ADULT LEARNERS

To meet future workforce demands, Lumina Foundation seeks to increase the percentage of college-educated adults.

Adult learners are today's "new" college student. Two out of five college students are 25 years of age or older, according to the U.S. Department of Education. An estimated 92 million individuals participate in some form of adult education each year, including training and basic education offered outside traditional higher education. Learn more in What We Know about Adult Learners.

The demographics on college campuses are changing, and more than 40 percent of today's college students are adult learners. The majority of adult learners have life responsibilities outside of college, such as career and family. Many components of our higher education system, including access to financial aid and campus support services, still do not support the unique needs of nontraditional or re-entry students. Providing services such as on-campus child care or scholarship opportunities could help adult learners successfully reach their higher education goals.
Some adult learners face deficiencies in academic preparation and financial obstacles. Forty percent of adult students, about 2.5 million individuals, have annual incomes of less than $25,000.
Retention rates among adult students are lower than those of traditional college-aged students. Adult students are less likely than traditional students to attain a postsecondary degree or remain enrolled after five years. Forty-one percent of low-income adult students have taken a remedial course during their academic career, compared to 31 percent of traditional students.
The additional life commitments of adult learners require postsecondary policymakers and institutional leaders to provide convenient and affordable access, create flexible subsidies and develop innovative planning tools to address their needs. Today's knowledge economy has made postsecondary education a lifelong necessity—individually and nationally. Research suggests that many adult learners face significant challenges in their pursuit of higher education because it is a system built largely for traditional students. See Return to Learning PDF.
Community colleges are often the most accessible for adult learners. Community colleges have become increasingly popular with adult learners because they are the least expensive; they are more conveniently located; they offer remedial courses to better prepare adult learners for postsecondary education, and they provide practical programs that tie directly to the adult workforce. More »PDF.

Financial need remains an issue for adult learners, preventing access to and success in higher education. Many adult students lack information and financial resources to pay for college. Financing is especially challenging for re-entry adult students who have dependent children or have other financial obligations. More "adult-friendly" financial aid policies at the state and federal levels can help support their goals. Read Framing New Terrain: Older Adults and Higher EducationPDF.

Nontraditional female college students are more likely to leave college because of financial reasons. Nontraditional females tend to have lower career aspirations than their younger traditional counterparts. Fifty-four percent of nontraditional-age women say they are more likely to withdraw from college for financial issues, compared to 44 percent of traditional-age college students. In addition, they are less likely to aspire to transfer to a four-year college or university. Forty percent of nontraditional-age women students versus 24 percent of other students say that transferring is not a goal. More »PDF.
The number of single-parent undergraduates has doubled in the past decade. The majority of residential colleges do not provide the necessary support services for single-parent undergraduates to succeed in college. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, more than 13 percent of college students were single parents in 2004, up from 6.5 percent in 1987. The Association for Non-Traditional Students in Higher Education estimates that single mothers make up 45 to 60 percent of the non-traditional student populations.

Curriculum delivery must fit the needs of today's adult student

Adult students want quality and convenience. Many older students feel out of practice in their ability to take tests or interact in a college classroom. New technology makes it possible for adults to pursue an education online without leaving their homes.
Adult students are time conscious. For adult learners, college is often just one of many responsibilities demanding their time. Institutions can help facilitate the success of adult learners by providing access to programs and services that will best serve their needs. Examples include seminars and workshops on time management and dealing with stress; evening and weekend classes; and life experience credits for having engaged in career activities that parallel required coursework. More ».
Online learning continues to grow in popularity. A Sloan Consortium survey shows that almost 3.5 million students were taking at least one online course during the fall 2006 term. That's double the number who reported doing so in 2002. The majority of online learners are older adult students. Despite the popularity of online learning, only about one in four academic leaders say that their faculty members "accept the value and legitimacy of online education," according to the study.
Data suggest that e-learners demonstrate higher levels of engagement, satisfaction and academic challenge than their on-campus counterparts. The 2006 National Survey of Student Engagement reports that adult learners engage as often in positive educational activities as do traditional-age students taking classes on campus.