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Adult Students Changing the Face of Higher Education
University of Phoenix Offers Tips to Help Adult Students Select the “Right” Educational Experience.
The average age of the American college student is on the rise. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 26 percent of adults completed a four-year degree after the age of 25—a five percent increase from 10 years ago. During the 1999-2000 school year, more than 75 percent of all undergraduates were considered nontraditional students due to age, financial status or time of enrollment. The paradigm shift of older students is creating a new marketplace and spurring advancements in the traditional structure of higher education.
In today’s fluctuating marketplace, many adults are re-schooling either to gain the educational skills required for a career change or increase their value to their current employer. Educational options have greatly evolved since these adults were in high school or college.
“Since there are many more options available to adult students than before, it is imperative to qualify a university to make sure it meets individual educational needs,” said Mark Pyszkowski, campus director, University of Phoenix–Chicagoland Campus. “By keeping the following guidelines in mind, it will be easier to select an institution of higher education suited to an individual’s learning needs and long-term goals.”
Tip 1 – Investigate the School Qualifications
• Ensure the institution is accredited by visiting the United States Department of Education web site at www.ed.gov for a listing of educational institutions that meet accreditation criteria.
• Ask for the school’s student retention rate; the industry average in retention is 56 percent. High turnover in a school can be a warning sign of an unsatisfactory educational experience.
Tip 2 –Integrate Classes with your Schedule
• One of the major reasons adults leave post-secondary school is due to lack of time and flexibility with their school schedule.
• Many programs available are designed for busy working professionals. Rather than multiple courses or weekday classes, many institutions offer weekend or evening courses that allow students to take one course at a time, allowing students to focus exclusively on course specific learning objectives.
Tip 3 – Life Experience Counts
• A common complaint among adults returning to school is that they have many years of ‘real-world’ work experience and then have to begin schooling with preparatory classes.
• Many institutions will work with students to evaluate college level learning achieved outside the classroom for its possible application towards academic credit. Ask your educational institution if they have a program to leverage knowledge gained through your career, work experience or certificated learning to assist in meeting your educational goals.
Tip 4 – Financial Aid is not limited to Students Coming Directly from High School
• Speak to a financial counselor at an educational institution to learn about options and qualifications for financial aid and visit the National Association of Student and Financial Aid Administrators at www.nasfaa.org, www.educaid.com.
• Many corporations will also pay or reimburse tuition for employees. Investigate options through your managerial staff or training/human resources department.
Tip 5 – Surround Yourself with Professionals
• The same education model that works for a younger student beginning a college experience might not be appropriate or challenging for an adult returning to school. Investigate the median student age of higher education institutions to surround yourself with a challenging peer-to-peer educational experience.
• Determine the class size that is most comfortable for your learning preferences. Some students prefer small 13:1 ratios of students to teachers, while others enjoy lecture environments of 50:1.
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| Testimonial |
 Howard Schmidt graduated in 1991 from University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration. Schmidt kept the educational momentum going and promptly headed for his Master of Arts in Organizational Management which he attained in 1993.
“Most of my time up until graduate school was in government, and I’d reached the highest I could go without additional education,” says Schmidt, who served in the U.S. Air Force for 16 years prior to joining the Chandler Police Department. “University of Phoenix gave me the chance to develop skills for executive management.”
Schmidt is the former presidential Internet security advisor to President George W. Bush. He is currently serving as Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer for eBay, the San Jose, California-based online auction site.
-Howard Schmidt |
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