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I have a 7,500 undergrad/1,600 grad school state university in town. I can take whatever courses I want for $100-ish in fees. I was an electrical engineering/computer science major so my liberal arts is pretty thin. It would be kind of fun to round things out.
$100ish for all classes, or per unit? Can you fully participate in the classes and get credit towards a degree?
I'd rather pay something and get another degree than just sit there like a lump in a classroom.
Do the "WA residents 60 and older" get to accumulate credits and apply them to a degree, or are the classes just "auditing," i.e. attending but not getting credit?
From what I understand, one audits the classes. But that's fine with me. I just want to learn, not earn credits toward another degree. For me, it will be thrilling just to be on campus again, studying with some of the best professors in the world.
$5 to audit 2 classes per quarter at UW is an incredible bargain. A normal class is worth 5 credits. To take 2 classes worth a total of 10 credits in my former field of study at UW would cost $5,421 in Autumn Quarter 2016. That's the rate for WA residents. Non-residents pay considerably more.
Auditors don't get credit towards a degree. You have to pay full price for that piece of paper.
If you want to fully participate (and don't care about a degree), be sure you can....I'd be surprised if profs will grade your papers or tests. But, surely ymmv depending upon each Uni.
I have a 7,500 undergrad/1,600 grad school state university in town. I can take whatever courses I want for $100-ish in fees. I was an electrical engineering/computer science major so my liberal arts is pretty thin. It would be kind of fun to round things out.
He took these courses as a "non-degree" student (although he did earn course credits). And had to pay modest fees for the courses he took. He had to get university permission to take courses (they looked at his college and law school transcripts). And permission from his specific professors. Wasn't very hard because he was very committed. Most of the (advanced) courses he took were very small. The professors liked him. He was allowed to participate in classes - take tests - and he had his tests graded.
Courses are free for people over 65 (or perhaps it's 60) at state schools in Florida - but that's on an audit-only basis. People in this category have the lowest priority in terms of being able to take classes. People with my husband's status have second lowest priority. Which can be a factor - especially when it comes to larger "prerequisite" type courses that are over-crowded with regular degree students.
Apart from the STEM courses - my husband took a couple of language courses that he liked. He didn't last for 2 weeks in the one more liberal artsy course he took. Much much too PC for him (and that was about a decade ago).
In any event - if anyone is interested in something like this - it's best to check with particular schools. UNF has grown a lot since my husband took his classes - and it might be very hard or impossible for him to get into the courses he took ten years ago today.
BTW - when it comes to OLLI - our offerings here seem to be broader than those in some other programs. My father's favorite is a "current events" course - where the students basically choose topics that they want to discuss - and they discuss them. Robyn
One consideration when it comes to these communities is whether you want to be surrounded by a lot of residents who all went to the same school if you didn't. Especially if they're sports-crazy . Robyn
Look at the size of a dorm room, the lack of cleaning and poor maintenance, the mediocre food, noise, shared bathrooms, lack of temperature and ventilation controls, sealed windows, cheap mattresses, minimal electrical, etc. Then look at the high prices colleges and universities charge for those accommodations. Do you really want to rent from them?...
Actually I am well aware of the steps many schools have taken in improving dorm living and food services. Many have taken those steps to differential and market their services. Note that in many cases (including the "30 most luxurious") the schools have turned to private contractors to build and operate the housing and food services. As a rule colleges and universities don't do well in operating the housing services. Costs are typically very high. That might be partly due to the turnover and summer vacancies.
One consideration when it comes to these communities is whether you want to be surrounded by a lot of residents who all went to the same school if you didn't. Especially if they're sports-crazy . Robyn
I suspect that is part of the draw for the folks living there. I didn't fully realize how prevalent they were until this thread.
So who is the anonymous scaredy cat who repped me and said OMG. Don't ever move to Arkansas a terrible terrible place unless you are Baptist. I would like to know your reasons and who you are. Have you ever been there? What is your situation and why did you write that?
Anyone can take classes in FL at a state school as an auditor if over the age of 65. I am a FL college teacher and have had delightful auditors.
Still, it's better to take classes for real, and that's one thing I plan to budget for.
I would not want to live on a uni campus, however, especially not at those ridiculous prices. Anyone can live near a school and attend lectures, etc.
University life is exactly what I am going to miss when I retire in a few years, but I have a plan to do online courses (if I move to a rural area) or just take campus courses if I am near a school.
My preferences would be painting and Japanese language study at the moment, two things I love and have never had time to pay attention to while working. (Painting courses, of course, still don't get delivered online. Language courses are often offered, though.)
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. Robyn
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