A New Model for Adult Learners

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Nearly half of the American higher education population consists of working adults—over age 24, attending college part time, and balancing family, work, and school. Most of these learners are seeking knowledge and skills that will enhance their professional lives. They see higher education as an adjunct to their professional development. For many of these students,…

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Remember the Working Adult College Student

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According to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the fall 2019 college enrollment included 12.5 million students under age 25 and 7.4 million students 25 and older. If historical patterns hold about one-third of those enrollees will not earn a degree in eight years. According to the National Student Clearinghouse’s (NSC) 2019 report, Some College,…

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Listening to Learners: What Non-Completers Have to Tell Us About Education Policy

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Policymakers recognize that to remain competitive in a global, tech-enabled world, the United States will need an ever more educated and skilled population. For their part, states have increasingly focused on helping residents who started college, but left without a degree to return and earn a credential. And for good reason: 36 million Americans have…

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Adults Completing Degrees—How Tackling A Persistent Problem Creates New Value

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The urgency to integrate adult learners into national and regional economic growth plans is—finally—tangible. Colleges and universities are reporting lower enrollments and are looking to adult learners to fill seats. Employers are looking for candidates with postsecondary credentials and national funders are looking for solutions to the persistent Some College No Degree problem. These adults…

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What “Persistence and Retention” Means for Adult Learners

woman taking notes at a desk in front of a laptop

In an era when declining enrollment looms large, and the demographics of higher education are undergoing an unprecedented shift. Colleges and universities are clamoring to attract so-called “nontraditional students.” But, while institutions are quick to market more flexible pathways to a degree, many still expect their adult, parent, and working learners — who are rapidly…

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