Online Education Articles - Adult Continuing Education Online - Adults Returning To School

A study on the value and feasibility of pursuing higher education as an adult.

Degrees of Opportunity: Adults age 50–60

One of the most striking findings about adults age 50 and older in the Degrees of Opportunity study is the widespread view that they are at a significant disadvantage in successfully completing a college education. In fact, survey participants more often named age as an educational disadvantage than race, ethnicity, country of origin, or gender.

Yet compared with younger adults, people age 50 to 60 are just as interested in getting more education, although they have different reasons for pursuing additional education, and rank the potential obstacles a bit differently.

Adults in their 50s see value in getting more education.
Compared to other adults, they are:

  • About as likely as average to be currently considering pursuing additional education (52% vs. 56% of all adults).
  • Just as likely to agree that education has made a positive difference in their lives (77% vs. 75%) and to believe their lives would be better if they had more education (53% vs. 56%).
  • More likely to feel the benefits of an education are greater than the investment (65% vs. 60%).

They have different motivations for returning to school.
Compared to other adults, they are:

  • More likely than average to be pursuing additional education for the sake of learning rather than a particular degree (38% vs. 25%).
  • Less likely to feel more education would help them do their job better (48% vs. 55%), earn a higher income (63% vs. 71%), advance within their company (38% vs. 48%), become an expert in their field (54% vs. 59%), or gain greater respect from their families (43% vs. 48%) or on the job (43% vs. 49%).

They are equally concerned about funding their education, but less concerned about family and time management challenges.
Compared to other adults, they are:

  • Equally concerned about finding the money to pay for school (70%).
  • Less likely to be concerned about providing for themselves or their families while attending school (54% vs. 62%).
  • Less likely to be concerned about working full time while attending school (35% vs. 28% said it was not a concern).
  • Less concerned about taking care of their children while attending school (78% vs. 61% said it was not a concern) or spending time with family and friends (45% vs. 32% said it was not a concern).
  • More likely to have no children 18 or younger at home (77% vs. 53%).

They are less confident in their general ability to do well in class, but more confident in some skills, such as class discussions.
Compared to other adults, they are:

  • Less likely to feel it would be easy to learn the material and do well in classes (38% vs. 50%).
  • Less likely to think they need coaching to achieve their educational goals (16% vs. 20%).
  • Less likely to say they have a hard time finishing something once they get started. (14% vs. 20%).
  • More likely to feel confident in their verbal abilities and to enjoy discussions and classroom debates (57% vs. 51%).

They have relatively similar educational influences.
Compared to other adults, they are:

  • About as likely to list their mothers (73% vs. 70%) and fathers (64% vs. 62%) as major educational influences when they were growing up.
  • Equally likely to list their spouse or partner as the person who currently has the greatest influence on whether they return to school (49% vs. 51%).
  • Just as likely to have received the message that they weren't college material (17% vs. 16%), but more likely to have received the message at school when they were growing up (70% vs. 56%).