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Our Process

Can you feel the momentum building? We can. You’re getting closer to taking classes and taking next-steps to make your dreams a reality.

Remember that most adult learners at NC State experience a return on investment immediately—while they are going through the college experience. Many complete courses that lead to professional certificates that many employers reward with an increase in pay and position. You might also earn multiple certificates (called “stacked” certificates) as you work toward a two-year associate’s degrees, a four-year bachelor’s degrees, and more. We can show you labor-market data about your earning potential with local employers. Keep all this in mind as you take the important steps outlined in this section.

As noted earlier, NC State acknowledges that some adult learners may struggle with college-level math and English, especially if it has been a while since you were in school. Therefore, we have reinvented the first-year experience to make it more meaningful to you. We have developed some new first-year courses and tutoring services that help adult learners build momentum by making their first few classes very relevant to their academic and career goals.

Stay Focused on Creative & Critical Thinking

Keep this thought in mind. All of your college courses are designed to help you enhance creative- and critical-thinking skills, whether it’s with language or numbers or both. Courses are also designed to enhance what are called soft-skills, which include emotional intelligence, interpersonal communication, and working collaboratively with peers in teams.

Most employers these days look for and reward employees who have a positive can-do attitude and effective social skills, team-building skills, and leadership skills. They are also looking for excellent creative- and critical-thinking skills—the ability to identify, explain, and execute effective solutions to problems in the real world and to evaluate the results and make improvements. The faculty and staff at NC State are here to help you infuse these essential abilities into your dreams and dream job. This, too, is an immediate and long-term return on your investment.

Believe in You & the Power of Your Mind

Here’s a reminder that NC State promotes the growth mindset among students. It’s a positive and productive way of feeling and thinking about yourself that helps you gain momentum in your college experience. The growth mindset is based upon research which shows that the human brain has the ability to rewire itself throughout life. The brain is like a muscle. It gets stronger the more you use it and challenge it. When you learn something new and difficult, you and your brain change and grow.

For more information, visit the “Embrace a Growth Mindset” section.

  • You can register for your first classes at new-student orientation. We encourage you to do it sooner than later to ensure that you reserve a seat for yourself. Some classes fill up fast. If you need help learning how to use the online registration system (“MyNC” portal), ask your Success Coach for help (see above) or visit the Student Success Center as soon as possible. NC State has many study options to accommodate the often-hectic schedules of adult learners. Study options include the following:

    • Day courses
    • Night courses
    • Multiple locations (Mansfield, Shelby, Bucyrus)
    • Online classes
    • Hybrid classes that combine on-campus and online learning

    Related Resources

  • Develop a relationship with people in the Cashier’s Office and visit its website to learn more about fees and payment options and deadlines. Here are a few things to keep in mind:

    Payment options to consider

    • Pay in-full
    • Payment plan
    • Credit/Debit card payments
    • Tuition Reimbursement Program (with your current employer)
    • Tuition Reimbursement Deferral Program (a collaboration among students, their employers, and NC State Cashier’s Office)

    Financial aid options to consider

    Remember that sources of financial aid are diverse and may come from the Federal government, State of Ohio (including the Ohio county where you live), private charitable foundations, private financial institutions and NC State’s foundation. Examples of financial aid include the following:

    • Grants
    • Scholarships
    • Work-Study
    • Student Loans
    • Tuition Reimbursement (from employers)
    • Veterans Affairs (grants and scholarships)

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  • Your academic successes today will help you gain more momentum toward achieving your goals and making your dreams and dream-job a reality.

    • Believe in the power of your mind to learn, change, and grow (i.e., the growth mindset)
    • Attend your classes
    • Complete your assignments on time
    • Communicate with faculty members who teach your classes about your questions and concerns
    • Connect with tutors if you need some help and personalized instruction
    • Connect with NC State’s Specialized Supportive Services (Disability Services) if you need their help

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  • NC State embeds tutors in its first-year introductory “gateway” classes and developmental classes for English and math. A tutor can give you personalized support and help. Our goal is to help you complete your college-level English and math classes in your first year. Research shows that adult learners gain and keep their learning-momentum when they successfully complete required gateway classes in their first year. Remember that most courses you complete and the certificates and degrees you earn at NC State are transferrable to other four-year colleges and universities.

    Tutors are always available as long as you are enrolled in classes at NC State. We provide multiple tutoring options, for example:

    • In-person tutoring by appointment
    • Walk-in tutoring
    • Online tutoring
    • Classroom (embedded) tutoring in most subjects and majors (tutors collaborate with faculty and instructors)

    Join TRIO Services

    The purpose of the TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) Program is to increase college retention, graduation, and transfer rates for eligible members. TRIO provides and coordinates a variety of educational support services for students who are first-generation low-income students and/or students with disabilities. It is a federally-funded grant program, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Education. We serve eligible North Central State College students.

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  • Here’s a reminder to stay in touch with your Success Coach, who is located in the Student Success Center. The coach is your first on-campus advisor and “go-to” person for help. This person helps you develop a structure for your first experiences at NC State that will build your momentum of success. Your coach gets to know you as an individual and helps you develop an initial, flexible plan. For more detailed information, see “Meet with a Success Coach” section.

    Related Resources