A study on the value and feasibility of pursuing higher education as an adult.
More than half of all adults want more education, according to the Degrees of Opportunity study. Despite the time management and financial challenges of going back to school, adults believe advanced education is an investment that pays off.
Just over half the respondents indicated they would like to pursue additional education — the equivalent of more than 70 million Americans age 25 to 60. And the time to pursue education, say most adults, is now — if not sooner.
The study also explored adults' views on the benefits of getting more education as an adult, the barriers that may make it challenging to return to school as an adult, and the educational influences as children and adults.
Ample evidence supports the financial, personal, family, and societal benefits of advanced education. Yet working adults approach higher education with a very different set of challenges and assets than those who enter college directly after high school.
Adults are typically juggling much greater demands on their time, energy, and money. They also tend to learn differently than the 18- to 22-year-olds who are moving from late adolescence into early adulthood. They bring to their education deeper and broader experiences with work, learning, and life in general. They tend to be more attuned to the practical, real-world applications of their learning.
Educational institutions serving adult students could help address these challenges and assets by offering flexible classroom schedules that address the greater time management challenges of adult students, by ensuring that students are aware of, and can easily apply for, financial aid, and by designing coursework that students can put to work in their jobs.
See Results in Depth
Kids aren't the only ones who get butterflies
Education is not just about money, it is about overcoming and doing something that you did not think was possible. It is about giving back to other people once you have completed your education. The rewards are well worth the investment.
Degrees of Opportunity survey respondent
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