As an older than average student get some realistic input from the college you are planning to attend and then do some serious independent follow up work on whats actually involved in getting into the core classes related to what it is you plan on actually doing. It could save you a fortune financially and time wise.
I went back to school a second time in my late 20's and got a massive education in run around and BS. Had I sat down and taken a much harder look at what actually related to what I wanted to do I could have skipped a good deal of expensive and completely useless fluff and filler classes and could have saved loads of time and money as well.
Also look hard at the actual class requirements and unlisted pre requirements they dont tell you about as well. They may tell you all you all need is a specific algebra and a calculus class to get into a physics class and that is what your class schedule will show until you try to sign up for those two classes. Its only then that you will find out that you have to take an unlisted algebra or pre calculus class or two ahead of those listed classes to get into the actual classes "first listed" in your course curriculum books. That little unlisted bit of class work will instantly make your 4 year degree just become a 4.5 year experience or more.
Also expect that the semester to semester class schedules will never ever follow the right semester to semester layout. They will likely always have two or more classes recommended in almost every semester that have at least one time and schedule or location conflicts. By doing so they make you have to take one later than whats in the original course schedule. That makes your now 4.5 years experience get bumped out to a more realistic 5 years.
On top of that if you have to retake any classes (I never met anyone who didn't have at least one redo class) for any reason expect to add another semester or two as well.
In the end your supposed 4 year degree will likely be 5+ years and about 50% more overall cost than what they told you on day one when you signed on.
Unless your a sports major. Then expect your 4 year degree to be at most 4 years and likely under budget as well being they will kiss your butt the whole time if you do any level of sports activity while there.
Lastly keep absolute obsessive and detailed track of your transcripts, class records, attendance records, and every single piece of work and information that relates to whom you are and what you are doing in every single class and aspect of your time spent there.
I found out the hard way they make mistakes and they make them big and often. Without exact proof of your existence and actions you are the one who pays for their loosing your records of what classes you where in and everything else as well.
Spend $800 on a single class and be well known in that class for being the top A+ brown noser student there and then have them loose all evidence of you having taken that class and then get told you have to retake it since the computer system lost you some point between the day you paid for it and when the final grades came out. Then be told your efforts in that class never counted so you will be required to retake it and you will understand why.
Dont take me as being mad but rather just as giving advice on the more negative side of higher education experiences being I personally went though all of this. This is the part they do their best to make sure you never see as a new student. I spent a pile of time and money learning this the hard way so dont repeat it if you can help it.
I found the actual class time wonderful and the overall experience to be fun and enjoyable. I just didn't care for the sloppy and often underhanded ways I and many other students got treated at times because we didn't know any better.
Higher education can be fun and worth the investment but never trust anyone to keep track of you and your information while you are there.
