A Different Road To College: A Guide For Transitioning Non-Traditional Students
Alise Lamoreaux, Lane Community College
Copyright Year: 2016
Publisher: Open Oregon Educational Resources
Language: English
Formats Available
Conditions of Use
Attribution
CC BY
Reviews
I did not realize we had to choose from the textbook list above. I was under the impression we could choose from the list of books on the opening page. I reviewed the book, "English Composition," a comprehensive guide to teach the skills needed... read more
I did not realize we had to choose from the textbook list above. I was under the impression we could choose from the list of books on the opening page. I reviewed the book, "English Composition," a comprehensive guide to teach the skills needed for students to succeed in college English 100 courses. The content of the book is aimed at helping students meet specific learning objectives that are stated at the beginning of each chapter. The authors left no stones unturned as they introduced college success skills (time management, notetaking, the syllabus, tardiness and absences, asking for recommendations); tips for writing (freewriting, drafting strategies, writing in academic conventions, a persuasive essay "map" a model outline, a guide for introductions, conclusions, and paragraph structure); thesis statements and research.
As an English 101 instructor, I would say the book is extremely accurate and carefully crafted.
Aside from challenges students face with changing technology, the information presented in this book will never become obsolete. The wording of learning objectives might vary across school curricula, but the basics remain unchanged over time.
The authors comment on the use of colloquial language and the importance of adhering to academic writing style.
I was pleased with the informative tone of the book. The structure in chapters was clear and easy to navigate. Terms were clearly explained to the reader, with plenty of examples throughout.
The book is set up in chapter format, which makes reading in small sections easy. I would use sections of this book as assigned reading for my class, especially the chapter on introductions and supporting paragraphs.
The organization of the book, from success skills in the beginning, to research skills and appendix at the end, were clear and concise delineations to content.
There were no navigation problems. Each page was followed by an arrow to move on to the next. The images were clear and appropriate for the chapter. I did not feel distracted or confused, but I would recommend a revision of the dense text that appeared in the beginning of the outline model. Some bullets could be used in various places to replace text where appropriate.
The use of the pronoun "they" is accepted for singular pronoun agreement, and it is used in the book. I found no errors in grammar or punctuation. As stated earlier, the book was carefully crafted.
Diplomacy and respect are mentioned - qualities that are inclusive of a variety of races, ethnicities, and backgrounds. The college success section posed a situation with a non-traditional student who had personal and time management issues. That example was inclusive of a student who had challenges because of age and background.
The book's purpose was stated as "designed for students to learn the foundational concepts for first year college writing." With learning objectives for each chapter and a comprehensive guide - from college success tips to writing skills - the authors did a fine job fulfilling their purpose to effectively prepare a college student for the challenges ahead.
A Different Road to College: A Guide for Transitioning Non-Traditional Students is a GOOD overall guide, but it could be more thorough in the information it provides. At times, it was difficult to differentiate the help and advice given to... read more
A Different Road to College: A Guide for Transitioning Non-Traditional Students is a GOOD overall guide, but it could be more thorough in the information it provides. At times, it was difficult to differentiate the help and advice given to traditional vs. non-traditional students. Non-traditional students are an important group in our colleges today, and we need to do all that we can to insure their success. Some editing in the book with possible services listed that are geared specifically toward non-traditional students would provide much-needed guidance and information, making the educational journey easier and more fruitful.
Other than the notes above on Comprehensiveness, the book does reflect present-day college life. It would be important to update sources, particularly electronic links, keeping them relevant.
The book is relevant and, with updates, should have longevity. It would be good, however, to eliminate references to any particular university/college to keep the flavor of a general nature. That, and becoming more specific with resources, as noted in comprehensiveness, would increase the book's value.
The book is straight-forward and easy to read.
There is good consistency throughout, making the book easy to read.
The Modularity is concise. Chapters flow nicely, and the reader can easily refer to information that might have been missed.
The overall structure and flow of the book are VERY good. As noted above, it is easy to refer back to information previously read.
The book is easy to read, with a clean typeface and well-chosen graphics.
The book contains very few grammatical errors.
The Alice Lamoreaux has done a good job of making the text culturally relevant. Her sensitivity to the issues confronting non-traditional students is always front and center in the writing. But it would be good if she zeroed in more on the specific challenges as well as opportunities the transitioning non-traditional student population faces.
Overall, this is a good guidebook for transitioning non-traditional college students, whose problems are often not addressed. With some editing geared toward these students (as noted above), it could be even better!
This book discusses many aspects of attending a college, from the basic introduction of college, course selection, to expenses. It can be very useful for college applications as well. I was an international student. I wish I had a chance to read... read more
This book discusses many aspects of attending a college, from the basic introduction of college, course selection, to expenses. It can be very useful for college applications as well. I was an international student. I wish I had a chance to read this book before, which could be helpful in understanding what USA colleges entail and helping me settle down as an international student. The author’s attempt to introduce college as much as possible is impressive. However, the challenges non-traditional students encounter are not discussed in detail. As a matter of the fact, these challenges are the big difference between traditional and non-traditional students. How to overcome the challenges could be one of the focuses of the book. Many chapters’ content seems applicable to all types of students, not specific enough to non-traditional students. Overall, this open textbook does a good job covering essential areas for guiding students acquaint with colleges. I would also suggest adding writing center/assistance to the list of “15 KEY COLLEGE RESOURCES TO KNOW ABOUT” in chapter 10.
The text is accurate and consistent with my observation of college life. The content is objective, practical, and no bias detected. Some Youtube videos and suggested readings could become unavailable and would affect the access to these course content. It is understandable that web content is dynamically changing. For these external sources, one suggestion is to add the “access on XXX date.”
The book is relevant to incoming college students. Most information is classic and general. Many linked resources are relevant to the topic as well. Many suggested reading and activities can reinforce the comprehension of the text. However, some information and terminology are specific to the author’s institution. Perhaps using general terms can be applicable to more audiences.
In general, the audience will find this book easy to read without jargon. The writing style and word choices are appropriate for non-traditional students. Sentences are not complicated, up to the point, and easy to understand. The whole book does not require high-level reading ability.
The text presents the content in a consistent manner and chapters are structured in a consistent pattern. This consistency helps the audience expect what comes next and distinguish from section to section.
The modularity of the textbook is clear and easy to follow. Each chapter fits well with the other. Each chapter is divided into smaller reading sections and cohesively connects with other parts. Chapters 7, 8, and 9 could be moved to the first few chapters or be referred to by the first few chapters as they can help students make decisions on college application and acceptance.
The chapters in the text are presented in a logical fashion. The organization and structure are clear and easy to follow through. The topics covered in the textbook are well organized and the overall structure is good. However, as noted earlier, if chapters can be linked back and forth with each other, this can help the audience jump from topic to topic depending upon interest and needs.
The layout of the text is clean and easy to navigate. The whole book is responsive to the screens of different devices. It is very nice that this book provides several formats and also allows for hardcopy print. However, some information can be presented using a table, such as “COMMON FINANCIAL AID VOCABULARY DEFINITIONS” in Chapter 8.
No significant grammatical issues were identified. Most of the sentences are short and do not have nested clauses. Few errors are present, for example, “Associate degrees may be used as a stepping stone and transferred meet some of the general required classes for bachelor’s degrees” in chapter two. With the digital and open textbook, this type of error can be easily fixed.
The author attempts to bring different cultural elements into the content, for example, the Chinese and Italian proverbs at the top of the chapter. The overall content covers general topics and targets broad non-traditional and traditional students. The author’s intent of inclusiveness is clear. However, the title of the book indicates that the focus is to transition non-traditional students. It is hoped that the content can be shifted more on specific topics, issues, and challenges towards non-traditional students.
Overall it is an excellent guidebook and illustrates the road map of transitioning to colleges. The content of the text is concise and easy to understand. It covers a wide variety of subjects regarding college planning and learning. The embedded videos add the dynamic feature and keep audiences actively following through the book.
This text completely discusses all areas pertaining to attending college as a non-traditional student. The authors begin with a discussion focused on making the choice to attend college and covers everything from course selection to exploring... read more
This text completely discusses all areas pertaining to attending college as a non-traditional student. The authors begin with a discussion focused on making the choice to attend college and covers everything from course selection to exploring career opportunities based on interest of study and degree. The authors include chapters related to the importance of self-care, managing stress, nutrition, and exercise. The text stresses the importance of balancing activities and priorities to increase chances for academic success. The text includes discussions related to students who are the first ever to attend college in their families, students returning to college after a long absence, international students, and the traditional student. These discussions outline the unique characteristics and needs of these students. The text uses videos, relatable vignettes, and scenarios to describe those issues and challenges related to being college student.
The text is accurate, error-free and presents an unbiased perspective of college life, challenges, and identifies various useful strategies for success. The information in the text is practical and realistic. Readers will find the book is accurate in the discussion regarding the process for applying to college, criteria for attending college and the day-to-day issues related to attending college.
The text presents a broad perspective of the non-traditional student and the characteristics that describe that population and barriers that they may encounter. The content describes the variety of students and confirms the need to continue to recruit and support these students. It offers an inclusive perspective of non-traditional students. The text also discusses remote learning and provides strategies to increase academic success.
The text is structured in a simple and easy format. Because of this format, students know what to expect when reading and can look forward to information being presented in a manner that is easily understood. The use of various modes of communication, such videos, and vignettes, allows for students with different learning styles to grasp and understand information. The text uses an easy to read prose. The text even offers suggested readings to further clarify information presented in contents.
The text begins each section with a written overview of the discussion and follows up with a video offering a personal perspective of the written information to further emphasize points, finally the chapters pose questions for the readers to consider and reflect.
Given its format the text is quite adaptable and is easily modified. The various sections of the text are outlined in the contents. This allows the reader to decide which sections they would like to review based on their college status and interest. The text thoroughly covers various topics allowing the reader to focus on areas of interest and gain an understanding of the discussion.
Then content section of the book presents a well-organized layout of the information included in the text. This text provides a step-by-step road map outlining all things a prospective or current college student needs to know about college life. The text in general is organized well. There are discussions in the text that the reader might find more useful if presented earlier in the text. For example, discussing how college can be paid for and the finances needed to attend, could be presented earlier so that a potential student can explore college affordability and use that information to help determine what finances are needed to attend college.
Moving through the text is quite easy. The sections are predictable, and all follow the same format.
The written text and exercises communicate information in a manner that considers both auditory and visual learners.
The text is grammatically sound. The text is well written and easy to read. There are no punctuation and mechanics errors. The tone of the text is consistent and flows well.
The text presents a realistic overview of those factors that are relevant to the various types of non-traditional students discussed in the content. The text discusses various racial, socioeconomics status and other demographics that may influence college admissions and enrollment for this population of students. In addition, the text provides an inclusive discussion of the various types of college students and their unique factors and challenges.
The ebook was easy to access and I liked that pdf options were also available. read more
The ebook was easy to access and I liked that pdf options were also available.
I plan to teach this course in the fall. It was accurate, however, in college skills I will still need to link my universities services as another level of resources for this class.
I think the content is very relevant and I only think additional university supplements are needed. The OER is very up to date for this course.
Since this course is to help the non traditional student, I found it is written in a clear and easy to follow format. The terminology is simple and easy to follow.
I think the language used is consistent for providing a framework. As I compared the text to current texts for my class, it was very similar and I plan to use this for my fall course.
I am not as familiar with modularity but the concept makes sense as I reviewed this text. The OER is easily divided and will help me ensure the subunits are similar in size for each reading section.
Again, as I looked at my current syllabus for this course the content and topic fit very well for me. I do not see many changes to the organization of the text.
I did not encounter any distortion or navigation issues with this text.
I did not find an grammatical errors.
I agree this text is culturally sensitive for the content and examples used.
I enjoyed reviewing the text and was happy how fitting and appropriate is matched to the course I teach. Thank you for the opportunity to review.
A Different Road To College: A Guide for Transitioning Non-Traditional Students is a comprehensive and highly valuable resource for both academic advising as well as teaching in classrooms where the non-traditional student at the first-time... read more
A Different Road To College: A Guide for Transitioning Non-Traditional Students is a comprehensive and highly valuable resource for both academic advising as well as teaching in classrooms where the non-traditional student at the first-time college and/or community college level makes up a greater part of the learning population than ever before. This book presents all areas and subjects that would be relevant to the non-traditional student experience, and provides an easy to navigate table of contents. It also broadly addresses the diversity of age, life experiences, ethnicities and socio-economic realities that today's non-traditional student faces while offering a pragmatic and organized way forward for the non-traditional student's college prep/planning. In this way, it is a highly versatile text for multiplicities of non-traditional learners hoping to pursue a college education.
Content of the book appears to be accurate, though it would be helpful to see more works cited for referencing.
This guide appeals to diverse populations of non-traditional students who make up a greater majority of the college student population than ever before. In this way, the content is highly relevant (and will remain so) so long as classrooms continue to be diversified by age, ethnicities and life experiences. Content is overall very up-to-date, and could be relatively easily modified as necessary to include website link updates or statistical data.
The text is pragmatically written, with usefulness and purpose of action in mind. In this way, the text is very accessible to the non-traditional student reading population since, instead of abstract knowledge, it provides useful and essential first steps toward moving in the clear direction of the non-traditional student's college direction of choice.
Each chapter section is clearly laid out in such a way that the terms are consistently referenced throughout. At some points, it seems the terminology and referencing to coursework is specifically geared toward community college students instead of 4-year college students, but this could be easily adapted depending on the use within a course.
This is a text that could be easily used within a course since sections are clearly laid out and well organized. Proper headings and subheadings are used throughout each chapter making it easy to navigate from section to section, or to use sections as standalone material within a course teaching module.
I love the way that the author has organized the content of the book, and the text is presented in a highly logical and practical way. The only thing I would love to see more of at the closing of the book is a Works Cited and or References section.
The text interface is very easy to navigate, and was overall very easy to read through. However, I would love to see a subheading section added to the Table of Content interface to make navigating between subsections within a chapter more accessible. Overall, the navigation makes for clear reading that is significantly free of any kinds of noticeable or confusing interface issues.
I did not find any grammatical errors within the text that took away from the presentation of the content and materials.
One of the strengths of this text is its inclusivity of the diverse populations that make up the non-traditional student experience. The author did a fantastic job of including the varieties of ways in which race, ethnic background, socio-economic status, and many other factors affect the non-traditional student's journey into college education.
A Different Road to College: A Guide for Transitioning Non-Traditional Students is a great introductory text for first-term students and its content is especially appropriate for community college students. Some of the college success texts... read more
A Different Road to College: A Guide for Transitioning Non-Traditional Students is a great introductory text for first-term students and its content is especially appropriate for community college students. Some of the college success texts available in the market target more traditional college-age populations. This is a great resource for institutions that have a large number of non-traditional students attending.
The content appears to be accurate. Some of the information is specific to students at Lane Community College. Other institutions can modify parts to make it work for their students.
The content appears to be up-to-date and should not become obsolete for a while. As with any other texts, some of the resource links could get outdated and become inaccessible in the future.
The text is written with brand new students in mind. The author does a great job explaining college processes, terminology and expectations.
Some chapters are in depth and contain great multimedia resources and additional suggested reading materials. Learning objectives and exercises in each chapter would be nice additions to this book.
The text is easily and readily divisible to smaller reading sections. The topics are covered at different times of the quarter or semester in order to accommodate each institution’s academic calendar and length of the class. Many students have obligations outside school so being able read in small chunks is helpful.
Chapter 7: Placement Testing could be introduced earlier in the book based on most colleges’ admission or enrollment processes. It could be included in some of the other chapters and may not necessarily be a chapter on its own. However, it can easily be realigned based on its high modularity.
No significant interface issues are detected. The text is very easy to navigate. It also offers many format options to accommodate different devices.
There were no grammar issues that distract from the content.
Very little diversity, equity and inclusion information was covered in this text. It’s possible that other courses are to address these topics or supplemental materials are used in the course.
This book is very comprehensive in covering a wide range of topics, while also staying concise so that each chapter is manageable for a week or even a class period. It also hits on key themes that are easy to miss in college preparation... read more
This book is very comprehensive in covering a wide range of topics, while also staying concise so that each chapter is manageable for a week or even a class period. It also hits on key themes that are easy to miss in college preparation courses—like paying attention to enrollment deadlines, navigating college websites, and college vocabulary—but often trip students up when they begin college.
Everything seemed very accurate. Many examples and statistics are geared towards Oregon, but I think that's necessary in this case.
This book is extremely relevant, since many college preparation texts are so geared towards younger students that they dismiss the challenges of non-traditional students and forget key information that first-generation students need. This text even seems relevant for high school students if they are first-generation or have more to balance in life than just school. The content is certainly up-to-date, but sections (like placement testing) may shift over time.
This book does a great job of breaking down concepts that are very confusing for many students. It explains everything from FAFSA to student support services in a very accessible manner.
This text in very consistent in terminology and framework, but also does a good job of adding variety in the text through videos, reflective questions and activities.
The modularity is extremely clear, and it would be easy to assign just a chapter or two, or to follow the whole text as written.
The text is clearly organized, with links for further reading, etc. The only thing that seemed a little odd was including "Random Autobiographies" as it's own chapter, instead of consolidating it under scholarships. In reading the table of contents before going through each chapter, I had no what Random Autobiographies was, although every other topic was very clear.
The interface is clear and accessible. More images could be helpful, but aren't necessary.
I noticed a few grammatical errors. They weren't glaring but were present nevertheless.
The text is culturally relevant and accessible in the way it's written, but I wish the TedTalks and videos included speakers from a wider array of races/ethnicities. Many non-traditional students of color face unique issues in navigating college life that should be spotlighted in a text like this, without being patronizing or its own separate section. Including videos with more students of color sharing their stories would accomplish this in a natural and inclusive way.
Overall, this is a necessary and relevant text that explains so many aspects of college life that can make or break students' experiences. It does a great job of being honest about the opportunity costs of college and encouraging students to think through all the challenges, while still encouraging them to stay motivated and pursue their goals.
The book does a great job with covering every aspect of college, including describing how the general student population at colleges is changing and why and what it is to be a non-traditional student. read more
The book does a great job with covering every aspect of college, including describing how the general student population at colleges is changing and why and what it is to be a non-traditional student.
The book does seem to be accurate but is since the author is based in Oregon is perhaps a little too focused on Oregon statistics.
The content is very up-to-date and speaks to very modern and important changes taking place among colleges of all types. What I found especially successful in the book was the use of videos, songs, and TED talks to emphasize important points. This was the best aspect of the book.
The author did a great job with giving definitions for vocabulary that is unique to the college environment and explaining acronyms.
The book has good flow and it is easy to understand the consistencies between one chapter and the next.
Each chapter or section of the book would make for an excellent one-week discussion in a college/careeer pathways class.
Again, it was easy to understand the book's transitions between chapters and ideas, with logical "lead-ins" and quotes provided at the beginning of each chapter and a clear end for each chapter.
There were no interface issues and I was able to view each embedded video or table clearly.
While the grammar was generally fine there were typos and grammatical errors that were distracting, as though a second set of eyes viewing the text would have been helpful.
I can see how this book could be presented to any person considering college and it would help them with getting an understanding of the bigger picture while also helping them avoid pitfalls. I also very much appreciated that it was aimed at non-traditional students, who make up a larger proportion of the student body every year that I teach. It also put a very positive (and correct) spin on non-traditional students, emphasizing that the life experience they bring to the classroom is a benefit, not a detraction.
The text covers most areas and ideas of a College Success course and provides a useful index, although there is no glossary. read more
The text covers most areas and ideas of a College Success course and provides a useful index, although there is no glossary.
The content of this book is accurate and has been well edited to eliminate errors. No bias was detected.
This book is highly relevant to the intended audience and should be easy to update as new information becomes available.
The text is very clearly written and defines any specialized vocabulary as it is presented.
The terminology, framework and organization are consistent among chapters.
The chapters are all short and self-contained enough to be assigned as a unit and do not need to be subdivided in any way.
The book is organized in a logical, easily accessible way.
One video in the Supplemental Fun chapter between Chapters 2 and 3 contains no link. Students will need to find a way to locate the movie, Accepted, and buy it in order to watch it. All other areas of the textbook appear to be glitch-free.
No grammatical errors were detected.
The book is culturally sensitive and does not include any material that could be considered culturally offensive.
This is a very good book for non-traditional College Success students.
The text is a very comprehensive look at the importance of transitioning non traditional students. They must be made to feel welcome, know there are services for writing, reading and personal counseling. Instructors should know all about... read more
The text is a very comprehensive look at the importance of transitioning non traditional students. They must be made to feel welcome, know there are services for writing, reading and personal counseling. Instructors should know all about acculturation, its effects on the students and there families as they take on higher education in a new country. Acculturation stress is very real and a little more detail on its effects on the student in all contexts of development.
I give the the book a high grade for accuracy. This text should be read by all who Professors to provide more understanding of the challenges, and more so the needs of students from various countries around the world. Each success story of a non traditional student represents tiny grains of sand upon which with time and dedication we can build an entire beach of academic success... Patricia Sullivan, LMHC
I believe the text can hang on to its relevancy for a long period of time. There is also room to add to all new cultures who enter the halls of academia in search of higher education, and a journey to success.
This text makes many clear points throughout and Ifind it an essential read as our students need to helped in their quests for higher education in a new country. The recommendations are clear and to the point.
High grade for terminology, clarity throughout, one can read this text with ease and learn a great deal about teaching non-traditional students to help them on them on this very healthy journey to success via academia.
The text flows with each section giving the reader ease of mind. It also promotes critical thinking and an understanding to the student that those around them care about their transition.
The text flow like a river over calming seas! .It can be read with ease and knowledge gained all essentials when talking about and working with non traditional students who need to know there choice of University or college was the right one for them
I find no interface issues or navigation problems throughout the book. Excellent work.
grammatical excellent and a good flowing read that transitions like the reader they are meant for.
The text is very culturally relevant. If one is not culturally competent in their field of work they could start by reading this text book. These days all school and instructors must be culturally competent. This should be throughout the campus for all employees.
I love it and with today events going on around the world this text can help promote unity in learning and living.
The book adequately covers several of the most important matters about college for non-traditional students. The core academic vocabulary, as well as the vocabulary definitions of common financial aid term, greatly enhance the readers’ ability to... read more
The book adequately covers several of the most important matters about college for non-traditional students. The core academic vocabulary, as well as the vocabulary definitions of common financial aid term, greatly enhance the readers’ ability to understand the language associated with college matters.
The content is accurately written with appropriate references to credible information sources. A minor edit is needed to add a year and source information to the graph, “College Attendance Demographics” on page 5.
Most of the references are timely, evergreen, and relevant to readers of this book. The five to seven-year period within the current year (i.e., 2020) is appropriate to capture trends in college-related matters such as cost, financial aid, and enrollment.
The author uses a third-person writing style which offers an objective, unbiased point of view about college matters as they pertain to non-traditional students. The suggested activity sections are appropriately written in the second person which facilitates engagement with readers.
The book does a thorough job of defining the term, “non-traditional” students and consistently relates the experiences of students who meet the criteria throughout the book.
The chapters and their subsections do not appear to align throughout this book. For example, in the Table of Contents, Chapter 1, entitled, “What’s College for?,” starts on page 11. However, on page 11, the title for this chapter is missing. Additionally, none of the subsections, such as, “How do you view college?” (page 11) and “What frames your value of education?”(page 14) are listed in the Table of Contents. A similar situation occurs in Chapter 2. These misalignments make it difficult for the reader to determine the beginning and end of each chapter as well as navigating the subsections within each chapter.
The Suggested Activity sections (pages 27, 32, 35, and 36) offer simple, straightforward reflective exercises for readers. These sections would be better presented in a workbook style format which includes lines in which readers could write down their responses.
One area in which the book’s modularity affects the organization and flow of the book is the discussion about non-traditional students. This discussion, which starts on page 5, appears to be under Chapter 1, “What’s College for?” It would be helpful to have this discussion listed as a subsection of Chapter 1 in the Table of Contents so that readers can make an immediate connection with the topics and purpose of the book.
There are some formatting inconsistencies in which paragraphs are not indented (see pages 1-4 and 7-8). These inconsistencies create blocks of text that impedes flow and readability within the chapters. There are also placement inconsistencies for the page numbers (see pages 43-48).
The book shows high levels of command with grammatical rules.
The text is culturally appropriate for American, English speaking audience. However, to enhance the relatability to readers, pictures and/or quotes from interviews with non-traditional students in college students (e.g., veterans, single parents, English Language learners) are suggested.
The YouTube videos provide a timeless and engaging type of content to the book.
An expanded discussion about topics such as developing study skills, time management, and test-taking strategies, and grade point average (GPA) would further improve the book’s comprehensiveness.
It is unclear what citation style the author is using in formatting the sources of information in the Suggested Reading section on page 17. It would be helpful to format in an appropriate citation style so that readers can more easily locate these readings.
Did a good job of engaging the different types of learning styles. She has lists for linear thinkers. She has graphs for visual learners. The youtube videos were all close captioned. Made good points on things like "opportunity lost vs ROI", etc.... read more
Did a good job of engaging the different types of learning styles. She has lists for linear thinkers. She has graphs for visual learners. The youtube videos were all close captioned. Made good points on things like "opportunity lost vs ROI", etc. Made important distinctions about the different types of college-for profit, non-profit, etc. Had statistics and studies to validate concepts.
I come from the world of college athletics and have spent over 30 years on college campuses. The author was spot on in terms of the "how to" in the various areas of what it takes to decide where to go to college, potential issues of students (traditional and nontraditional), college expenses/funding, types of degrees, types of institutions, student services, etc. She also provided great resources to explore/tackle the issues (websites, articles, etc)
This book is relevant really for any college student demographic. However, college degrees are seen as necessary for advancement in the world but now are not the only way to make a decent living. She does mention the different types of colleges. Maybe could have explored a little more in depth vocational schools (like culinary, etc) and how they differ from traditional higher education institutions
Very helpful with the "language of college"
Did a great job of introducing, then defining terms
Did a great job of providing "to do" lists
Helped the reader understand specific things they need to think about in terms of picking a university with the right "fit"
Very consistent with introducing a concept, explaining the concept, providing facts to validate the concepts, then providing resources and opportunities to further explore the concepts.
Many opportunities to get the reader involved
-videos, case studies, making of lists, answering relevant questions, activities to practice the concepts, practical/hands on experience
Each chapter definitely could stand on it's own and be used for a class lesson. There were many different types of exercises that could be used as follow up to reinforce the concepts learned. What I liked about the chapters is that they could actually could be used in any order you like, depending on the types of students in your class and their varied experiences with/knowledge of higher education environments
Every topic is explored in detail. She explains why she is exploring the topic as well. You're able to understand the relevance and importance of each area. Also helps reader understand how/why each area fits into the broader context of a collegiate experience from the beginning concept when someone is considering college.
Didn't really see any major issues. Just small things:
-numbers on the bars should probably be darker. white numbers hard to see
-formatting issues. see p. 28 for example
Hyperlinks were a good touch. I'm assuming OER will all be online so not to worry about that in terms of paper books???
p.12- perform, not "preform" p. 71-are the numbers.., not "is the numbers" p. 74-#8=state, not State? p. 75-your learning, not "you learning" p. 77, 79, 80-is it CPT or CTP? she wasn't consistent p.96-should be "if you can afford" p. 102-FWS, not FSW
p.105-should start with "My second year...", should be "figuring out, deciding" p. 108-"in your scholarship..." p.121-"friend's hands..", "I will tell you", starting.. not "staring" p. 126-MultiCultural?? p. 133-colleges, not "college's"
This book is really relevant to the nontraditional student. More and more people are attending community colleges for a variety of reasons. I felt like the book was important for that demographic. Community colleges hold a very important place in society socially, personal development, financially, and athletically. It didn't negatively portray any particular group.
Not really sure how the gaming video translated/related to the material. I guess she was trying to explain the different type of student in college now, or talk about the skill sets learned in gaming that would help students be successful in college? Should have made it clear in the writing why she included that video.
Also, if she is going to have "books to read" at the end of one chapter, might be a good idea to do that for all chapters in case someone wants to go more in depth
This book covers a wide range of subjects relevant to those working with students considering postsecondary education. The book provides an effective index. read more
This book covers a wide range of subjects relevant to those working with students considering postsecondary education. The book provides an effective index.
The content does appear accurate. Additional information about alternative pathways for students would show less bias toward four-year college degrees specifically.
Content appears up-to-date overall. The text is written in such a way that necessary updates will be relatively easy to include to update references.
The text is well-written overall. The language is accessible and not overly academic. The language used seems appropriate for this type of textbook.
The format of the text is consistent from chapter to chapter. Chapters include headings and relevant content.
Although the text has numerous chapters, the text could easily be divided into smaller reading sections for assignments in students in a first-year seminar course. The text can easily be reorganized for use for this type of course.
The topics in the text are presented in a logical and clear fashion. This organization structure is similar to other texts of this nature.
The text appears to be free of significant issues when accessing the links and videos. Depending on how the text is viewed, accessibility to the resources may be limited. For example, if the PDF is downloaded, links to videos are not "active." This is the same for any text. For those accessing via a computer or other connected device, the interface shines.
No major grammatical errors identified.
For the population this book intends to serve, the information is presented in a culturally sensitive manner.
Overall this book will be useful for those teaching first year seminar courses or those working with high school college preparation. Coming from the perspective of a school counselor, additional information about what specifics may relate to different types of postsecondary options would be valuable if using with high school students.
This is difficult to truly answer. There is definitely breadth here, with the author considering multiple issues that are important to both traditional and non-traditional students,. However, in my opinion, this breadth to some regard sacrifices... read more
This is difficult to truly answer. There is definitely breadth here, with the author considering multiple issues that are important to both traditional and non-traditional students,. However, in my opinion, this breadth to some regard sacrifices depth and richness. These chapters and most of the content reads very 'generic' and ironically, other than the first chapter, the book doesn't seem to be nuanced enough for non-traditional students
The generality of this book significantly lends itself to accuracy. Not much new is said so the lack of controversy almost mandates accuracy.
This is where I feel the book suffers the most. It initially makes a great case for the need for this type of information but then does little to provide it. Also it treats universities and even non-traditional students as relatively universal concepts. This is of course not true. I teach at a HBCU and a PWI and the students, even the non-traditional are different across and within. This goes back to an issue of depth. Perhaps examples or subsections that deal with institutional and student diversity would help
I would say it is clearly and concisely written but as noted before there is too much of the same old. I chose this book because it promised much honestly different deliver as much as I anticipated
There was relative consistency
This is one of the best features of the book. I see it possibly be using used in a student orientation class where certain areas can be highlighted and instructors can supplement it with other resources
Good but not great. These are important but they dont seem to build on each in any coherent fashion
There was no significant issues although it was a bit bland and the videos at the end seemed more like afterthoughts
No serious issues
As noted above, I think the book may have purposely or inadvertently omitted race and culture as a variable to ensure it wasn't offensive. But in doing so it may have hurt its relevance and usefulness
The text is laid out in a manner that gives students all aspects that should be considered in determining where and how to successfully return to college. It appropriately points out multiple pitfalls that many students may not require. read more
The text is laid out in a manner that gives students all aspects that should be considered in determining where and how to successfully return to college. It appropriately points out multiple pitfalls that many students may not require.
The book illustrates areas like student advising, a typical college day, and even the financial aid process in a very straight-forward manner. Having been in the financial aid arena as a professional for about 8 years, I was able to appreciate the way topics surrounding concepts like the FAFSA were talked about.
The text has overall good relevance. Based on when it was written, most of the concepts still hold true today for students who are considering a return to college.
The text is very inviting to read. It provides students with a guide that they can utilize at every step of the process. When a potential student is at the step of planning their course schedule, he/she can easily find that section for a refresher. When they can't quite remember what their financial award letter is telling them, they can quickly navigate to that section.
The text follows the same pattern and approach in each chapter (i.e. typically begins with a quote to set the tone, plainly lays out the main points, then ends with an activity (Typically a TED Talk) to bring the main point full-circle).
The text is broken into 11 chapters that, at the very most, never exceeds 15 pages. Even at that, the chapters that have a longer page count is usually filled with sections for students to reflect and make notes on what they pulled from that chapter. These lengths of chapters encourage students to want to continue the process of reading.
The text is laid out in a manner that makes sense. It begins with a historical concept of what many consider to be a "typical" college student. It then focuses on how this demographic has been continually shifting. From there, it acts as a great map to guide the non-traditional student on a path towards success.
All of the additional content/ images appeared correctly and enhanced the experience.
There were noticeable errors, both grammatically and occasionally in syntax throughout the text. Occasionally, there were omitted words. An example of this can be viewed in the very last sentence on page 127. The message of the book is important and necessary, but items like this example can be distracting to readers.
The text does a good job to include consideration of gender, international, and other demographical areas of students.
I spent a few years teaching first-year experience courses in the community college arena, and I wish I would have known about a text like this to guide my students. Many of the students I had would be considered non-traditional, and a text like this would help in giving them confidence to continue their educational journey. I now teach primarily graduate students, and I was still able to extract helpful ideas to consider even with this demographic. Quite often, most graduate students exhibit many of the "non-traditional" demographical characteristics. They often are employed full-time, have families, have other external responsibilities that require their time, and most importantly, it has been some time since they have been in college. Everything from financial aid topics to how an institutional website is organized are all things I am now considering as we continue to reach further to attract our graduate demographic population in order to ensure their success.
A Different Road to College is an a critical textbook written for non-traditional college students. This book is loaded with insightful data and compelling stories. It serves as an introductory text on college life. read more
A Different Road to College is an a critical textbook written for non-traditional college students. This book is loaded with insightful data and compelling stories. It serves as an introductory text on college life.
The content is accurate and engaging. For further reading a suggested reading list is included.
The book is timeless and includes up-to-date research on non-traditional students. The heart of the book is the success tips offered.
The book is clear and easy to read for novice readers interesting in attending college. It includes concrete definitions, bolded key terms, and terminology as well as colorful graphs.
The book is consistent with terminology and framing.
The book is divided in 11 chapters on various aspects of the college experiences including institutional culture, navigating webpages, and funding resources. The subheadings are useful as they serve as guideposts for the reader.
The information in the book is presented in a clear and logical fashion. Web links are included as well as supplementary material.
The text is free and easy to navigate on the website. There are no navigation concerns and the information is void of confusion.
The book does not include any grammatical errors.
The book does not include include data on non-traditional students of color.
Overall, this is a comprehensive guide for non-traditional students in both mulling over starting college and providing guidance in making critical decisions about their college experience. This book provides the reader with a clear index of... read more
Overall, this is a comprehensive guide for non-traditional students in both mulling over starting college and providing guidance in making critical decisions about their college experience. This book provides the reader with a clear index of chapters at the beginning. The term “non-traditional” is introduced early in the book’s introduction and goes on to provide the reader with common behaviors, needs, and expectations of this college demographic.
The content appears accurate, error-free, and unbiased in nature. Many research studies and scholarly articles are cited to back up the author’s assertions. However, some of data is a bit dated and one wonders what today's portrait of non-traditional students is like.
Some references and links are dated. For example, there are quite a few TEDTalk videos from 2012 and 2013. One link to the documentary “Discounted Dreams” takes the reader to a very brief YouTube clip instead of to the documentary. It’s unclear why the entire documentary is not available to watch. Also, data about the make-up of today's college students is not represented, as it appears to be about five years old.
It appears it would be straightforward to update the trends and find more contemporary videos to share.
For the most part, the book’s topics are relatable. Examples of real word scenarios that non-traditional college students face ring true. Furthermore, the author does a stellar job of creating many useful lists, such as the “10 Factors to Consider in Finding the Right College” or “Personal Inventory” questions that provide helpful starting points for students considering adding college to their lives. The lists are one of the best assets this book presents to adults in terms of their practical applications.
The author is consistent in terminology and provides several glossaries of key college vocabulary that readers should be acquainted with. Words are introduced with clarity and then examples provided to deepen readers’ understandings of what they mean as well as their context.
Overall, the book is chunked up into manageable reading sections. The quote at the beginning of each chapter is a useful segue into the topic. The video links provided in each chapter provide consistency from module to module. The length of chapters is varied, ranging from 5 – 20 pages, so there are some larger, more text-rich sections compared to shorter ones. However, the tone and language is uniform chapter to chapter.
Topics are presented in a logical sequence. For example, at the beginning of the book, a broad discussion about deciding to go to college segues further into the book to much more specific topics like how to building a course schedule and understanding key financial aid terms. There are a few paragraphs or sections that don’t appear to fit the audience; for example, the history of how Ronald Reagan’s administration changed the purpose of college seems unnecessary. Also, while the math equations about figuring out loan repayment is interesting, it could be off-putting to potential students. A general overview seems more appropriate, with simplified examples that are more approachable.
For the most part, no navigation problems were detected, with the exception of the aforementioned documentary “Discounted Dreams.” It was odd that there were no chapter numbers visible as one worked through the book, so it was sometimes tough to tell when a new chapter began. The index in the beginning of the book is clearly marked, but that doesn’t extend to the rest of the book. Additional photos of college students would have been welcome, especially to make this book more appealing to adult learners who may look to find college students who look like themselves.
The book was free of grammatical errors.
Videos were chosen to represent a variety of ethnicities and backgrounds. The one photo in the book featured people of different color, and many examples of students were inclusive. The book contains examples of Oregon’s community college system, and though the author mentions the many choices of college environments, it was difficult at times to visualize or understand what they are.
As an instructor who works with developmental education students at a community college, I found parts of this book very useful, especially the questions designed to increase students’ awareness of their preparedness and plans for being a college student. However, the language sometimes seemed overly formal and the general vocabulary could be a bit out-of-reach for some returning students who have been out of school for several years.
On the whole, I think this book offers an excellent overview on college preparation for non-traditional students. What I particularly like about this text is that the author offers a birds eye view of the systems and structures that would help... read more
On the whole, I think this book offers an excellent overview on college preparation for non-traditional students. What I particularly like about this text is that the author offers a birds eye view of the systems and structures that would help students unfamiliar with the practices of postsecondary institutions. At the same time, this book is also about doing the internal work of outlining motivations, goals, and mastering the language and terminology - affective skills and traits of successful college students. By attending to the externalities of college going simultaneous with this internal work, I think the book demonstrates clear understanding of audience needs.
One of my critiques of the book, however, is that it tries to offer a two- and four-year institutional focus on the information provided. In truth, the information provided is particularly oriented to the two-year college experience. While I certainly think a two-year focus for this text is warranted, the book tries too hard to be all things to all types of students (see "financial aid basics" chapter as an example). In doing so, I think it dilutes the purpose of the text.
Finally, there are a couple of key topics that don't seem to be attended to in any way here. These are things like specific steps to transferring between two and four-year institutions, known student success strategies (campus engagement, learning communities, peer/cohort effects) that also would have been immensely useful to the readers.
The author is a community college professor who has taught this course previously. The content provided appears to be accurate and error-free.
While there are certainly aspects of college practice that will always remain constant - i.e. key terminology, institutional process and practices - there are also aspects of the college experience that are time specific. Certainly, admissions is ever-changing dimension of the college-going process. Also, importantly, is financial aid. The "financial aid basics" chapter uses DOE video to convey specific financial aid information (perhaps with an eye to avoiding unending content updates). However, other explanatory information might require updates in fairly short order.
There are also a number of references to various media that could require some form of updating as well.
The text is very accessible. The language chosen is clear, but concise. I also very much appreciated the illustrations, data visualizations, and media. All of these features lend to the overall clarity of the text. In this regard, it is very well done and nicely tailored to the intended audience.
As I mentioned in a previous comment, I think this book at times tries to be all things to two and four-year students. I think it would have been strategically appropriate for the author to limit the discussion to the two-year experience. There are certainly differences in the two and four-year college experience (commuting, peer engagements, access to faculty, etc.). It would have been far more valuable from a "quality of information" perspective, to have had the author focus on one institutional type over the other.
his guidebook excels in its modularity; each chapter is short enough that even multiples could be assigned together without too much concern about overloading students. And because each chapter contains clusters of questions for students to answer in varying degrees of specificity, an instructor can rest assured knowing that the chapters can expand to provide enough content for whatever amount of time can be dedicated to it.
When it comes to the organization of chapters and content, this guide excels in limiting chapters to the actual information they cover and covering respective topics comprehensively; that is, a student wouldn’t have much trouble discerning which chapter to mine for their particular question or concern. The first two chapters, “What’s College For?” and “Choosing a College to Attend” function as a microcosm of the entire text, thusly giving the reader a taste for the breadth of the issues presented. My only concern was what felt like the haphazard inclusion of the “Supplemental Fun” and “Random Autobiographies” sections after chapters two and nine, respectively.
First, I have to say that this textbook handles interface as well as I’ve ever seen; nevertheless, I’ve oftentimes got a bone to pick with online textbooks and the limitations of the medium. I’m a firm believer in the idea of open texts—but at the same time, I would always personally choose to have paper versions in front of me! This guidebook meets my needs in that it provides a number of innovative visual aids/information delivery systems that would be impossible to deploy in a tangible text. That seems like just the thing an open text should be doing. Once more, this guide frequently employs some of the best and most-viewed TED Talks
in order to convey information to readers. My only critique regarding interface is that a table of contents wasn’t visible on each page; I would have liked a way to quickly reach a targeted chapter.
Although the guidebook contained some errors in grammar and mechanics, the errors were not particularly glaring, such that I only noticed them when I was reading to find them. A large number of the errors involved compound words that would be separated in subsequent uses; examples include “website” becoming “web site” or “homepage” “home page.” These, as I’ve suggested, are not grave errors. Stylistically, the text is easily comprehended without being overtly repetitive or unnecessarily simplistic in terms of sentence structure.
One area in which this text could really excel in terms of inclusion is the quote at the beginning of each chapter. So often this person was completely unknown to me. When I did recognize the speaker of the quote, he was generally a white male. Why choose anonymous quotes (which you do multiple times), when you could use that opportunity to provide a far greater diversity of voices?
On occasion the tone of the text felt a bit forced in its optimism. I say this in part, however, as a self-aware cynic. While I understand the need to help prospective college students achieve a hopeful, can-do attitude, things like the quote from Christopher Reeves (“Once you choose hope, anything is possible.”) felt a little bit forced to me. Further, is Christopher Reeves still a household name? I also noticed that the last chapter was particularly short. I’d like to see more information added here and almost expected an overview of material from the entire text.
There is no index or glossary available in this book, however the book is organized easily enough to read using the table of contents as a guide or directory for topic selection or vocabulary review. The content of the book provides an elaborate... read more
There is no index or glossary available in this book, however the book is organized easily enough to read using the table of contents as a guide or directory for topic selection or vocabulary review. The content of the book provides an elaborate presentation of all areas to consider when becoming a non-traditional college student. It is informative as well as inspirational
The content of this book is relevant to non-traditional students and is unbiased to this audience. The book considers all types on non-traditional students such as the working student, the student with family, the student who lives off campus, and more. Although the book is not marketed for a traditional student, the content would still apply and serve as useful and practical. There are also multiple videos embedded in the book that support the information presented and adds credibility to what the author shares. Overall, there were few, noticeable, grammatical errors or other errors what would create a distraction when reading the text.
This textbook is relevant and up-to-date. The content associated with the non-traditional student is long-lasting and will not require frequent updates. The videos embedded may need to be refreshed or updated every three to five years to remain engaging and timely. Otherwise, statistics presented may seem dated and not relevant. Finally, the tips are straightforward, easy to implement, and will remain relevant.
This textbook is easy to follow and understand. There are two chapters that focus on college lingo or vocabulary, specifically, student services and financial aid. These chapters serve as a type of glossary that is not presented in the typical fashion of placement in the back of the book. The information is useful and presented in a clear manner. There are also hyperlinks embedded and opportunities for further suggested readings presented at the end of many chapters. There are also several embedded videos that elaborate on points presented, especially the more complex points such as becoming a college student and financial aid.
The book is consistent and focuses on the use of language and material common to Lane Community College based in Oregon and is the college where the author teaches. Lamorcaux does an excellent job of explaining that there may be changes in the lingo and other areas depending on which college a student attends. She suggests independent research that requires the reader to examine two or more websites to make comparisons and note differences. Lamorcaux also initiated each chapter with a quote from well-known individuals which was relevant and provided an overall understanding of what to expect in the chapter. Overall, the terminology and framework is consistent and representative on Lane Community College.
The book chapters are divided into reasonable sections that would allow a professor to assign one or more chapters at any given time. It is not self-referential and makes reference to many other schools and offers different perspectives that allow readers to realize that the information presented is not the only way. The chapters could be paired with additional topics not covered in the book to offer alignment with topics such as diversity, studying, completing college courses, and more. These connections would not create a disruption for the reader.
The organization, structure, and flow of this book are presented in a logical and clear fashion. The chapters are short and relate directly to the chapter title. The structure includes some vocabulary, embedded videos, and areas of suggested readings (articles and books). This structure creates an easier read and allows the reader to break from reading in order to watch a video or spend some time browsing a suggested website such as how to search for scholarships. Finally, the flow is simple and clear with smooth transitions.
There were no interface issues encountered throughout the review of this book. The charts and tables were clear and without interference. Every article or suggested reading that was hyperlinked was clicked on and worked appropriately. There were no issues with the embedded videos either. Most of the videos were TED talks, but there were videos by the Department of Education and additional sources that all worked appropriately. There was captioning provided and although there were some errors in the transcriptions, they were useful overall.
Overall, the book did not contain grammatical errors. I can only recall spotting one grammatical error in the content – a misspelled word. As aforementioned, the captioning for some of the videos contained errors, but this would be beyond the scope of what the author could control. This is simply a risk of using borrowed material.
This book is culturally relevant and there are no insensitivities to any group of individuals. The pictures that are provided, links to articles and books, and video clips all include different types of people representing multiple backgrounds, experiences, and ethnicities. No group of people should feel targeted or disrespected in any fashion. Hopefully readers feel comfortable and as though they can identify with those presenting the material in the videos and articles as well as with the author.
Overall, I greatly enjoyed reading this book, reading the additional articles, watching the videos, and examining websites. It was interactive and made for a quick read. I definitely learned some things regarding how my students might feel stepping foot on our campus for the first time and entering my classroom. This added perspective will help me become a better professor and more cognizant of those feelings. If I were a non-traditional student reading this book, I would feel more comfortable and prepared. I would realize that I am not alone and that there are many people and resources available to me and happy to help. I hope this book does the same for its readers.
This text does an excellent job covering all the areas that are important to any student transitioning to college including areas of study and reason for higher education, finances, time management, technology, placement testing, resources etc. It... read more
This text does an excellent job covering all the areas that are important to any student transitioning to college including areas of study and reason for higher education, finances, time management, technology, placement testing, resources etc. It really is a comprehensive handbook that is written clearly. The table of contents describes the chapters well.
The book includes accurate information and no errors were noted. Some of the statistics and information on technology may need to be updated over time but are current enough for 2017. There did not appear to be any bias by the author in approaching the subject matter.
The content of the book is up to date, however some of the statistics presented in early chapters may need to eventually be updated as the demographics of the college population continue to change. Those updates should be easy to implement.
The book was very clear and was written at a level that should be accessible for those with a high school education; the intended audience for this book. Embedded videos and TED talks are also clear and accessible.
The text provides consistency in it's terminology and framework. Language is consistent throughout.
The text is divided into 11 chapters, each with a separate topic. Each chapter has videos and activities and flows well from one topic to the next. Most chapters include reflections and self assessments that are appropriate to the content.
The topics for each chapter are logical and flow well, while providing a comprehensive overview of important considerations for those choosing higher education later in life.
The text was easy to navigate and the embedded videos worked well. Graphics and images were appropriate and not distracting.
The text contains no grammatical errors.
The text was not culturally insensitive or offensive. Videos included those of a variety of races, ethnicities and backgrounds. Student examples were anonymous.
This is a great text for any student new to college but would be of particular use for those looking at returning to college as Non-traditional students.
Alise Lamoreaux presents the first-year student with the outlook and breadth necessary to plant one’s feet firmly on the ground on the first day of college, acquainting the student with the academic terminology increasingly used by student... read more
Alise Lamoreaux presents the first-year student with the outlook and breadth necessary to plant one’s feet firmly on the ground on the first day of college, acquainting the student with the academic terminology increasingly used by student services offices so that students can communicate effectively with their counselors. Although the text only intended to familiarize the student with the language and processes of the contemporary college, many texts on this subject have at least one chapter dedicated to effective learning and the overall studying process. Finally, while terms are defined within the individual chapters, a comprehensive glossary or index would be a valuable addition to the text.
The text is accurate and current, providing the student with the most current uses of academic terminology that faculty, student service professionals, and administrators use when communicating with one another. This is no small feat when considering the rapid changes within higher education over the last several years.
The text addresses topics of great relevance to the contemporary college student. Now more than ever, students must assess their purpose in attending college, establish a roadmap for degree completion, and constantly evaluate the labor market value of their degree. Lamoreaux immediately presents the student with the notion of “opportunity cost” and continually revisits this idea throughout the text.
In a departure from many textbooks focusing on the returning or first-year student, Lamoreaux strikes a rare balance between accessible writing and maintaining college-level rigor.
The text is consistent in its use of terminology throughout the chapters. Reading level, tone, and accessibility are consistent as well.
The text assumes that the reader has proceeded through the chapters and regularly references material from previous chapters. Sections are self-contained and convey the topics discussed. This allows the student to build a deeper understanding of college processes than other texts which are more modular.
While the text presents information in a manner that is consistent with a, I believe that students would derive greater benefit from a more strictly chronological presentation of information that mirrors their encounter with college and its unique processes.
There are minor inconsistencies between the many of the tables presented throughout the text. At points, lines that should otherwise extend to the right margin cut off in the middle of the page. Furthermore, a non-standard approach to indentation is used within tables.
The book has a syntactic level of complexity that is appropriate for the first-year college student. The book presents no grammatical or spelling issues.
Lamoreaux is sensitive to the the needs of returning and non-traditional college students. The examples used throughout the text frequently address topics of interest to women, individuals with part-time jobs, and those who consider themselves academically underprepared.
This book covers a wide range of topics and issues related to the success of “non-traditional” students, but it also contains extremely helpful resources and reminders that are useful to “traditional” students and ones who are past the... read more
This book covers a wide range of topics and issues related to the success of “non-traditional” students, but it also contains extremely helpful resources and reminders that are useful to “traditional” students and ones who are past the transition-to-college phase. The text begins by addressing such philosophical issues as “what is college for?” and directs students to be self-reflective and purposeful vs. just doing what society “expects” or what their counterparts do. The author explains and analyzes a variety of resources. Although some are specific to Lane Community College or the state of Oregon, others are fairly applicable or at least provide a starting point for what students should inquire about/seek at their own institution. The author also provides glossary information, charts, explanations, references, and examples that are clear, thorough, and widely applicable.
I found this text to be accurate and consistent with the information that I learned as a college student (albeit the hard way!) and what I now use in advising students. The author didn’t appear to be biased, except for possibly a positive bias toward students who are typically considered “non-traditional.” They are simply called “students” in her work. I specifically appreciated the fact that students’ competing interests/barriers/responsibilities/classifications (e.g., full-time employee, single-parent/family duties, first-generation status, ELL, disabilities, international student, GED vs. standard diploma, older students, etc.) are discussed in objective ways. These labels are merely descriptors…neither used as an excuse for subpar performance nor a rationale for requesting special treatment.
The book’s content is up-to-date and should remain relevant for a long time. Although some particulars may change over time (technology, admissions processes) or could be somewhat more applicable to certain geographic regions or different U.S. institution sizes, I believe the overall advice is timeless, prudent, and general enough to remain applicable to multiple situations. Even if there are updates or additional concepts to add at a later date, the way it is written and organized lends itself nicely to changing certain sections without causing great impact to other areas. I particularly liked the reflective questions, exercises and agree/disagree activities sprinkled throughout. That would likely help create personalization and ‘buy-in’ of students who might be tempted to think they don’t need assistance to succeed in order to succeed in college.
This text is clearly written, with plenty of white space to make it eye-appealing and not heavily laden with jargon (however, in cases where there is unfamiliar or potentially-confusing terminology, acronyms, etc., the author offers easy-to-understand explanations and/or applications). This is a very easy read…both in vocabulary and conversational style. The author is straightforward and realistic (explaining that some aspects of college success demand a considerable amount of time, effort, and investigation by the student…in most situations, there is simply no shortcut to hard work). She breaks down step-by-step processes into manageable parts…but she’s simultaneously encouraging. She is clear that many things about being a student aren’t easy (regardless of whether they’re ‘traditional’ or ‘non-traditional’), but she also relays a very positive, you-can-do-it attitude. Furthermore, she includes suggestions for “how to use this book” and left a “Notes for Instructor” space and wide margins, allowing for the addition of personal notes, ideas, additional resources, assignments, etc.
The text is fairly consistent overall, especially regarding philosophical tenets, terminology, structure and framework. There are overarching threads that are consistently interwoven through the text [i.e. What frames your value of education? What kind of ‘return on investment’ do you expect from college? What are you willing to trade (opportunity cost) for going to college?] However, I found quite a few grammatical and spelling inconsistencies throughout. Some examples include: 1) p. 15, line 8: “At that time, California was known for excellent higher educational system;” 2) p. 49, line 5: “Tim Ferris” and p. 50 (heading) “Tim Ferriss.” However, the document wasn’t so fraught with errors that it cast a dim light on the author’s topical expertise. I suspect it was likely more an ‘attention-to-detail’ issue or careless editing than lack of knowledge re: grammar or writing style.
This work is easy to break into “chunks” so the reader can process them individually, then assimilate the information back into a larger construct (i.e. they can find and learn about individual topics, then assemble it all into ‘big picture’ concepts). Sections can be read independently without risk of missing something or feeling lost in lingo. Headings/subheadings, overall organization and use of ‘white space’ all add to the readability of the work.
Readers will appreciate the logical, orderly flow of this piece, including the fact that supporting points are well-organized, appropriate to the topic at hand, and examples are provided to reinforce the author’s points. The book’s content is objective, and not related to subjects that are prone to argument, personal interpretation, or debate. The author does include several categories of students that could be misunderstood by people who haven’t personally experienced that situation (i.e. being a single parent, homelessness, U.S. military service/veteran status), but those are explained in a tactful, unbiased manner. Furthermore, the structure of the text lends itself to having a long, useful ‘shelf life’…possibly even being the type resource a college student would keep to reference during their entire undergraduate career.
This text is free of significant interface problems, however, I wasn’t able to navigate to any of the several links referenced therein (i.e. TED & TEDx Talks or Internet links). I am unsure whether this is because of true interface issues, or maybe a factor of the document being in PDF format, where links may not be “live.” Yes, I could look up the referenced TED Talks on my own, but having links would be more use-friendly. Several charts, diagrams, images, graphs, etc. were included throughout the document, and all displayed well, both in visual and conceptual representation. Some could possibly have benefited from a bit more explanation/clarity, but it certainly didn’t excessively confuse or distract the reader.
My main concern with this text (and the only point of considerable improvement I can suggest) is related to spelling, subject-verb agreement, and grammatical errors. At times, these were plentiful enough to cause confusion or distraction, and addressing them would drastically increase the quality and merit of this work. Examples: 1) p. 6, line 3 (incomplete sentence): “All things the young adults need to know before striking out on their own for the first time.” 2) p. 6, line 34 to p. 7, line 1: “The content of this textbook will not focus on the needs young adults living away from home for the first time.” 3) p. 8, line 2: “First Generation in the US” should use “U.S.” although this could be argued as a style issue. 4) p. 9, line 1-3: “Current data from the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) supports the information highlighted in their 2003 report titled Work First Study Second.” (This is a very common error, but it should say “data support” since the term “data” is plural.) 5) p. 14, line 16: the term “preform” should be spelled “perform.” 6) p. 19, line 1: “Before you enroll a college” should be “enroll in college” or “enroll at college.” 7) pg. 22, item #10 (capitalization is inconsistent with other headings in that section).
I found this text to be culturally relevant, sensitive and inclusive. It addresses several cultural issues that may be faced by students entering college (i.e. ELL, cultural norms/protocols, and the amount of priority a student or his/her family places on work vs. education). It’s good for students who are not in those categories to become more aware and open-minded. I appreciated that the author went beyond race and ethnicity (which we sometimes consider as the single aspects of “culture”) and she included such cultural descriptors as homelessness, dislocated workers, military veterans, students with disabilities, single parents, full-time employees who are attending college part-time, first-generation students, and ones who attainted a GED instead of a standard high school diploma. In this way, the author was inclusive of categories that extend past our sometimes-typical ones of race, ethnicity, and cultural background.
I highly recommend this text! It is easy to read, and I found the content to be applicable, “hands-on,” thorough and not overly simplistic. The author has considerable experience helping students ascertain and realize their educational and career-related dreams. It is evident that she is passionate about empowering students to have a great introductory experience with post-secondary education and to be successful throughout their entire college career. I intentionally chose this text because of its relevance to my college’s “first year experience” course, which I’ll teach this fall. I see this text as useful and user-friendly, so I plan to utilize it with my students as soon as two months from now.
This student guide book for incoming, non-traditional college students provides a wide range of common topics that new students need to know about with a thorough table of contents with easy to understand chapter headings. It contains eleven... read more
This student guide book for incoming, non-traditional college students provides a wide range of common topics that new students need to know about with a thorough table of contents with easy to understand chapter headings. It contains eleven chapters ranging from answering the philosophical and practical question of what college is for to how to understand the "language" of college as well as how to register, how to navigate the school's website and where to seek out resources and scholarships for success in school. I found this information to be current with what types of questions students ask me to guide them through or ones that they need to know to become acquainted with a college right for them or to become acclimated to the particular environment as they are getting started as a non-traditional student. I also liked the educational TedX talks interspersed within the eBook format. However, some were not entirely matched to the points being addressed in the sections and so it was hard to link the ideas together and it could use more focus on "successful learning and study habits for students".
I found the content to be mostly accurate, error-free and unbiased. I don't expect a text to be completely unbiased when it comes to sharing personal opinion as I believe that students take what they need and ignore what doesn't apply to them as long as the information is not offensive or discriminatory.
The content is fairly up-to-date and relevant to incoming non-traditional students and includes links to websites and Tedx talks on YouTube. Some of these are a few years old and could be updated. It would be relatively easy to update these links and find more recent videos as time passes. The digital eBook structure also allows the content to be updated easier than a traditional paper textbook would allow, which gives it a longer shelf life.
I found the text easy to follow and understand. Most of the information wasn't new to me, but it is practical and valuable information for new students who have many questions and concerns. This books clearly clarifies and demystifies many aspects of college life and is a great guidebook for new, non-traditional students.
This book is consistent in its terminology and is accessible to the average student. It contains reflection and discussion questions in most chapters to help students internalize what they are reading and personally guide them on what will work for them throughout the process.
The modularity is well designed. There are relevant quotes at the beginning of chapters to set up the focus of each chapter. There are bold titles, subheadings and numbered lists that assist in organizing the information clearly which makes it easy to follow.
The organization is well laid out in an easy to follow manner. I had no problem with the flow and transitions from chapter to chapter. Each one build on the next and stayed consistent to its topic, yet connected nicely to the one before it.
Everything with the interface appears to be working adequately. All the links are updated and go immediately to the necessary websites. I did have some issues with the downloading of the eBook. I couldn't get the files to open up with my Kindle or other reading programs. I ended up reading the pdf version, which wasn't as user friendly as I would have liked it to be. This could have been a technical glitch on my part though.
The grammar and punctuation is mostly legible and accurate. I did see a few typos, but for the most part it doesn't distract from the message or content of the book.
It could have used more multi-cultural references in it that showed more of a social justice perspective of oppression and how systematic racism, sexism, homophobia or xenophobia play out within a culture that attempts to address these issues, but often falls short and how to do more to prevent this from happening. There are many examples and references to Lane Community College which is a smaller school than PCC, where I teach and advise.
Overall, it's a excellent guide and work book to have students read, study and discuss in either a beginning reading and writing class or a college guidance and survival course.
The text covers in logical order topics or student’s concerns that non-traditional students might have. Given that, this text helps to demystify the college experience or introduce college systems to non-traditional students, it contains, as it... read more
The text covers in logical order topics or student’s concerns that non-traditional students might have. Given that, this text helps to demystify the college experience or introduce college systems to non-traditional students, it contains, as it should be a glossary in between the chapters of terms used at colleges and universities. The text caters to students going to community colleges as well as 4-year universities and uses two higher education institutions as examples throughout the book, which is helpful for any students, traditional, or non-traditional.
The book is accurate as much as it could be. It uses examples of tuition at community college and a public university, and with tuition always changing it always difficult to be completely accurate. However, this is understandable and gets to the point of comparing prices of colleges and choosing the right one for the student, for each specific student’s situation.
The book is up-to-date as much as it could be. It uses examples of two colleges, compares the tuition of the two, but with tuition always, fluctuation, and is difficult to change the tuition constantly for the sake of complete accuracy. However if an instructor would want to use other universities or colleges as examples, it would be easily to modify. As the number of “non-traditional” students grow and become the new traditional student, the relevance of the book will continue to grow.
The book is clear and concise. The book is an easy read and it flows incredibly well. When college jargon is used, it explains the jargon beforehand and has exercises for students to research the jargon more in detail at the college or universities that they are thinking of going or currently attending.
Whenever the book uses jargon or terminology it explains it beforehand and uses the same term with the same meaning consistently.
The chapters of the book allows instructors to assign readings at different points of the class. The book can be read for the most part without a specific order.
The topics presented are organized in a very organic fashion. It is structured as if a student was talking to you and asking you college related questions in that same order. The order of the chapters and the topics are organized in a clear fashion.
This book is best read online since it contains TED Talks embedded in the text. When the book is downloaded into a pdf, for example, it is confusing to see big chucks of white space. When I first started reading the book, I downloaded the book as a pdf, not realizing until well into chapter two that the online version had the videos embedded. I think it would be helpful to place a disclaimer somehow that there are videos, and the best way to read this book is online, rather than downloading the book.
No grammar errors that I could notice.
The text is not cultural insensitive, and the TED talks chosen present speakers of different backgrounds.
A Different Toad to College is a great book for non-traditional students, traditional students and even college staff. It helps to demystify the college experience and helps students navigate college systems to their advantage. This book is best read online, since it has TED talks and YouTube videos embedded that help with the content of each chapter. The book also contains instructional materials that help students understand the material presented or help instructors create discussion questions for class.
The introduction contains a good definition of the non-traditional student that such students would identify with. Much of the introduction contains graphics and other information that they would probably skip and is of more interest to the... read more
The introduction contains a good definition of the non-traditional student that such students would identify with. Much of the introduction contains graphics and other information that they would probably skip and is of more interest to the instructor.
Chapter 1 has good material about why students go to college but could do more with focusing on the students themselves. There is a set of questions; suggestions for use could be provided.
The material in Chapter 2 is useful in selecting a college, but if the intended audience is students who have already enrolled in college, it would not be applicable to them. It also seems very broad-based for such an essential area.
The discussion of “college vocabulary” in Chapter 4 is extremely useful for the target audience: a nontraditional student unfamiliar with navigating “college.”
Chapter 5’s discussion of college schedules contains a general overview of issues students will face but would benefit from more specific advice and resources other than the ones mentioned, or at least advice on how to locate resources that would help with this issue.
The discussion of college Web sites in Chapter 6 is woefully inadequate. It simply addresses the difficulties with navigating colleges’ public sites without including a discussion of tools like the student portal like Banweb or Learning Management Systems like Blackboard or D2L. Most students likely don’t even look at the public Web site after they are enrolled.
Chapter 7’s discussion of placement testing seems more appropriate for students who have not yet enrolled, not who are already enrolled.
“Understanding College Expenses” is vital information for students both before and after enrollment, so students would definitely benefit from reading this chapter. There are entire books and Web sites devoted to about this topic, but this chapter is a good introduction. The following chapter on scholarships is equally useful.
Chapter 11 on “Pulling It All Together” provides a nice ending to the book and gives students an opportunity for self-reflection about their own college experiences.
Since the author is a community college instructor whose students are the “nontraditional” kind that she intends this book for, the information she provides is from first-hand experience. There were a few places that could have benefited from more development, but the book is generally accurate. It is also reasonably unbiased.
The content is relevant and can be easily updated. Some references to Lane Community College specifically would not be applicable to students from other institutions. There are also links throughout the text to additional material; some thought might be given to making these fixed or checking them regularly to make sure they remain relevant.
The author also seems to assume that the target audience is community college students. There are some references to the practices of universities and four-year colleges, but a good deal of the content discusses “college” from the point of view of a two-year college student. This is particularly evident in Chapter 10
The author assumes a conversational but academically appropriate tone, addressing the reader as “you.” However, there are frequent shifts from this second-person, more informal style to third-person, which make the flow sometimes jarring.
The text achieves a good balance of consistency between discussing general and specific matters. Terminology is defined and used consistently.
While the individual chapters each have a discrete topic that could be used in any order, some seem more apropos to students prior to their enrollment in college and therefore less useful in a college success class.
The book refers to a number of TED Talks and other Web resources, which adds a multimedia element, but the PDF versions do not provide descriptions, instructions, links, or printed URLs. The “Online” version does.
Several tables within the book seem to suffer from formatting issues in the PDF versions that are not present in the “Online” version.
There are 5 downloadable file formats and an “Online” version. This makes for easy offline usage, but the online option is a good alternative. Also, some guidance about which app(s) would be best used with a particular format would be useful for the less experienced user.
Chapter titles are listed in the Table of Contents, but the formatting seems to have left them out of the individual chapters in the PDF versions.
The text contains a number of colon, quotation mark/punctuation, capitalization, and sentence fragment errors. The following word errors were also noted.
Introduction, p. 4: I have witnessing the struggle and confusion [should be “witnessed”]
Chapter 1, p. 12: How you define success in relationship to your college experience [“in relationship to” should be “in relation to”]
Chapter 7, p. 65: The placement test can be referred to as CPT or CTP exam. [this seems to be a typo—similar mistakes are made throughout the chapter—if they refer to different things, the text needs to be clearer]
The text is careful to use gender-inclusive language (he/she, usage of third-person point of view). There are no references to culture other than first-year college students. Ethnicity and other culture identifications are certainly relevant to non-traditional students, but the author does not address them specifically. Perhaps this could be done in future updates; it might be helpful.
The overall strength of this book is that it was written by someone with a lot of insider knowledge about this topic. The drawback is its intent. Is it aimed at students prior to enrollment in college or after? While it contains good, general information about navigating “college,” it seems more appropriate as a guidebook for prospective students rather than a textbook for students in a college success class.
A transition takes place when someone becomes a college student. Research has shown that students that complete an Introduction to College course perform better in college. For students in the 18 - 24 year old age group I have found three... read more
A transition takes place when someone becomes a college student. Research has shown that students that complete an Introduction to College course perform better in college. For students in the 18 - 24 year old age group I have found three traditional textbooks which I regularly utilize.
The Open Textbook Network, entitled A Different Road To College: A Guide For Transitioning Non-Traditional Students, fulfills the need to assist students 25 years of age and older obtain a solid foundation to be successful in college. The book is a good recourse for a community college or university Introduction to College courses.
Also community based organizations that offer college preparation workshops and classes for adult learners would find it helpful. Some of the topics covered are 10 factors to consider when selecting a college or university, college terms, placement examinations, course scheduling, scholarships, and online college resources.
The layout and accuracy of the book are good.
The book is written in a way to allow for ongoing updates as needed.
The book is written to the correct age group which is adult learners.
The chapters are divided in a way to allow for ongoing student assignments.
Students could do group work to review the various sections of the book as they are designed for this to take place.
The topics are in a logical manner in the book.
A college instructor would not need to skip around but follow the chapters in the order they come in the book.
The grammar used in the book is correct.
Adult learner will be able to relate to this book regardless of their cultural background.
This is a an ideal option for adult learners.
This book covers the information regarding stats and basic information for student looking into transitioning into college. It does not cover information/activities to help students learn how to adjust. I would suggest this text be used more in a... read more
This book covers the information regarding stats and basic information for student looking into transitioning into college. It does not cover information/activities to help students learn how to adjust. I would suggest this text be used more in a sense of freshmen orientation seminar prior to college starting.
The information that I found seemed to be accurate and make sense for the desired population.
The content is very relevant in the field in which is focuses in. I would not see much of these data change in the near years.
The text is easy to understand and clear.
The frame work is a bus jumpy. I would have liked it to have gone into a bit more depth with activities and such.
The way it is organised makes sense.
I would have organized the information differently, but the way they did it is clear enough to follow.
There were pages where, I am assuming, charts of pictures belonged but they did not load in the downloaded PDF.
No issues noted
The text touched on different cultures but it could have gone more into depth regarding unique difficulties in different cultural populations.
I was looking to use this book for my college survival and success course but I would not feel comfortable using it as it only covers very surface information.
The book covers many topics generally and specifically, but the detail feels disjointed. I believe for me, it is due to many links to external websites should the reader want more depth in the topics covered. A concern that came up when reading... read more
The book covers many topics generally and specifically, but the detail feels disjointed. I believe for me, it is due to many links to external websites should the reader want more depth in the topics covered. A concern that came up when reading through this book was what if those links no longer were accessible to the reader? I believe a better
approach would be to forget the links and go into more depth within each topic so the reader does not need to look at additional references. Another option is at the end of a chapter, include links for further reading outside of this book.
The author does not cite her where the information is specifically gathered from. No footnotes or end notes. The only citing done in the book is through topic headers and external links. So the accuracy of the material would take time to check, not to mention, the links to external websites can lead to information on those external sites changing or becoming inaccurate over time. The author makes reference to TED Talks, Lane Community College and occasionally general educational information from the State of Oregon. While I do not have an issue with using information gathered from institutions, I think it would have shown a bit more diversity to include several different colleges and
then referenced them. It would have shown the author did a bit more research and offered a well rounded read. It almost feels like this book is for students interested in one particular college institution within a specified state.
While the information at this time might be somewhat accurate, I do not think it will have much in the way of longevity. I believe this is due in part to the external websites whose information can be changed at anytime without the author knowing about it.
The author uses a simplistic presentation without complexity for a good portion of the book. This in turn can be thought of as an “easy read” to many. I think that was probably the intent. Another point to make is that due to the lack of depth in terminology it is hard to go into detail about anything specific unless it is within a table or chart provided by the author.
I think the text is consistent in terms of the framework.
The author presents eleven different chapters that can be referenced independently or as continued reading from one chapter to the next. There are exercises and end of chapter questions that the student can use to help retain the information within the textbook.
I think the way it was organized made sense but how it flowed from one section to the next felt a bit disjointed.
Web links play a huge role in this book. There are also many links to YouTube videos or the suggestion that I could ‘click here’ to watch something, but there is nothing to view. Therefore I would have to copy a link and put in my browser. I think the flow of the book could be improved.
As mentioned earlier, this book is written as if I’m having a conversation with the author herself. It is almost a friendly chat. Therefore, I think grammar and punctuation is sometimes used improperly.
One of the things that did catch my eye about this book is the attention it makes towards the “non-traditional” older student being a “student” of today. Our thinking of a college student being 18 and fresh out of high school is not necessarily the norm any more. The author specifically relates to that in the introduction and I find that to have more cultural relevance. The text also includes social media and technology used in the classroom. The text is aimed specifically at community college students and addresses the needs and culture of that specific group.
I would have a hard time recommending this textbook as it is now. It is not diverse enough. I think that if the author revised this book to be more inclusive and added more depth within the book itself without so many external references, than this book could be
viable for any “non-traditional” student looking to take a leap of faith and go to college at an older age.
This book was very well done. It covers topics that are aimed for the non-traditional student as well as as interesting videos and assignments to reinforce the topic. I thought the terms employees who study rather than students who work was... read more
This book was very well done. It covers topics that are aimed for the non-traditional student as well as as interesting videos and assignments to reinforce the topic. I thought the terms employees who study rather than students who work was fitting for this book.
I would have liked to see more talk about financial aid besides just scholarships. I would have liked to have seen:
how financial aid awards are different independent vs dependent
how financial aid looks at enrollment levels
the importance of talking to a financial aid advisor if you only want to attend 1-2 classes
The key topics were very on-point and I didn't disagree with anything. From an advising standpoint, some things needed side notes such as the "Academic Year" This terminology only addressed Lane but I think it would have been important to mention that the academic year is different at every institution. Some colleges start a new year in the summer where another summer may be the end of a year. In another instance, it said to take 1-2 classes as the student learns to manage time; great advice, but 1 class can impact a students financial aid and that fact wasn't addressed. I thought there was a little too much emphasis on how Lane CC does things; some contrasting would have helped the student realized the important of asking for help.
I thought the book was very relevant and any updating wouldn't be an issue.
The text was clear and any jargon was explained promptly.
Since I know Lane's system, I noticed that sometimes mylane was mentioned, then it was expresslane, and then mylane/expresslane. I didn't think it was necessary to mention expresslane since most students know it as myLane. I also wished that directed electives were explained in the glossary.
This was such as easy read. The chapters weren't too long, the title of each chapter was straightfoward, and I loved that there were some bullet lists. I enjoyed the variety of articles vs videos mixed with worksheets/discussion prompts.
I thought the flow would be better if it went
navigating the college website, placement testing, and then planning a schedule.
Non-traditional students do need to think about how they are going to fit college into their life, but it may be easier for them to do that once they feel comfortable with the college website and knowing their tests are done.
I didn't like that the suggested readings didn't open in a new window.
Some of the activities/worksheets didn't have lines so it was a bunch of empty space or looked too crowded for the page.
The Discounted Dreams link didn't play all the videos consecutively. I had to click on the side menu to watch the other videos.
I noticed two spelling errors but it wasn't distracting and didn't take away from the meaning of the sentence. It was well written.
I didn't see anything that could be taken offensively.
I think it was very well done and was easy to get through. I would recommend it to other instructors.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
- Chapter 1: What's College For?
- Chapter 2: Choosing A College To Attend Supplemental Fun
- Chapter 3: Evolution To College: Becoming A College Student
- Chapter 4: Speaking The Language of College
- Chapter 5: Planning A College Schedule
- Chapter 6: Navigating The College Website
- Chapter 7: Placement Testing
- Chapter 8: Beyond Tuition: Understanding College Expenses
- Chapter 9: Hidden Money: ScholarshipsRandom Autobiographies
- Chapter 10: College Resources
- Chapter 11: Pulling It All Together
- Notes for Instructors
- About The Author
Ancillary Material
Submit ancillary resourceAbout the Book
A Different Road To College: A Guide For Transitioning Non-Traditional Students is designed to introduce students to the contextual issues of college. Non-traditional students have an ever-growing presence on college campuses, especially community colleges. This open educational resource is designed to engage students in seeing themselves as college students and understanding the complexity of what that means to their lives.
Non-traditional students face critical issues surrounding participation and success in college. These critical issues include, but are not limited to, the following
- Strategies for managing competing needs on their time
- Difficulty navigating institutional environments
- Understanding the culture of college
- Transitional services not in place to the same degree as for “traditional” students
- Knowledgeable support systems
- Personal barriers
- Unpredictable influences on their schedules
- Work first, study second priorities
- Paying for college
Underprepared foundation skills (Reading, Writing, Math, Computer Literacy, Human Relations, Oral Communication).
Most textbooks available on the topic of college transition/success today focus on the traditional 18-year old student and the needs of someone living away from home for the first time.The goal of the book is to help students understand how to select the right college for them and then become acquainted with the inner workings and language of college. The book is designed to be a practical guide for first-generation college students as they navigate potentially unfamiliar topics such as understanding the costs of college beyond tuition, navigating college websites, and defining critical language needed to understand communication regarding the context and culture of the college.
About the Contributors
Author
Alise Lamoreaux has a long history of teaching non-traditional students who are preparing for the GED and transitioning to college. She teaches a class called, “Everything You Want to Know About College, Before You Start” along with Hybrid GED courses at Lane Community College. Alise is known for her willingness to learn and use new technologies in the classroom, such as digital storytelling, learning management systems, and other online resources. She is an advocate of student success. Throughout the years, she has demonstrated her willingness to teach other professionals how they might also implement innovative technologies in the classroom. This year, she took on the challenge of writing an open source textbook, through a grant she received from openoregon.org, titled, A Different Road To College: A Guide for Transitioning Non-traditional Students. This free resource is designed to engage students in seeing themselves as college students and understanding the complexity of what that means to their lives, as well as helping to unlock the contextual complexities of the culture of college.