How to Overcome the Challenges of Going Back to College

It’s becoming increasingly common for adults, decades or years into their working lives, to realise it’s time to return to education. The motivations may vary: common reasons include wanting to do more interesting work, make more money, set out a new career path, qualifying for a promotion, changing fields or trying to be more competitive in the job market. The circumstances will vary also. For some, it means completing a degree they started a long time ago but never finished. For others, it means taking on an additional qualification or second degree. There are a lot of challenges facing adults returning to education. Therefore, this article will tell you how to overcome these common challenges.  

1. Fitting College into your Busy Schedule 

One of the biggest problems that comes up for working adult students is time. Adult learners, unlike traditional students, are generally working full-time and have families to support, meaning that a majority are attending school part-time or must discover ways to fit their schoolwork into their schedules. The solution here is to find a program with a flexible format, which usually means choosing one that is not full-time or on-campus.  

2. Lack of Financial Resources 

Whilst the rising cost of college remains a challenge for everyone, it is a particular problem for adult learners. Adult students have so many other financial responsibilities from families to mortgages to existing debt and so the idea of paying for college can be daunting to say the least. This is a common reason that most adult learners who wish to return to education will not go back. However, there are many options out there to help make college more affordable and a more realistic option for adult students. From financial aid to scholarships to employers covering the costs.  

3. Fear of Failing 

Most adult students want to go back to college, but are afraid that they will not be successful in achieving their degree. Many people think back to their secondary school days or prior college experiences and remember the challenges they had. Some believe that it has been far too long, that having spent years out of college and school means that they will not be able to make school work for them again. All of these fears are understandable and the good news is they are totally normal and relatable. Almost any adult learner will experience some self-doubt at some point during their academic journey. However, you must tackle it with persistence and remember your ultimate goal. You need to seek out programs that are specifically designed for your unique needs.  

Conclusion 

Although the challenges of returning to education as an adult learner are very real, they are not struggles that you will have to tackle on your own. By enrolling in a program designed for students like you, you will discover yourself in an environment that understands the unique obstacles you face, has resources in place to help you explore ways to overcome them and is ultimately dedicated to your success.