After gaining on-the-job experience, millions of American adults come to believe that if they finish their graduate degree, the number of career options available to them would increase. That belief might spring in part from working adults being submitted for promotion by their business managers only to be passed over for the promotion because they didn’t have a postsecondary degree like another promotional candidate did. Certainly the process for being approved for a promotion in the corporate world is strenuous and arduous, at best. Continuing education might help level the playing field.
Adults Continue Education to Work Longer and Stronger
Economic downturns and the drive to be viewed as hard charging leaders or specialists who are completely engaged in their careers is another key reason that adults choose to continue their education. As of April 2007, the American Council on Higher Education reported that of the total number of adults taking a work or career related course at a postsecondary school, 27% of them were aged 55 to 64. Older Americans are delaying retirement and starting new careers at a time when, years ago, their own parents would have been completely finished with work and waiting to collect Social Security benefits.
Adults can work with colleges and universities to ease their transition back into school by discussing their career and educational aspirations with the school’s admissions counselor. They will benefit from letting the counselor know if they want to earn a certification diploma, license, Associate’s, Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.
They should discuss the reasons that they want to continue their education with the counselor. After all, some goals might be achieved in other ways, without going back to school. Adults who know why they want to go back to school increase their chances of meeting their goals, not to mention the money that they will save by avoiding jumping from major to major.
Adult Continuing Education Options and Benefits
Adults who want to continue their education should consider enrolling at a school that provides on-site daycare if they have young children. They should also take advantage of federal and state grants like the Pell Grant, employer tuition assistance programs, college grants, educational foundation grants and the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant. Adults can also apply for scholarships and student loans like Stafford and Student Plus.
Many postsecondary schools offer adults the chance to earn a degree online. For adults who want direct interaction with their professors and other students, this might not be the best option. Before deciding on an online course confirm how often the professor checks in with students via web-seminars, emails and professional group chats.
Some colleges require their online professors to maintain and submit a log of their communications with registered students. Other schools leave the amount of online interaction that professors have with students up to the professor which, in some cases, could make going to school online feel like sinking into a black hole.
Finances Linked to Adults Going Back to School
Discuss the tuition payment types that the school will accept with an admissions or financial aid counselor. Ask about deferred payments and partial direct payments balanced with a long-term educational loan. Also inquire about tuition refund policies.
Adults who work at a college or university should ask about tuition discounts for themselves and for their children. It is not uncommon for colleges to allow employees and their children to attend college at substantially reduced rates.
Seasoned Americans can continue their education to strengthen their current career experience or to springboard into a new career. Before enrolling, they will benefit from researching the college or university they are thinking about attending, meeting with the admissions counselor and identifying sources of financial aid as well as determining the best courses to take to help them meet their specific educational goals.
Sources Cited:
American Council on Education. October 2007. 7 June 2009
National Center for Education Statistics. 2007. 7 June 2009.
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