Adult Education Advantages and Disadvantages of Returning

¶ … Adult education [...] advantages and disadvantages of returning to school as an adult.

ADULT EDUCATION

Returning to school as an adult has many advantages. Many times, adults returning to school have discovered that they really do not like the career they chose to major in as a teenager, and their interests and thoughts have changed. They return to school to study a new discipline. For example, a lawyer discovers they really do not enjoy practicing law, and they return to school to get a degree in education, so they can teach. These adult learners are often extremely motivated, and so they finish school more quickly. Many adult learners I have talked with also say they get more out of school the second time around. The first time they are not so interested, and the second time, they are.

In addition, most adult learners have already completed their basic education, if they return to school, they have far fewer credits to complete, and so they spend less time in school, and they are learning something they really care about, too. They seem to be more attentive in the classroom, and if the class breaks into groups, they can often be of great assistance to the rest of the group because they have experience and responsibility. Of course, this is not always the case, but adult learners tend to be more responsible and experienced in their subjects.

Adult learners are also becoming more common on school campuses. Often, these are people who never finished their degrees, and they return to finish a few classes. Their needs are often different from traditional students, and so many types of alternative education have been developed to help adult learners complete their degrees. For example, adult learners often use correspondence study and online learning classes because they are more convenient. For example, the University of Phoenix, an online university, has grown up in response to the need for adult education, as is very successful.

On the other hand, adult education does have its disadvantages, too. Many adults cannot afford to attend school, and there are fewer scholarship and financing options available to them. In addition, it is difficult for many adults to give up their occupations, and return to school, because they still have day-to-day expenses. Usually, they have to continue their education at night or on the weekends, which is much more difficult because most schools schedule far fewer classes at these times. This is one reason alternative classes, such as online, are very popular with adults. In addition, many adults have been away from school so long, it is difficult for them to get back into the routine of studying and exams. Some adults may feel out of place in the classroom setting, and it may get in the way of their learning. Because adult learners often have many other commitments competing for their attention, such as family, job, and personal life, they may take much longer to finish classes that are not structured by the semester or the school year. They tend to "put off" correspondence classes or online classes that do not have deadlines.