Self-improvement and skill building for the workplace are fueling the interests of a vast group of adults who want to enroll in school or training in the next two years. But cost and time remain barriers, a new report cautions.
There is strong demand for virtual learning and shorter-term, career-oriented pathways, according to the “65 Million Reasons Why Intent Matters Most” report from the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and CollegeAPP.
“Enrollment strategies, which traditionally consigned adult learners to a monolithic ‘nontraditional’ student category, must continue to evolve,” said Earl Buford, the Council’s president. “While there have been appreciable strides in engaging learners with some college and no degree, they are by no means the only significant segment of the tens of millions with intent to enroll.”
The desire to enroll is strongest among women, adults age 25 to 34, Black and Latino adults, people from lower income households and former students with no degree. But these groups are also more likely to view cost and time as the biggest obstacles, the report notes.
Potential students with lower incomes and with less education also cited difficulty navigating the enrollment process as a deterrent. About three-quarters of the adults surveyed expressed interest in virtual learning, and about half are considering community collegres or vocational schools.
The report also offers ideas for campus leaders and policymakers who want to remove some of the barriers to enrollment:
- “Promise Programs” and last-dollar scholarships provide predictability and transparency in the total cost of a program.
- Expanding online, hybrid, and asynchronous learning options helps adults balance classes with work and family.
- Modular and accelerated pathways such as short-term credentials, “stackable”
certificates and competency-based education lets adult learners to progress at their
own pace. - Nontraditional scheduling on nights and weekends allows time-constrained adult learners to plan around their other responsibilities.
- Shortening application forms, providing rapid admission decisions, and centralizing advising can lower the “procedural burden” that deters first-time adult learners.
- Providing academic credit for work experience, military service, and other learning completed outside the classroom acknowledges the existing expertise of
nontraditional students. - Dedicated “navigator” roles or one-on-one coaching help marginalized students overcome uncertainty about how to begin the enrollment process
- Integrating nonacademic support, such as food assistance, mental health counseling, and transportation referrals addresses basic needs so students can focus on their studies.
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