Heading back to school as an adult
COURIER LIFE, JAN. 31-FEB. 6, 2020 41
Education
College campuses are diverse. Newly minted
high school graduates embarking on the next
stage of their studies might dominate college
campuses, but many established professionals who
have long since graduated from high school are also
among the student bodies at universities across the
globe.
The National Center for Education Statistics
says that one in five Americans enrolled in undergraduate
higher education is at least 30 years
old.
The changing face of higher education should
be a comfort to adults who may have been apprehensive
about heading back to school. Adults considering
a return to school should not allow age to
deter them from enrolling. Many people now complete
degrees later in life, while others return to
school to study subjects they did not study during
their first go-rounds as college students.
Finding the right fit in regard to a college is
different for adults than it is students right out
of high school. Responsibilities to family and employers
complicate the decision about where to go
to school. The following tips can help adults as
they decide where to continue their educations.
• Choose a school that meets your needs. Look
for schools that can accommodate priorities other
than academics, such as family and work. Many
schools now offer flexible schedules and online
classes. Check out schools with strong reputations
for working with adult learners.
• Sit down with a college counselor. If you’ve
been in college before, pull your transcripts and
bring any information about coursework, credits
and life experience. This way you can be credited
for what you have already accomplished. Counselors
can serve as invaluable resources as you
navigate a return to the classroom.
• Brush up on the skills required of successful
students. If you’ve been out of school for awhile,
brush up on your study skills, note-taking, annotating,
and other skills that can serve you well in
an academic environment.
• Speak with your employer. Many employers
support employees who want to return to school,
especially when employees will be gaining skills
that are applicable to their existing careers. Some
employees may even help their employers finance
their educations. According to Matthew Reed, the
vice president for learning at Brookdale Community
College in Lincroft, N.J., roughly 90 percent
of midsize or large employers offer some kind
of tuition reimbursement. Even when that’s not
available, some employers may have an arrangement
with certain schools that provide discounts
to their workers, says Reed.
Adults returning to school is becoming increasingly
common. Planning and making use of
resources at your disposal can help you navigate
the process of returning to school as an adult.