1. School and Life Responsibilities – The Balancing Act
As any postsecondary student can attest, school is a huge time commitment. There is time spent in class, time spent preparing for class and then the time needed for essays, assignments and other homework. Above and beyond school commitments, adults who are returning to school face additional demands on their time.
Many adult learners are pursuing their education while still working full time. Many also have families and family obligations. This means less time available for school-related activities. These additional responsibilities can lead to stress and frustration for adult learners.
2. Accessibility
A second challenge facing adult students is accessibility to classes. Sometimes getting to class is the biggest challenge! As previously mentioned, many adult learners have extensive time commitments. Whether it’s a full-time job or a growing family, other responsibilities make it difficult to attend classes during regular school hours. This can lead to difficulty succeeding at school, or even reluctance to return to school at all.
3. Cost
The cost of education can be challenging for anyone. Tuition costs, books, supplies — it all adds up. Throw daycare costs or mortgage payments into the mix and the cost of pursuing an education as an adult learner can become prohibitive.
Adult learners often do not qualify for student loans, which makes paying for an education difficult. On top of the costs of education itself, there is the potential lost income from unemployment, as many adults return to school following a job loss.