When was it decided that higher education be handed down traditionally to people graduating from high school? Primary and secondary education is most obviously reserved for the youngster, but why is higher education most commonly reserved for the young adult? Was it decided that adults beyond the age of 25 no longer had a malleable cognitive ability to retain the amount of instruction offered at a university level? NO WAY! Was it that when a person reaches the age of responsibility, they are indentured into the swift current of the workforce in whatever entry-level position they are given in order to provide for themselves or for their family, and if they miss the window of opportunity for college, they are forever out of luck? Some might think it so.
Since “tradition” has taken its seat among the higher of education, setting a definitive model of a college student, any college enrollee over the typical age of 24 is now officially labeled “non-traditional,” and the myths surrounding the difficulty in continuing or adult education have intimidated people from pursuing their degrees later in life.
However, the adult student is turning a new chapter, and adult education is on the rise. In 1970, only 28% of the college student population were 25 years or older, according to statistics from the U.S. Department of Education. Based on a report done by the Association for Nontraditional Students in Higher Education (ANTSHE), to date, approximately 47% of students over the age of 25 make up our college campuses, whether they are new students or returning to further their education.
So many people in the workforce are unhappy with their current salaries or career and consider a change or a betterment of their lives through discovering new avenues of industry. Fortunately, benefits to adult education are quite extensive and colleges and universities are making it very convenient by offering a variety of programs to meet the adult student’s need and schedule.
If you are an adult considering higher education, starting new or returning, remember that the advantages overshadow the difficulties in pursing your degree later in life. Because most colleges and universities have tailored their programs to fit your needs, going back to school is completely achievable!