Life interfered with her plans
When Kristina Harding entered UNCG in the spring of 2001 as a freshman, she was a 27 year-old wife and mother. She had intended to enter college immediately after high school but, as is the case with many adult students, life had a way of interfering with her plans.
Kristina graduated from high school in 1992 and was accepted at Indiana University for the fall term. It was to be her first step toward her lifelong goal of becoming a doctor but unfortunately, her daughter, Kalyea, began to show signs of autism and Kristina made the decision to devote all her time to getting her daughter diagnosed and treated. Finding the public school program for autistic children in her area inadequate, she and her husband Brian made the decision to home school their daughter. To make it possible for Kristina to stay home with Kalyea, her husband Brian went on active duty with the army in 1998.
After several years of home schooling Kalyea expressed an interest in going to public school. In 1999 the family had moved to North Carolina and Kristina was delighted to find a public school program in the Fayetteville area that fit her daughter's needs. Finally, eight years after graduating from high school she was able to begin her college career.
Chose UNCG
Kristina chose UNCG for a variety of reasons. She knew UNCG had a solid reputation in the sciences and she liked that it was a smaller school in comparison with UNC and NC State. But what sold her on UNCG was the effort made by the Office for Adult Students to contact her and invite her to a special orientation program for Adult Students.
"They sent me a personal letter of invitation and I was very impressed. None of the other schools I had applied to had done anything like that; they were all very impersonal. It was reassuring to know that there would be someone at UNCG who was concerned about me."
She came to the orientation session and was impressed by the campus and the friendly welcome. "The best experience I have had so far was that first day I came to campus for the Adult Student Forum. I knew then where I was going to school and it felt great; it made it all seem real." Kristina faced a round-trip commute of close to 180 miles, but to her it was well worth it.
She chose Anthropology as her major rather than Biology. "Medical schools aren't concerned about your major as long as you meet their science requirements. In fact, there are more English majors admitted to medical schools than Biology majors. Human beings are fascinating to me and Anthropology allows me to gain a broader picture of humanity."
Kristina is delighted to finally be pursing her education but at times it has been difficult. She is very aware of the eight year break in her education. "The science has changed so rapidly, especially Chemistry. My high school courses are of very little help. There is so much that I have forgotten."
Has Little Time for Campus Activities
There are also the other problems faced by all adult students who have to cope with outside responsibilities. "When I get out of class I have to leave immediately to make it back home in time to pick up my daughter at school. I have almost no time to enjoy campus activities beyond the classroom. The time constraints combined with the age and experience difference with younger students makes it difficult to make new friends."
Asked what she has found most difficult she says, "The worst experience I have had was winding up stuck in the ditch on a snowy morning. I knew I should have stayed home but with a child to care for, you are always concerned about missing too many classes. Some professors are very strict about the number of allowed absences. It can be stressful at times."
Kristina has developed strategies for coping with her situation and getting the most out of her time on campus. She chose to participate in the Honors Program and finds that honors classes can in ways be easier than regular courses. "The classes aren't nearly as hard as people think and often the professors allow students to work within a less rigid schedule which can be a great help at times. Also, you meet a lot of interesting people."
She has found that it is important to mine other students for information. "I talk to every one I can. You'll learn a lot of important tidbits that you won't find anywhere else, such as the characteristics of different professors and which courses should best be avoided."
Family Primary Source of Support
Kristina credits her husband and daughter as her primary source of support. "Kalyea makes sure I do my homework and Brian does most of the house cleaning so I can use my time at home to study."
She also has her entire extended family backing her. "I am the first member of my family to go to college. Everyone is interested in how I'm doing and they are all very encouraging. It puts some pressure on me to succeed but they are also a great source of support. I have a cousin who has now entered nursing school and we commiserate all the time."
If things go according to plan, Kristina will begin medical school in 2006. She hopes to eventually practice family medicine. "I like to see a lot of different things and learn a little bit about everything; specialization would be too limiting."
But for now she is concentrating on her studies and enjoying her undergraduate experience. "There is so much I would like to learn; I wish I could take twelve majors."
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Page updated: 06-May-2009
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