Eagan, MN
Everest Institute-Eagan

I attend a women's college. A close-knit and empowering community of dedicated and diverse women from across the United States and all around the world with a 30% international population. We strongly embrace a liberal arts education and strive to provide an intimate and engaging classroom experience for students with small class sizes. A part of the five-college consortsium, including Smith, Hampshire, Amherst and UMass Amherst, students from all colleges have the priviledge to cross-register and use the resources at all 5 colleges, providing any student with the unlimited tools and opportunities for learning.

I know you had your eyes set on that one college. Your dream college. You worked so hard through your entire high school career hoping to gain acceptance into that one college. Then came the rejection letter in the mail. I realized my next four years would be spent at another institution because I wasn't "good enough". Then I asked myself, why "that" college? I envisioned my "dream" school would provide me with unique campus, learning and student life experiences and its prestige will land me a desirable job. But remember, a college degree is not going to guarantee you a job. Nor will "that" college guarantee you a happy next four years. The college experience is about what you make of the college. It is about making meaningful friendships and memories that will last beyond your college years. It is about taking courses in different disciplines to discover skills, interests and experiences that you would not have otherwise. It is about taking advantage of its resources, allowing them to teach and shape you to be the best that you can be. That is your "dream" school, and you can make it happen anywhere.

We are a very small school and in the rather isolated and quiet town of South Hadley, Massachusetts. Students must take buses, that travel through all five colleges, to buy groceries, school supplies, clothes and other neccessities. For a simple trip to the bank or bookstore, I must take a 25 minute bus ride all the up to Amherst, Massachusetts. To find clothing stores, I usually take a 15 minute bus ride up to Northhampton. Our location can be a great inconvenience and may be depriving for those who are used to living in or close to a city.

There is an old saying that hindsight is 20/20. As an adult learner returning to college with a determination to succeed, I now understand the true meaning of this saying. When I left high school, I went to college one year after graduating in 2002 without any real plan for achieving my goal of graduating college. I failed my coursework and wasted my parents’ money. I never realized how important having a college education was until now because I was always able to have gainful employment with a high school diploma. Now in 2013, there is a competitive job market, I have a young son for whom I must set a good example, and a great entry-level job that has endless opportunities for advancement. The only thing standing before me is a degree that will allow for promotions and substantial pay. If I could go back in time, I would tell my 18-year-old self, “Alfred, you’re going to be married, have a one-year-old son, and a good job that requires a degree in order to promote. Stop at nothing to obtain your degree. Otherwise, you will regret it later when you’re 28.”

It gives me convenience and flexibility of taking classes online.

Anyone who can't motivate themselves to start coursework on their own.