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: Education influences as children and adults

Immediate family members have the greatest influence on decisions about higher education.

Family members have the greatest influence on whether or not a person pursues higher education. The family influence starts in childhood but continues to be decisive in adult life.

  • Looking back at their growing-up years, adults most often point to their mother (70%) or their father (61%) as someone who substantially influenced whether they pursued higher education. Next are teachers (32%), followed by friends, siblings, grandparents, and school counselors (all around 20%).
  • In adult life, immediate family continues to hold the greatest influence over education decisions: for 51 percent of adults, their spouse or partner has the single greatest influence; for 9 percent, their children have the greatest influence. Notably, although career goals are often a motivation for seeking more education, only 4 percent of adults say their boss has the most influence on whether or not they go back to school.

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The top five people influencing high schoolers' education choices

And it's not their guidance counselor

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