Checklist For Reentry Students


  • Remember that you are not the only one experiencing anxiety. Coming back to school requires many adjustments... on you, your family, and friends.

  • Ask for help. Seek out resources and people who might be able to assist you.

  • Ask questions. Anytime something doesn't make sense or is not clear, you have the right to ask questions. Asking questions will save you valuable time, energy and possibly money.

  • Meet with an advisor or professor when you don't understand something. Ask for suggestions on how to improve your studying and grades. Remember professors are human.

  • Meet and converse with your student peers, especially other reentry students. They have some of the same concerns you have. You can learn from each other.

  • Believe in yourself. As an adult learner you have special strengths to be successful: maturity, high motivation, diverse life skills, and a variety of life experiences.

  • Be good to yourself. Reward yourself for persevering, for studying, for staying in school.

  • Take good care of yourself. Eat, exercise, and rest appropriately. Staying physically and emotionally fit contributes to being successful in school.

  • Adjust your lifestyle. Remember you cannot do everything that you did before you returned to school. Learn to be selective in what you agree to do. Allow others to share the responsibility.

  • Remember transitions aren't easy. Becoming a student requires patience, purpose, persistence and a sense of humor.