Resolve to advance

Now is time to decide if going back to school, earning degree is right move

The holiday season is here, and the start of a new year is just around the corner. Upon taking inventory of their lives at the start of a new year, some people entertain thoughts of returning to school.

Adults who decide to return to school after a long layoff are following a popular path. According to Education Corner, an education resource, a growing number of career colleges and vocational training schools now offer bachelor’s and graduate degree programs that are geared toward working adults.

People return to school for a variety of reasons, including the chance to learn new skills or further develop their existing skills. Some return to school because they are changing careers, while others might have lost a job, or perhaps they want to get a promotion and feel that attaining a higher level of education or new skills can make reaching that goal more likely.

Adults who hope to return to school might be surprised to learn that the educational landscape has changed considerably since they were last in a classroom.

College students are no longer just young men and women who begin pursuing degrees right out of high school. In fact, the number of adults returning to the classroom has increased considerably, often making younger students the exception rather than the rule, according the college financial planner Straighter Line. According to the U.S. Department of Education, college students 25 years or older comprise 40 percent of all students enrolled in college.

Adults who are thinking about returning to school are urged to fill out the free applications for student aid to see if they qualify. Grants and scholarships may be available, and some workers find that employers may match funds or offer some assistance to finance job-training courses.

A number of schools now offer online courses that make it easier for working adults to pursue their degrees.

Many working adults are returning to school to work on new or advanced degrees, as more colleges and universities are facilitating such pursuits.

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