Advantages of Returning to School

There are many reasons you might decide to go back to college—or go to college for the first time. Maybe you need more schooling to get a promotion or a better job in another field. Maybe you just want the satisfaction of getting a degree. Whatever your reason, there’s a good chance a Kentucky school will have the program you need.

Getting Started

Where to start depends on where you were the last time you were in school. If you didn’t finish high school, you can get a high school diploma or a GED. You may even be able to go directly to college without a diploma or GED. Some schools will do that if an admissions officer decides you qualify under what is called “ability-to-benefit” provisions.

Career Moves

If your reasons for going back to school include making a career move, here are some resources that can help you make the right decision:

• Workforce Kentucky lists the largest source of labor market data in the commonwealth. Users can explore occupations, labor markets, geographic areas and industry projections.
• Occupational Outlook Handbook published by the U.S. Department of Labor is available online and provides information about careers, including starting salaries and average income.
• Kentuckiana Occupational Outlook Study provides detailed information about careers and training in the Greater Louisville bi-state region, including the education and skills required for success.

Plan Your Future

Many resources are available on the Web to help you plan your future and to answer your questions about college and financial aid. Here are some sites you might want to check out:

• Adults Returning to School is an online publication from KHEAA that has almost all the information you need, including links to many other sites. It has information about other programs that can help you financially while you’re in school, plus detailed information about the academic programs available at more than 80 Kentucky colleges.
• GoHigherKY^TM has information about Kentucky postsecondary schools, including sections on planning and paying for college, careers and distance education, as well as a Counselor Center.
• Mapping Your Future has lots of general information about planning for college and careers and how to pay for college. The site has links to free scholarship searches. It’s also available in Spanish.
• Each Kentucky college and university Web site provides detailed information about admissions, programs of study, financial aid, and much more and can help you make a decision on which school you’d like to attend.
• Kentucky Virtual Campus offers college credit courses online and provides career planning and financial aid information.
• Electronic Campus of the Southern Regional Education Board provides information about online courses and programs offered by the 16 states that are members of the Academic Common Market.