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Mature By Carol Stiver Gamecock Staff Writer Older students coming to USC can take advantage of the Mature Students Program to help them adjust to college life. The Mature Students Program is designed for persons 25 or older. "More and more people 25 to 50 are interested in coming back to school or starling a college career, rai Davidson, coordinator of the Department of Special Programs, sail4.. Most students in the program are entering college for the first time, she said. Although the program was started especially for women, males have participated. Of the 32 students enrolled in the program this semester, seven are male. A T Y PIC A L M A T U H E STUDENT, however, is a 35-yearold mother with school-age children, who doesn't know what she wants to do and sees education as "a type of insurance," Davidson said. Most enter as undeclared iyi si inrc ItlUjVl KJ. To help these students adjust to college life, the program provides academic advisement and personal counseling. It also offers a special orientation which simplifies the registration procedure. Students begin the program with three courses limited to those zt> or older. These courses (designed to ease the transition from work within or outside the home to the role of a student) are English 101, University 101 and a third from the humanities or social sciences. Taught by faculty members, each course gives three hours credit and is scheduled in the morning to provide students flexibility in maintaining part-time jobs or picking up school children. One advantage of entering through the Mature Students Program is that in many cases, students do not have to take the Scholastic Aptitude Test for admission. The biggest hurdle the program BHBBBOBBMBBHHMBBHnHBBBH HHUHHHHHni G J Name J Street J tS; State J ^ Soc. Sec. i\io.___ _ I v t - - /? ^j + "51 UldU. DtMllUI i J \ 'V Please enclose c i MEDIA BUS I 60x85 II Ys&'y, Columbia | dAAM TAI ; Reserve your 1979-* |,; before the pi 11 Now?only $10.00 A Student I faced was getting the SATs waived, according to Phyllis Fleishel, an English instructor who began the program in the early 1970s. She said it "takes nerve" for "The reference to age as a potential drawback to enrolling was a common concern: the embarrassment associated with beinq older in a predominantly youth-oriented environment." persons who have been out of school for several years to come back. It is a disruption of their whole life, changing their relationship with spouse and children and affecting their selfconcept. If. on top of these obstacles. the students had to take an entrance exam, they would never come back to school, Fleishel said. A 30-YEAR-OLI) mother of three who had been out of school 12 years said the program helped her build up the confidence that she "can learn just as much as those kids." She felt insecure about going back to school with "people who were my babysitters. I didn't know if I could compete. But I didn't want to turn 40 and realize I didn't have a real career to turn to when the children Ivft home." She said she developed a closeness to people in the program who shared her problems and with whom she could identify and relate. "I think the Mature Students Program is the most excellent idea I've ever seen on a campus," she said. She started this semester as an undeclared maior but nlans to en a t O" into the nursing program. She would like to share all her classes with people in her age group, she said. mmmmmaaasammammmsBaaautM I)! tp i|fi S i Zip ft ! V j :heck and mail to: yTay ti INESS OFFICE / {f !H 131, use, r/ pQ^ ! i.S.C. 29208 ,( /$ 4? & 6AAWA 30 Garnet & Black M 'ice goes up. I _ rter uec. ib?512.00 ^ HHHMHHHMHn IIIHIIH llllll IMIIWIIMIill HI?II1III11HIIWHi Program s A 30-year-old married woman started the program in the fall of 1978. She said the program helped her adjust. "I had been out of school almost 11 years. It's hard to relate to younger students, but it's Jiff 4 I J _ 1 umereiu wiien you re in ciass wun students with the same problems. Everyone got to be real close. We had a lot in common." She said the older students scheduled other freshman classes so they could stay together. ALTHOUGH SHE had decided to go back to school in business administration to enable her to advance at her job, she withdrew two weeks ago. "One reason I dropped out was it's hard to sit in a class wnere i was ine oiaest person. According to a study co-authored by Frank Ardaiolo, associate dean of Student Affairs, "The reference 1 to age as a potential drawback to enrolling was a common concern: the embarrassment associated with being older in a predominantly youth-oriented environment. Virtually every adult learner we talked with mentioned naving to cope with this fear." Fleishel said the program began when Thomas Jones was USC president. He had read a newspaper article which said the university did not do anything for women. The response from the d m J H F MILAN I IL I Librianna Les Nymphoteens ATLANTIC It Love Secrets Girls in the Band IHHHK SAVE BSE l it /^J?sLTHE FAM| i WML .N1S I I COUPON EXPIR ? BBS MM MB MM M Ml MM MM HI M I f/MJ THE FAMIl if^^bao > MM BM MNI MM MM MM MM MM MM Mil 4305 FT. JACKSON BLVD. A" OPEN MON. THRU SAT. aids oldet article was so great he called Fleishel in to do something for the < women. ? THE FIRST GROUP who entered the program, approximately I 20 women, ranged in age from the ! "I didn't know if I ; could compete. But I i HiHn't want tn turn ' i i WW ill. v V 40 and realize I didn't < have a real career to ' turn to when the children left home.'' < i mid-20s to the 50s. 4'They were | marvelous people in that they were < desparately serious about their < If ? A Giant pitcher of Pabsi $1.75 with every Double Family size Pizza. (Cheese and 1 topping Doub I A pitcher of i Wednesday throu : No hppi *old USC Student u? ivi/-\n i r & BEERj M tES 11/8/79 ^ mm mm mm tarn mm ns ash m ma ran hi mm i mm mm n mm warn mm wmt mm mm mm mm !ymartN/'^ FRIEI TESSEN ) 1 2 Piece Bucket Delicious jsaSgj Fried Chicke COUPON EXP i MB mm mm mm m mm I r DEVINE STREET 7 AM TIL 12 PM SUNDAY 9-9 mammmmmmmmaemwemmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm * coeds work," Fleishel said. "And they quickly learned how to enjoy being at the university." Not only did a number of women finish school, Fleishel said, but several went on to do graduate work. "The faculty of the university are extremely helpful :? ~rr : l _ ctiiu uuujKJiauvc in uucruig 10 teach in the program so we can get the very best people," she said. Fifteen percent of Carolina undergraduates are over 25, according to the Office of Institutional Research. Davidson said she would like to see the program grow in enrollment, services and activities for this group of students. She is trying to set up a lounge for older students so they will have a place 3f identification. Tuborg or Dark Beer tip $4.50 Familv $f>.Q5\ soft drink 75* igh Sunday only on Sunday ID Required WORLD'S GREATEST PIZZA! Airport Blvd. W. Columbia 796-0564 Offer expires Nov. 30 J? " f Blue Ribbon J ? ! -KmsTy- 1 I > CHICKEN { I $499 | FREE 32 oz Coke j I IRES 11/8/79 J I YOUR M'niiMimiMi minim in