Millions of adult students successfully return to college to obtain a degree every year.  However, they often have numerous responsibilities to consider when making the decision. These responsibilities can include marriage, children, work, community obligations, or care of elderly parents. The time and commitment needed to complete a degree program and balance these responsibilities can be a challenge.

Working adults may also be concerned about fitting in with the younger, “traditional” students, or that they may be “too old.”  Many working adults are attending non traditional schools that allow students to take classes at campus locations, online or a combination or both.

Recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Education show that adult students are the fastest growing educational demographic, and these numbers are steadily increasing. In 1970, 28 percent of all college students were 25 years of age or older. In 1998 the number of adult learners had increased to 41 percent. The number of students age 35 and older in degree-granting institutions has soared from about 823,000 in 1970 to an estimated 2.9 million in 2001 — doubling from 9.6% of total students to 19.2%.

Learn more about non traditional colleges that cater to working adults.