Adult College Education

The Lost Boys Of South Sudan ( Formerly known as Sudan)

Monday, January 23, 2012 by Granite State College Stories

If I was to appreciate one thing it would be my very striking journey from my homeland and those who gave me refuge in their countries. I left my country due to the civil war that had put the country into huge turmoil. I have been to Ethiopia for four years, Kenya for nearly ten years and finally to the United State from August 23rd 2001 to the present.

I have never been to school in my country and neither have my parents or any other family members. I remember going to grade one in Ethiopia before we were driven out by the regime change in 1991. It had been long treking and painful for me and colleagues during those times.

In August 2001, I landed here with the idea of becoming the first ever person in the family who should reach the goal of achieving the break through in education. However, I was affected by the homesickness that overwhelmed me because of the long time that I had spent with no parents. So I decided to go back home in 2006 and get married to a girl that I knew back in Kenya.

In 2007, I came back and started to take some online adult education classes while doing a follow up on my wife's process to come here. It had not been easier and I personally learned a lot from that. Finally, my wife came here in 2008 and gave me a sense of relieve mentally. I am now a Granite State College student pursuing my BS in Business Management. It is my true pleasure to be a GSC student and I look forward to graduating next year if possible. To my fellow students, there is no hesitation to better living and there is no struggle with no reward. Remember that whatever you do has an outcome/end result.

Name: James Alier
Class of: 2012
Location: Manchester/Online
Degree: BS in Business Management

Project Management for the Holidays

Tuesday, December 20, 2011 by Mary Young

It's Christmastime, the decorations are out, the carolers are warming up, the shopping season is in full swing, and it's time to reflect on the challenges and accomplishments of the past year.  If I were making a list, the first item in both the Challenges column and the Accomplishments column would be the pursuit of a Masters Degree in Project Management.

The challenge lies in the fact that I haven't been a college student in, oh, let's just say, a very long time. Not only am I enrolled in the very first graduate degree program offered at Granite State College, I am in the very first cohort scheduled to graduate in 2013. I am so proud and excited to be part of such an illustrious group of bright, dedicated and funny people...I really like this thing called adult higher education!

In the accomplishment column I proudly include the completion of the first of ten terms in the project management masters program. This term was made up of two six-week classes - PM 804 Project Management Seminar and PM 804 Leading Teams; both were excellent courses.  My preferred delivery method for instruction is face to face, on the ground at our Manchester NH campus. Of course, for those of you who would rather operate completely in the digital world, you always have the option of taking any of our adult college courses online.

It is interesting now that I am immersed in the world of project management...all that we do in life is a project in one way or another. I see it all around me. The applications, tools and techniques of project management can be applied to everything from planning a holiday party to putting a man on the moon.

Now there's a thought...how might I apply what I've learned so far in my project management classes to make my holiday season just a little less stressful and a bit more organized?

Project Scope: Just what do I want to accomplish this holiday season? I certainly don't want to bite off more than I can chew so I had better define exactly what I will and can commit to this year.

Project Team: My family...who is responsible for what and can we accomplish everything we have identified in our project scope?

Project Planning:  Creating a task list (work breakdown structure in project management speak) that includes all of the typical activities (cards, gifts, parties, decorations, food, etc.) around the holiday would be helpful.

Project Risk: Have you ever had your heart set on a particular gift for someone only to find the gift is not available, or that the cost exceeds your budget? Contingency plans are always a good idea.

Project Close: The holidays are over; now is the time to assess what worked and what didn't...lessons learned are a very valuable tool at the close of any project, but only if you use them.

So as you think about everything you have to do for the holidays, remember these four easy steps to help you along: plan, execute, manage and close.  Wishing you a very merry and stress free holiday season!

GSC Factoid: Granite State College offers the most affordable continuing education in the state and is the University System's leading online provider.

My Daughter is Watching Me

Tuesday, December 13, 2011 by Heather Carter

My daughter is 14. She started high school this year and is experiencing a whole new world. On her first day of classes, one of her teachers had her list her goals for her future. I'm not sure she's ever even thought in these terms before. Here's what she wrote:

I want to get straight A's.
I want to be on the honor roll.
I want to take AP (advanced placement) classes.
I want to be valedictorian.
I want to go to a really great college.
I want to get a college diploma.

Then they asked who her role model was. She wrote:

My mom.

I'm the first person in my immediate family who has a college degree. Granite State College's adult and continuing education program made that possible when it seemed impossible.

My daughter wants to be the second.

Fighting Fear

Tuesday, December 6, 2011 by Heather Carter

I love New York City. I love the lights, the noise, the people, the larger than life... everything. I have a fondness for the apartment-building stoops and the architecture and the street food carts and all of the different accents from all the different ethnic groups. I've always wanted to experience New York City at Christmas time. Watching "Miracle on 34th Street" (the black and white version only!) every year makes me long to see the famous parade, witness the light displays, visit Macy's. My daugter feels the same way and when I asked her what she'd like to do for Thanksgiving this year, she asked to go to the city to see the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

No matter how much I love the city, the actual reality of going there always scares me, especially with my kid in tow. I have to think about parking and train schedules and hotels and packing and safety and supplies and weather and money and food and directions and logistics of all sorts. But I really wanted to go and I told her I would make it happen. But when it came down to it, just a few days before we were to leave, the fear set in. What if I encounter something I'm not prepared for? With a city that size, there are millions and billions of unpredictable situations. It was the fear of the unknown.

I've felt this fear before of course. Every year of my life on the night before the first day of high school, upon starting a new job, before a date. And one of the biggest ones-- going back to college as an adult. The thing about this fear is, I couldn't ever let it stop me from moving upward and onward. As much as I'd rather have gone about my daily life stuck in a job I deplored with no formal education beyond my high school diploma, and as much as I'd rather sit in the warmth of my living room watching the parade on television when that fear took hold, I knew I couldn't. I wouldn't be that person.

Before beginning college in New Hampshire, at Granite State College, I went through these same feelings and worked through them the same way I did a few days before Thanksgiving. I just stayed scared and followed through with my plan anyway. I just forged ahead despite the fear. Because the only way to make the fear of the unknown go away, is to jump in until its known.

We ended up having a great time in New York City and my daughter and I are now able to say that we saw the most famous annual parade up close and live. We were there. Everyone else I know watched for us on TV from the comfort of their living rooms. But we were there.

On the Road Again...

Tuesday, December 6, 2011 by Beth Hoyt-Flewelling

Well, I am on the road again, visiting more of New Hampshire's SAUs. I am meeting with Superintendents, Special Education Directors, HR specialists, Principals and anyone else who might be connected with the teachers (or future teachers) within the school districts. I think I am up to 28 SAU visits since September and the state has somewhere around 90...so I will be on the road often, since it is my goal to visit all of them!

Today's trip takes me to southern NH, to spread the word about Granite State College's Post Baccalureate Teacher Certification Programs and Advanced Endorsements for already certified teachers. Making sure that school administrators are familiar with Granite State College Teacher Preparation Programs www.granite.edu/academics/teachers/educators.php
helps teachers to continue learning and make a difference in their schools.

Travelling New Hampshire's highways and backroads in search of each district's schools provides for an interesting and fun day. I always loved fall and "back to school" time. The happy sounds of teachers' and children's voices in the schools and on the playgrounds reminds me of the excitement of learning, socializing and playing together.

While this is my first year out of the classroom and not teaching, my visits to the different SAUs throughout the state are a lot of fun and very interesting. I especially enjoy talking with prospective teachers about the programs that Granite State College offers. The excitement of going back to college, taking adult online classes and becoming a teacher is contagious. It is a little bit like visiting those schools and playgrounds...it makes you feel so excited about learning and going back to school!

What a long strange trip it's been...

Tuesday, November 29, 2011 by Cathy Driesch

What a long strange trip it’s been… Jerry Garcia

I’d like to take the journey metaphor a bit further with regard to the paths that lead you to Granite State College and pursuing an adult education degree at this point in your life. How many times have you found yourself in the right place at the right time? Feels great when it happens and you have the presence of mind to recognize the moment and act accordingly… those times when you are clearly in the driver’s seat and the GPS is spot on.

Other times we find ourselves in the passenger seat –restrained, observing the scenery and letting others take charge. Then there are the events that leave one stranded on the side of the road or that car you thought was your trusted friend, (you even named it) that won't start and betrays you on the morning when you can least afford to be late. These are the situations that test our ability to think critically, explore options, and identify opportunities.

Returning to or beginning college is a turning point for anyone. It’s exciting, daunting, exhilarating and a leg of the journey to finding out things about the world and yourself that will change you. Savor every moment, fill the tank and step on it!

What’s in your trunk?

Another Incredible College Course

Thursday, November 24, 2011 by Heather Carter

Speaking of incredible adult college courses that deeply impacted
me (well, I was speaking

of it in my last post anyway), I'll never forget another class I took through Granite State College-- a Manchester, NH college class called Humanities in the Age of Technology. I always loved the unique course selections available to me every term, excited when a crisp new course schedule would arrive in the mail, and this was no exception.

Professor Jeff Haight was the instructor's name and he was really tough. But he was the best kind of tough, because his high standards, proficiency, and insistence on advanced-level learning challenged me beyond what I thought I could do. He introduced me to another genre of learning that was to become a lifelong love of mine-- philosophy. His passion for the subject made it easy to attend that weekend college class.

His was the type of course that went beyond just career training education; It was a class that provoked me to pursue questions about life and meaning and analytical thought. He introduced me to the discourses of Jean-Jacques Rousseau, exposed the class to the trial of Socrates, and taught us the concept of consilience-- the unity of knowledge.

So, yeah. Here's a shout out to you, Jeff Haight. Thank you for your teaching excellence. I won't forget it.

Mona Lisa Smile

Tuesday, November 22, 2011 by Heather Carter

I happened to be up late last night flipping through the channels, when I cam

e across the movie "Mona Lisa Smile" with Julia Roberts, Julia Stiles, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Kirsten Dunst-- a great cast! It's one of those movies I'd always wanted to see but just kept getting pushed further and further down my Netflix queue. So, I grabbed a bag of pretzel twists and some mini Hershey bars left over from Halloween (one pretzel + one square of chocolate in your mouth at the same time = the best chocolate-covered pretzels ever) and I burrowed into some covers to watch the movie. It was so incredibly good! I had no idea it would make that much of an impact on me. By the time it was over I was simultaneously crying and laughing from my mixed feelings of righteous anger and inspiring hope.

The movie is about women. It's set at Wellesley College in the 1950s and focuses on a strong, "subversive," female art history teacher (played by Julia Roberts) and her female students. The movie portrays the messages that were prevalent at that time about the roles of women, their long-inherited expectations of what they were "born to do" with their lives (basically have babies and serve their husbands), and the misguided and unfortunate beliefs that their value was merely rooted in their looks, their ironing skills, and their ability to have dinner on the table by 5:00. In the end, the art history teacher's commitment to empowering her female students changed the courses of their lives in ways they'd never could've dreamed without her.

It got me all worked up and angry. It made me think of all the messages in today's society that continue to perpetuate women inequality and objectification. It vividly reminded me of a couple of evening college classes I took at Granite State College some years before. And more importantly, it reminded me of a teacher that changed my life-- Professor Judy Jones. She was for me what Julia Roberts' character was for her students.

I hadn't thought about her for years and we'd lost touch, but she taught two Women's Studies classes, the first I'd ever taken, and she was responsible for opening up a powerful arena of study for me that fundamentally changed me. She helped me recognize the subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways that women are raised to accept a less than equal footing in the world. She helped me become an even more empowered woman through her Women's Studies courses. And by extension, she helped me offer the tools my daughter needs to recognize the same messages, at a much earlier age than I could have.

That's the amazing thing about the quality adult college education that Granite State College offers. Almost every class I took not only got me one step closer to a degree, but also made a significant difference in my personal evolution as a well-rounded, thoughtful, critically-thinking, impassioned, engaged member of society. I'm so grateful that I had the opportunity to take those remarkable classes and be impacted by such a remarkable teacher.

Voices, Young and Old

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 by Heather Carter

One of the most valuable things I got out of attending classes at Granite State College was from my fellow class mates. They ranged widely in age and background from me and each other. At both my night college classes and my weekend college classes, I was surrounded by a plethora of experience, knowledge, and unique perspectives in addition to what the instructor also offered.

I was able to give peer feedback to a lively, aspiring writer in his 60's who extended his own constructive feedback to me with grace, compassion, and wisdom attained from his life's journey as a middle school teacher, father, husband, and grandfather. I was given the opportunity to support a recent high school graduate majoring in Psychology who was even more scared and unsure about college life than I was. And I found support, myself, from others like me-- tired, single moms working hard all day long before attending part time evening college classes.

I remember sitting in the classrooms and looking around me and being very grateful for this exposure to people from all these different walks of life. And these people were still basically aiming for the same goal I was-- a quality education to fulfill my love for lifelong learning and the golden bonus of a continuing education degree at the end of it all as a New Hampshire graduate. Even though we were vastly different from each other we also had at least that one fundamental dream in common. And I stopped regretting not being able to go to college straight out of high school as I once envisioned, because I wouldn't have been able to experience all of those wonderful voices, young and old, that were only available to me through adult education courses at Granite State College.

Thankful for so much

Wednesday, November 16, 2011 by Deidre Romeo

I am thankful for the health and happiness of my family...
I am thankful for my home...
I am thankful for my job...
I am thankful to those that serve for our country...
I am thankful for my education...

What are you thankful for?

Five years ago before I began my adult college education I was not sure either of my daughters were even going to graduate from high school. Today my oldest is a full time adult college student striving to make the honor roll in her freshman year, my youngest has just graduated from Cosmetology school and I am working on my MBA degree.

It took me 25 years after high school to return and earn my adult college degree. It took my oldest daughter 5 years to return to school and my youngest two years. We are all ready at different times in our lives. When you are ready to continue your education, Granite State College will be ready to lead you along your journey.

I am thankful for the guidance, support and opportunities GSC offered me in my adult college program. I am thankful I have in turn been able to offer my children guidance, support and opportunities in their academic pursuits.

A new baby

Thursday, November 3, 2011 by Gail Gifford

Yes, I am a Grammy once again. A little girl entered the world at 7:46pm weighing in at seven pounds even. She was embraced by her daddy and mommy at time of arrival. Oh what a joy, oh what a delight and blessing from above. My young son and his wife wanted to be surprised and never found out the sex of their baby. I have always thought it is the one thing in life that should be a surprise. After all, you don't put in an order for a Boy or Girl, you get what you are suppose to have and really folks, we are not sending them back!! I am glad they waited and I know that surprise was wonderful and one they will never forget.

I remember one surprise I got when I received an A on a Business Statistic test I took while attending Granite State College when I was attempting to get my adult education degree. It was such a nice surprise though as that class kicked my butt everyday I was in it. It was one of my hardest classes throughout my education but I did it, I made it through and live to tell about it.

So whether it be babies or grades, surprises are a nice part of life. I am seriously thinking about going back to school and getting my Master of Science Project Management degree. At work I see how project management is a huge part of big businesses these days and I enjoyed school so much, this just may be my next goal. My children will be surprised again if Mom goes back to school. Oh well, surprises are good!!

A night with my Dad

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by Gail Gifford

I was so delighted when I went to my Dad's harmonica group gathering. He has played the harmonica for years; I think he said, that he "has played since he was around ten years old." He still has the first one he ever played. He taught me how to play at a young age also. I can remember driving to Florida when I was just a child and my dad would have the holder strapped around his neck and would playing songs throughout the long drive. Since we really didn't listen to the radio, we had better learn how to play the harmonica or the spoons. My choice was the harmonica with the first song being You Are My Sunshine. It was a good night with all his friends. These are all older folks as my dad just turned 90 on Sunday and his friend is 92, who calls my dad young!!

Life is good being back in Michigan. I think dad enjoys me being around and sharing some time with him. Time is all we have; time to grow, learn, enjoy and have fun. I had so much fun going to the Manchester NH college campus and meeting new friends at Granite State College. We would laugh about our classes at times, about your essays about each other really, we were all on the same boat, we wanted our degrees and we were going forward to get it.

Those days in New Hampshire were happy days and happy memories, same as days with my dad. So if you are thinking school and getting an adult education degree is all work, think again and just do it!!

Setting a Good Example

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by Beth McKenna

In a recent class for the early childhood education major at GSC's Rochester NH college campus, we were talking about family strengths. One of those strengths revolved around encouragement and setting a good example. If parents are not only telling children that they care about how they do in school, but are also demonstrating the importance of school by taking a course they might need for work, or starting a new degree in an area that you have always been interested in is the prime way to set the example and encourage your children to value education. Consider taking courses in early childhood for your Early Childhood Certification, or maybe courses in project management, towards a Masters Degree in Project Management, or special education teacher certification. Try showing how much you value education, by getting involved yourself in either online adult education classes or face-to-face courses. Your children will learn from your example.

Learning at a young age!!

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by Gail Gifford

I woke up this morning with just the cutest little picture I could ever imagine on my cell phone. It was from my daughter-in-law and it was my grandson smile. There he was, sitting at a desk and learning how to write his name. Of course it is something we all had to learn when we were growing up; it is a milestone in every ones life. But for my son and his wife to see Owen try to make an O, it was amazing. They were thrilled and excited to see him learn and grow.

He sits and glares at the pencil or crayon with wonder. I wonder what is going on in his little head as everyone stands around him cheering him on. I can embrace that "cheering on thing." I had many, many friends cheering me on as I went to Granite State College to pursue my adult education diploma. I would cart my books to work in my backpack only to study on breaks and at lunch. They all thought I was so brave to be going back to school at 50 years old. All I could think about was my goal: to get that degree. My grandson maybe is thinking about making that big O as he sits there at his wee desk.

Learning is so good for your brain, so good for your soul and such a good example to your family. As you all know, I have four. Not all of mine have their degrees yet but I am hoping they will continue their education someday as well. I am hoping, that knowing Mom did it, they can do it too.

If you are at that point where you really want to do it, really want to get that adult college degree, just pick yourself up off the couch and do it. I am a firm believer that one can do anything they want to as long as they want to do it bad enough. I am living proof and very proud and happy I did.

I can't wait to see Owen make his big O all by himself.

Bending the Cost Curve

Wednesday, October 19, 2011 by Todd Leach

The "Public Good" of higher education can only truly be achieved when it is accessible to the masses. As tuition increases across the country continue to outpace inflation and public funding (including financial aid) decreases, higher education begins to become unobtainable for more and more Americans. In fact, the U.S. has slipped dramatically relative to higher education trends around the globe and it is only logical that this will ultimately translate into a loss in comparative advantage and competitiveness. However, non-traditional pathways do exist that strive to keep tuition affordable and access to a quality education achievable for students who are able to find them. As a public institution with the University System of New Hampshire, it is important that Granite State College provide affordable access to the residents of New Hampshire and the region.

Granite State College was recently identified as a "Best Buy" through GetEducated.com for having the lowest bachelor tuition rate in New Hampshire and one of the twenty lowest accredited bachelor tuition rates in the nation. Granite State accomplishes this efficiency by focusing on teaching and learning rather than research or a residential experience. Our classes are taught largely by practicing professionals who can put theory to practice, and more than half our students attend classes online for adults. By offering every program online, including our graduate program, we minimize infrastructure costs and reach more students.

Granite State also maximizes affordability by being transfer friendly and by having a sophisticated system of prior learning assessment. In addition, accessing what financial aid is available is paramount to the ability of many students to attend. Granite State College is unique in our scheduling and calendar in that it is possible for a student to take one course at a time (using our 6-week hybrid model) and be eligible for full-time financial aid! Students may also be eligible for full-time financial aid in any one of our Fast Track programs.

So while the cost of higher education continues to outpace the ability of many students to pay, it is important that colleges such as Granite State College, remain committed to access to quality higher education through diligent cost containment; delivery and schedule innovation; online technology; and by focusing on our core mission of teaching and learning.

Back in the Saddle Again

Monday, September 26, 2011 by Ryan Hill

It's been a year since I received my associates in general studies from Granite State College. I can't believe the year has gone by so fast. After taking some time off, I'm ready to get back in the saddle again and dive back into my education. I'm currently enrolled in a Literature and Ideas course, and a Psychology course at the Conway NH college campus. Although it's a bit hard getting used to doing homework again, I'm learning some really great things. Not only just about the courses I'm taking, but about the world around me.

I'm really looking forward to some neat projects coming up in the next few weeks in my adult college classes that will help give me good hands on experience of what I'm learning, and how to apply it to my life. I can't wait to see what this semester has in store for me :)

Skype

Tuesday, September 13, 2011 by Gail Gifford

Who would have ever thought that we can see each other from miles away and talk to each other without any lines?? Alexander Graham Bell didn't when he first invented the Telegraph system. Really nothing is really like the phone Mr. Bell invented. The dial up, wall hanging phone is pretty much obsolete. Kids now a days don't know what it is like to dial a number on a wall phone. They have grown up with cell phones and maybe a portable land-line where you can walk around and talk. The years of standing in a 3x3 spot in the kitchen are long gone.

My son and daughter in law are in the Navy, over in Norfolk with their little son. I am so excited to be able to talk to him a couple times a week. It is the next best thing to being there. They will soon have another little baby and to be able to see that new little soul is going to be wonderful. I got online and found the site to download it. When I started my adult college education I never would have thought that the skills I learned in college would help me in everyday life, but it did. I knew where to find the volume control, microphone controls etc. That just shows you that learning needs to be a constant in our lives. I hope my children learn something new every day and that my grandson embraces new knowledge. I can't wait to talk to him again...Life and change are both wonderful!!

A evening at Arts/Eats and Beats

Wednesday, September 7, 2011 by Gail Gifford

Arts/Eats and Beats is going on in Royal Oak, Michigan. It is a party with an outdoor venue, featuring artists and musicians from all over the US. Local restaurants opened their doors with a wide variety of foods to enjoy along the streets. There were carnival rides for the little ones and beer for the adults. All in all, it is a good place to go this weekend. We walked the streets and then went to the stages to hear the music. A young band that is up-and-coming was there. Maybe you have heard of the Dale Earnhardt Jr.Jr....I learned how they started out and got permission to use the real Dale Earnhardt's name for their band. They are pretty good and had a wide selection of music.

As I learned about their band, I learned also about this great event that happens every year in in the Detroit metro area. It was fun.

It is the holiday weekend, lets all be safe. If you are in school at Granite State College, enjoy the break and relax. If you are thinking about starting back to get your adult education degree, then it is the weekend to enjoy and not worry about homework, because that will come. Have a great weekend and be safe!!!!!!

Rain, Rain go away....

Wednesday, August 24, 2011 by Gail Gifford

Good Morning fans and friends,

I just woke up and saw that Westland is going to be selling Rain Barrels with some of the proceeds going to the cancer foundation. My mum died of cancer so whenever I can give, help promote research, I am in for it. But, it is not just for the cancer research fund, it is for the rain barrel. I have always wanted one to water my flowers, garden and save the water that comes from the sky and recycle it. I think it is a good thing for our earth as well as a good example of conservation. My grandparents had two of them at their cottage in Canada and I can remember at a young age, putting a dipper in and getting out a bucket full of water. The Cottage didn't have running water, so we used it to wash our hair, water the garden and yes, even flush the toilet. I know I won't use mine for all those reasons but I do think it is a good way to reuse our water that comes from the sky.

I have to research it and see where the best down spout to put it under. But, that is no different than researching a subject for school. Learning again is what I am talking about, learning about something new, exciting, is all part of life. I just found out that Granite State College is offering a Masters of Science Degree in Project Management. I am so excited and want to get signed up as soon as I learn my new job better. I want to be proficient in this new position before I put other information in my brain. Taking these classes is a great education and career advancement opportunity. I am so excited about this new class, I have told other colleagues about the program and who knows, maybe a few of us will go to Granite State College and take these accelerated adult studies classes.

OK, I am off to get my rain barrel. I hope you all have a great weekend!!

A new Start!!

Wednesday, August 24, 2011 by Gail Gifford

I had such a nice Sunday afternoon. I was invited to an old friend's house for a farewell party for both her young adults; they are leaving the state. One is moving to Seattle, Washington and other to Tuscaloosa, Alabama. She had never had them so far from her before and unlike me, with mine all over the US, she is going to be so sad. It is always an adjustment to see them go and do their own things but it is part of growing up and living. Her son is going back to school at the university of Alabama. Her daughter is going back to Seattle to live and work. Both of them have turned out to be such nice young adults that have already gotten their Bachelor's and Masters degrees....something any parent would be proud of. I watched these kids grow up and have known them for years; they are like my own.

I just encouraged them to be happy, keep learning, keep going to school and dream. I may sound funny to say, Dream, but some dreams are small and some are big. My dream was to get a college education and I got that from Granite State College. My next dream is to get my Masters Degree and I will be heading right back to Granite State College for that. Why? Because it works for me. Online adult education classes give me the ability to get my education and still work my full time job.