Things don't always work out as they should. The majority of Oklahoma adults began college with dreams, only to have life intervene in the way of work, family, or financial issues. But now, there is a second chance. The Reach Higher initiative is enabling adults to return to college and finish the degrees they put on hold.

This Oklahoma adult degree completion program is governed by the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and was created to help adult students juggling more than one responsibility. With online classes, scholarships, and personalized counseling, it's having a real impact for people across the state.

What is the Reach Higher Program?

"Reach Higher is a state degree completion program," says program manager Tisha Bradford. "That's the advantage of it. You can be anywhere in the state. It's for adults who've been to college but, for whatever reason, had to stop out. Now they'd like to come back and complete that degree."

The program is geared towards the working adult. Regardless of whether you work full-time, have kids, or both, Reach Higher provides the support you need to go back to school on your schedule.

Designed for Real Life: Adapting Classes and Full Support

Blending school with adult life is most likely the biggest challenge adults face in going back to school. Reach Higher confronts this challenge head-on by providing flexible class schedules—online, evening, and weekend classes that fit busy lifestyles.

Each of the 27 Oklahoma schools participating in the program has a navigator. The navigators work with the students one one-on-one every step of the way, from signing up to graduation. "They assist you from where to park on day one to where to park when you receive your diploma," Bradford explains.

They also help the students to apply for the Finish Line Scholarship, which provides grants to adult students seeking their degree.

Beyond scholarships, navigators help students access other community resources—like childcare or transportation support—to help remove the practical barriers to returning to college.

Who is Eligible?

The program is for adult learners who have previously attended some college credits but never graduated. The program provides both associate's and bachelor's degree levels.

"To qualify, you simply need to visit one of the 27 Oklahoma schools that belong to it," adds Bradford. "It's all on our website, including the schools, the programs they have, and the individual to contact for that wonderful navigator I described."

This Oklahoma adult degree completion program is not about attending school again—it's about creating a path to a better tomorrow. If you're in need of a career change, looking for job stability, or completing a lifelong aspiration, Reach Higher can help.

How to Get Started

Interested adults can visit ReachHigherOK.org, the program's website. There, you can search schools, find scholarships, and even fill out a free student interest form. The form, once filled out and submitted, will go directly to Bradford and the navigator at your school of choice.

"I contact them in a matter of seconds and say, 'Congratulations! I saw you. You're off to school. Let's get this done,’ " Bradford says. "And then I take them through the next steps."

A Degree Within Reach Oklahoma is making education goals more accessible than ever before, even if the journey started years earlier. With personalized counseling, financial aid, and the convenience of online courses, the Oklahoma adult degree completion program is opening doors for thousands who thought college was out of reach.

So, if you're one of the many Oklahomans with some college credit but no degree—listen up: it's never too late to complete what you began. And now, you don't have to do it alone.