverage your current strengths and make a real difference that lasts a lifetime.
As Shakespeare once put it, “All the world’s a stage, And all the men and women merely players.” And if that’s the case, why should learning a language be any different than learning a script?
One Crazy Narrative After Another
Early conversation practice at ABC Languages can take many forms. Practice ranges from a class to a conversation group, to even a bit of narrative theatre. I worked with co-founder Elizabeth Zackheim, and together we ran through a short French conversation diagnostic. This included the help of Carmen, Betty, Yukio, and a few other fictional characters to help us test out speaking lines in French.
The class took place in a classroom in Paris. The characters we acted out included students from America to Italy to Japan. Each gave their own perspective on visiting Paris and naming their favorite monuments — as any tourist would! Before long, the scene took a mysterious turn when a publication in the local newspaper announced the disappearance of three students from a rival language school. Sadly, our story was cut short due to the fact that we only read individual chapters. I guess it’ll be a while before we uncover what happened. “It’s a bit of Scooby-Doo,” Zackheim joked.
Running Lines Makes for Perfect Practice
So how does running through a short plot like this help with learning a language? Speaking lines out loud with a partner helps with both comprehension and pronunciation. Particularly if you’re working with a teacher who can guide you on both levels. Our chapters were pretty elementary, both in vocabulary and pace. This allowed for ample space to break down each portion to its most accessible core.
French can be quite the challenge to speak through correctly the first time around. Therefore, we paused to sound out words syllable by syllable. As the teacher, Zackheim also took moments throughout the narrative to check in with my comprehension, asking certain “feeler” questions to gauge my understanding. Her doing so allowed me not only to stay focused on the story itself, but also gave me a chance to practice my speaking skills as I strove to elaborate on my answers.
A Place for Well-Informed Feedback
After running through the narrative, Zackheim was also able to give a well-informed diagnostic towards my comprehension and oral skills in French and recommended shortly after which of the conversation groups at ABC Languages I should attend. For any student looking to test out their skill levels in a foreign language, running through a script like this can be a fast and fun way to receive feedback from a teacher towards what you might need to focus on moving forward. Afterwards, attending a conversation group like those at ABC Languages can provide an environment to work out oral and listening skills in a comfortable, well-paced environment.
To learn more about the conversation classes available at ABC Languages, visit ABC Language School.
For more on language and culture from Downtown, click here.
The pandemic has been a difficult time for everyone. From the loss of jobs, lack of opportunities to safely socialize, and more, people around the world felt the impact of the pandemic. As I finish up my junior year, I realize that I learned quite a bit from taking in-person classes at college during a pandemic.
Photo by Charlotte May from Pexels
1. Teamwork is extremely important
As expected, there were a few outbreaks on campus throughout the semester. However, COVID-19 cases almost always spiked as a result of students failing to follow safety guidelines. Even when a majority of students follow the safety guidelines, the failure of a few students to do so will still lead to outbreaks on campus. It was essential for students to work together to prevent others from getting sick. We were able to effectively work together as a school to stop the spread, finishing the school year with two successful semesters in-person.
Photo by Charlotte May from Pexels
2. Planning your days helps you get a lot done
Being on campus always helped me focus more, but when the pandemic was factored in, I sometimes found it difficult to focus on my studies. In addition, since many of my classes were still virtual, the amount of work I had to do out of class was overwhelming. I realized that if I made deadlines for myself, I got work done in a more efficient manner. Planning your day really makes a difference in productivity.
Photo by Nicole Michalou from Pexels
3. It’s okay to give yourself a break
It’s frustrating when you’ve been working for a long time and get nothing done. This was something that I experienced often while at school. Due to the pandemic, there were a lot fewer activities to participate in. In addition, interaction with friends in other housing areas was occasionally not allowed depending on the number of cases on campus. As someone who relies on social interaction with friends as a refreshing break, this was very difficult for me. I found new ways to effectively give myself breaks such as cooking or baking, watching TV, and going on walks around campus.
Photo by Samantha Doria
4. Be thankful for what you have
Before the pandemic, I found myself living in the future instead of enjoying the present. Being at college during the pandemic taught me to enjoy every fun moment I had like it was my last. When I was able to safely spend time with my friends, I cherished these opportunities. Even if my junior year was not what I had hoped for, I am thankful for the experience I had.
Education is an essential tool that helps society function and grows.
Not everyone chooses to continue with their education after high school, and instead decide to start their career journey as soon as possible. While this path is right for many people, others might not have been able to go to college for various reasons, even though they wanted to. Alternatively, some people might find themselves stuck in jobs they don’t like, and wonder if they made the right choice.
So, what do you do in those circumstances? You can stay put and feel dissatisfied, or you can dedicate some of your spare time to gaining a college education. Whether you enroll in a part-time or night class with your local community college or opt for an online degree program, it is possible to return to education. The big question is – is studying while you work worth it? Yes, and here’s why.
Career Progression
If you are stuck in a job you don’t like but aren’t sure how to make a change in career, an education can help you make this jump easier. Many employers like to see candidates with a college degree on their resume, as well as some work experience. If you know what you want to do for your career, but aren’t currently in the right role for that dream, you should look into studying a relevant subject that will help you get an entry-level job in the industry of your choice.
You might already be in a job you like, but your lack of education has limited your progression to higher roles in the company. Even if you already have a degree, studying to gets a master’s or Ph.D. would certainly make you stand out from other candidates. If you’re worried about having to take time off work to study, consider enrolling in an online degree program like this MBA UK, for example. This will mean you can fit your studies around your work schedule easier.
Self-Discovery and a Sense of Achievement
While future career prospects might be the main reason people choose to continue with their studies, there are many more personal benefits to consider. It’s an opportunity for self-discovery, and realize some of your hidden talents or find interests in new things that before you might never have given a second thought. A chance to test yourself and see how far you can be pushed to achieve your goals and to be proud of your efforts. Not only will you feel this way about yourself, but your friends and relatives will also be proud to see you work hard to achieve your goals, and you could become a role model for your kids or other members of your family, inspiring them to follow their dreams.
Julia M Cameron Pexels
Exploring Your Interests
Yes, education can give you the chance to learn a lot about yourself, including what your interests are. You don’t have to return to study simply for the sake of your career, but perhaps you have discovered a new passion for learning and want to explore a subject in more depth, like economics or literature. Learning can be fun if approached in the right way, so this is another reason to think about studying while you work. It could help you feel more confident talking to your other colleagues and share your knowledge, or inspire you to start a new initiative at work based on what you have learned.
Maintain Your Lifestyle
A lot of people are worried that returning to education while they work will disrupt their lifestyle, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Yes, you might not have as much free time to socialize or watch your favorite TV shows because you’ll have to study, but at least you won’t have to worry about losing out on money each month. This is what is great about online learning, in particular, as you can fit it around your schedule and study at a time that suits you. This is why many people choose to study in this way rather than attend college full-time, as they can save on additional expenses such as accommodation and transport when studying from home.
Networking Opportunities
Another perk of studying while you work is the potential for networking opportunities. You might find this easier if you’re attending physical classes, but that doesn’t mean you still can’t make connections from online learning programs as well. This is a big benefit to studying, as it’s a chance to make new friends, but you can also get a good reference from your tutors and discover work experience/job opportunities through them, too.
It will require you to dedicate time to your studies, and it might be a challenging experience, but studying while you work has so many benefits that it will be worth your efforts in the end.
Whether you are working towards your undergraduate degree in nursing or if you have decided to go back to school in order to earn an advanced degree, getting through nursing school is no small feat.
In fact, there are many people who find themselves completely overwhelmed during the process. There are so much information and practical knowledge that nursing students are expected to learn in a relatively short amount of time, that it is no wonder that nursing school is arguably one of the more stressful academic endeavors out there.
That being said, there is certainly a lot you can do that can make the process of earning your nursing degree a bit easier. You should be prepared to dedicate a great deal of time and effort to the process, and there will be no escaping many of the stresses associated with, nursing school; however, with the right preparation and consideration about your specific path, you can complete your nursing degree without losing your passion for nursing.
Here are four tips that can help you to survive nursing school regardless of what sort of degree you are working towards.
1. Choose Your Program Wisely
Before you even enter nursing school, you will want to do your research to find the right degree program for you. These days, schools are constantly working to make themselves as appealing as possible to prospective students. However, the nursing school that you choose is too important of a decision to make based solely on creative branding and marketing tactics.
You want to choose a school that carries the same philosophies about nursing that you hold yourself. It is also important to consider location in your decision-making process. There is something to be said about the connections that you make in nursing school playing some role in the job that you are able to land upon graduation.
If you can’t see yourself living and working in a particular city or state, it might be worth looking into schools that are located somewhere more preferable.
The type of degree program that you go with is also an area where you have some flexibility. For instance, while there are a great many students who thrive in the traditional classroom setting, it is also possible to earn your nursing degree online. This can be a great way of working at your own pace without the constraints of having to physically be in class all the time.
This is a particularly enticing option for nurses earning advanced degrees. Nurses who are looking to earn their Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) degree, for example, can do so while still maintaining their day jobs through any one of a number of great online DNP programs.
Pexels EVG Culture
2. Know Your Goals
Once you have found the right nursing program for you, it is time to sit down and dedicate some time to thinking through your specific goals. You know that nursing school is going to challenge you, but the last thing you want to have happened is to lose your steam while earning your degree. The best way to combat this is to know precisely what your goals are. By knowing your goals, you can always reference them and remind yourself that you are not simply studying for the sake of it.
It can also be helpful to physically write out your goals on a piece of paper. Keep that paper nearby whenever you might need it. If you find at some point that your motivation is flagging, you can go back to that written outline of your goals to remind yourself about what is waiting for you at the end of the process.
3. Master Time Management
There is no getting around the fact that your schedule, while you are in nursing school, is going to be hectic most of the time. This is particularly true for those students who choose to work through school, as with those who might be earning a graduate degree while on the job. The key to surviving such a hectic schedule is to accept it and plan accordingly. This will require you to become a master of time management.
Time management is the practice that involves organizing your schedule in the most optimal way. You will need to be strict with yourself about what things in your schedule are the priorities and which are the time-wasters. Bear in mind that you will only need to make such sacrifices in the short-term while you are earning your degree.
Mastering time management also involves understanding yourself and the ways in which you can be most productive. For instance, if you know that you are more productive in the mornings, try to load your schedule in the morning with the things you truly need to focus on. Time management can be a great way to make the most of the time that you have throughout the day.
4. Give Yourself a Break
One of the things that can lead to burnout, both mentally and emotionally, is neglecting to give yourself a break from time to time. Even though you are going to be working incredibly hard throughout nursing school, you must bear in mind that you are only human. Without giving yourself adequate breaks, you can lose your steam and motivation all too quickly into the process. Even something as simple as a 20-minute walk each day can help you to refocus and recharge just enough to carry on.
Self-care is something that you are going to need to prioritize once you are working in the field. This is because nurses spend so much time catering to the needs of others that they can easily let their own needs fall by the wayside.
This doesn’t make for the best mentality when you go into a shift. It is best to get yourself into the habit of practicing routine self-care while you are still in school so that you can understand the signs of burnout once you are in the workforce.
