Although flocking to college campuses, older students still aren’t recognized by many institutions
College life for an older student can be a rewarding, yet frustrating experience. According to the latest research, their needs still aren’t being sufficiently recognized by many colleges, even though they are a growing trend. Statistics predict that by the year 2000, more than 20 million adults over the age of 25 will be enrolled in college. Additionally, the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) reports adult enrollments as steadily increasing from 30 percent in 1970, to 40 percent in 1980, to nearly 45 percent in 1990. Their number is also rising proportionately faster than that of traditional students: students under 25 are projected to rise by only 4 percent, but those over 25, by 16 percent. Seeking employment opportunities and advanced degrees, older students are increasingly pouring hard earned tuition dollars into the coffers of higher education. To find out what it was like to be a returning student and what they weren’t getting from academia, we asked the students themselves.
Older students worry about returning to school and paying the bills
To illustrate this common concern of older students, a male doctoral candidate, 44, reported anxiety about returning to the classroom after having been out of academia for many years. (Some students said they had not been in the classroom for up to 25 years.) Among his worries were that of not doing well in his courses, and of not being able to pay the bills for college (tuition being $1974.00 per course.) He also found it difficult to get in touch with college administrators after hours. “My working hours are 9-5,” he said. “and when I need to get in touch with the business office when I get off work, guess what? Office hours are 9-5! I need someone to be at the college to answer questions and provide assistance during nontraditional hours.”
He also wanted programs that will allow students to come in and brush up on the areas they need. For example, he cited needing information about how to use the library and technology available for research, and assistance with time management and study skills. Nor was he alone in his frustration. One student said his institution had a non-traditional students office, but it was not open in the evenings when he was there! Others mentioned needing hard-to-find assistance, i.e., in filling out financial forms or access to career/guidance counselors, especially for career transitions.
Another graduate student, 29, seconded the tuition woes. “A real problem is the ridiculously high tuition rates,” he complained. “I am an active duty military member, and as a result receive tuition assistance. But even with this aid, I was going to have to pay $500.00 per class from my own pocket at many schools. This problem needs to be addressed to try and come up with a reasonable solution.”
An American University master’s candidate agreed a reduction was needed. “Cut overhead and offer online education at a reasonable cost,” he advised. “Not $12,000 a year for an off-campus program, e.g., The Graduate School of America or other accredited programs. And allow students to work at their own pace, not the pace dictated by a lack of institutional flexibility.”
They need more classes at night and better financial aid
A second common theme that emerged was the need for night classes and adequate financial aid. A senior English major, 35, wished for more evening classes, especially for traditional majors (English, math, and science) without having to take day classes. Also, realistic financial aid for people who will lose their income when returning to school, she said.
Many others shared her concern. A junior male, 41, expressed the consensus: “For those of us who hold down full-time jobs during the day, a lack of classes in the evenings is a major problem. As I progress in my program, I have fewer and fewer choices in classes. It seems that the evening classes are mostly the 100 level courses.” He suggested classes starting at 6 p.m. Other alternatives proposed were scheduling classes for more hours at a time, less days a week, or all day classes on the weekend. Students also desired better financial aid packages (colleges often woo traditional students with larger grants and tuition discounts), and information on where to find scholarships.
Some mentioned lack of services or program credibility issues
Other adult students were more preoccupied with basic need fulfillment. A female senior biology major, 43, lamented the closing of the cafeteria in the afternoon. “We eat supper out of a vending machine, ”she quipped. While a college freshman, 48 (a male with four children), expressed another concern. “We need day care centers,” he said. “I’ve seen many other single parents share this problem.”.
An interesting and often unmentioned point was the lack of representation in college job fairs, usually geared to the younger traditional student. “Job fairs are generally entry-level positions, not for those seeking a second career,” one student observed. Another issue was the lack of internships for part-time students, seen as an important part of the educational experience and in-demand by employers.
Many students expressed desire for getting credit for their life experience, or acknowledgement for learning that came from other training opportunities. Too, they desired classes which are flexible in their delivery. The comments from distance learners often involved program credibility and other issues. A 40-year-old male majoring in Human Resource Management reported, “I have had problems with my employer accepting distance learning, so have submitted a proposal to include accredited distance learning in the tuition reimbursement program and am awaiting a reply. In some cases, the perception remains that distance learning is an unaccredited correspondence course.” He was not alone in his quandry.
A graduate school candidate in Technical Management had this to say about the issue. “The problem is there are a lot of degree programs that offer quick diplomas, but are they a value for the money? Sadly, many times they are not. They are not service oriented in the sense that students are consumers that have a certain degree of expectations that should be met. By treating the education of adults as a business, they must adhere to the same principles of survival as expected in a competing environment.”
One student expressed frustration with the admissions process of some distance learning schools. “Schools need to improve the communication between the school and the students,” he said. “Right now, it takes too much time to correspond between the two parties. This can result in severe miscommunication and can negatively impact the learning experience for students. I have applied to several distance learning programs, and so far all of them have left me with a ‘back-burner’ feeling. It took the schools too long to reply to my questions, and I’ve also been ripped-off by a couple of them because it took them so long to reply that it was too late to register for classes!
I lost my application fee to one school due to this, and was left with $164 worth of textbooks from another for the same reason.” However, in spite of these obstacles, many felt that non-traditonal education is the wave of the future, “but universities and colleges will have to be carried there kicking and screaming.” Allowing a student to progress at his or her rate (perhaps completion in one year) is too radical for current college administrators, was one opinion.
They experience lack of support and representation.
Finally, many adult students expressed a desire to share classes with other adults. They mentioned being uncomfortable when treated like a teenager by professors, or impatience with the antics of their younger counterparts, who sometimes lacked direction or discipline. “Educators then dilute the courses to ensure graduation rates remain stable, and the quality of the product I receive is greatly reduced,” one said. Others desired an on-campus organization for non-traditional students, a program being adopted by many institutions. But the biggest obstacle for non-traditional students seems to be finding a voice in student government: many want more responsibility in student affairs, seeing that as key to having their voices heard.
