Perhaps the largest growing segment of students in colleges and universities throughout the United States are those who are over the age of 25 (sometimes referred to as non-traditional students). Some of them have no prior college experience. Others tried college after high school and found it was not right for them at the time. Many started college but dropped out when life -- work, family, or other issues -- got in the way. The good news is that it's never too late to start or continue a college education. I had a student a few years ago that was brand new to college at the age of 68!
It's not unusual for students over the age of 25 to be concerned about how they will cope with their studies and the college environment. The most common issues are worrying about fitting in, dealing with rusty study and classroom skills, and balancing school with work and family.
Fitting in. The average age of students at colleges and universities in the United States has been steadily rising for the past two decades or so. According to a 2008 report from the U.S. Census Bureau, 12.3% full time and 20.5% part time of two-year college students were over age 25, as were 32% of full time and 35.2% of part time students at four year institutions.
Classroom and study skills. With the rise in the non-traditional student population, colleges and universities have stepped up their services to address older students' specific needs, both in and out of the classroom. Peer support groups for adult re-entry students, programs to assist displaced workers, services for students with disabilities and veterans, support for single parents, and on-campus child care centers all can assist the returning student in reaching his or her educational goals. Financial aid, grants, and scholarships are available for the returning student population. For the returning student who feels unsure of his or her technological skills, workshops in how to use the internet, software programs, and library resources are frequently held.
Balancing school with work and family. Classes are now offered in a wide variety of options: face-to-face, hybrid (part face-to-face, part online), fully online, weekends, and evenings. Colleges and universities have accepted that students of all ages are often dealing with multiple obligations that can be challenging to fit into a hectic schedule. By creating class offerings that are presented through different means, higher education is more available to a wider segment of potential students. Granted, if one is working full time, it may not be possible (or advisable) to carry a full time class load, but some progress can be steadily made.
Over the time I have been teaching, I can't help but notice some of the amazing strengths that older students bring to the college classroom. Having more practical life experience under their belts tends to make them better at multitasking, more willing to ask for help, more realistic about the time it will take to accomplish a task, and better contributors to classroom discussions. On top of that, they are great examples to younger students, and I've seen some really wonderful intergenerational friendships develop among classmates as a result.
All great journeys start with a single step. Why not take that step now?
