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: Barriers that may make it challenging to return to school as an adult

Adults returning to school face — and in many cases, overcome — obstacles different from those facing younger students.

Despite the value placed on higher education and the desire of many adults to pursue it, the logistical challenges present significant hurdles. Adults worry most about juggling school with their family and work responsibilities. They are much less concerned about their ability to make the grade in the actual coursework.

  • Only one-third of those who would like more education said that they would “probably pursue this.”
  • The top two barriers to pursuing higher education were:
    • Finding the time for school amidst work, family, and other commitments.
    • Finding the money for school, including the need to provide for themselves and their family while attending school.

However, these same barriers also posed the top challenges to adults who had already gone back to school. And of those who had gone back to school, most had overcome or were overcoming the obstacles to completing their educational goal.

  • Nearly three out of four adults who returned to school after the age of 25 said they have either completed their educational program or are still actively working on it.
  • Only 1 in 5 said they do not plan to complete their program.

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