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Are you thinking about making some changes in your life? Maybe you're ready to return to school! Now is the best time to do so with the economy we are experiencing. It is during times like these that your best bet is to learn new skills and earn a degree to get a better paying career.

Sounds great, but where do you start? There are few things you'll have to do when going back to school. Your first assignment is to decide what subject you want to learn! Perhaps you've always felt the calling to help people, and you want to become a nurse. Or perhaps teaching is more your style. Whatever career you've always dreamed of having, you need to choose the best school for you and your chosen field.

The next step in going back to school is applying to the school of your choice. Your needs will dictate whether this is a community college or a four-year university. Of course, if you're like me, you might start off at a community college, and then transfer to a university. Also keep in mind for-profit universities like DeVry and Kaplan. For-profit colleges like these are often a great choice for adults who are working full time.

You've been accepted! Congrats! Well, now is the time to start looking into how you're going to be paying for this. Thankfully, there are quite a few opportunities through scholarships, grants, and student loans. It's a good thing scholarships aren't just for the kids - in fact, did you know that there are over 230 scholarships available that have a minimum age restriction of 25? And don't forget to apply for the many government grants that help adults return to school. Student loans may also be a good choice for those of us who aren't eligible for the 'free' money, and interest rates can be as low as 2.75% for those who qualify.

OK, we've been accepted, and we've covered the costs - what do we do next? Now we go to class! Let's not get too gung ho right away - this is going to change your life in certain ways, so it'll be best if you ease yourself into it gently while getting used to this new experience. I think it would be best if you limited yourself to only two or maybe three classes during your first semester. This is what I did, and it helped me get used to the new routine.