Barriers Facing Adult Learners

The number of adult learners is on the decline, and Kentucky is on a mission to stop it. Adult learners are defined as adults between the ages of 25 and 64 that decide to enroll in a postsecondary credentialing program, including college. Many of these adult learners are pursuing a degree in order to obtain higher paying jobs, better financial security, and more in-demand skills in the workforce. In fact, a household headed by at least one college graduate earns $40k more on average compared to those without any graduates. However, most college attendees are usually fresh from high school, so it is a unique path to higher education that presents its own challenges.  

The Challenges of Adult Learners

Many adult learners have to balance time commitments outside of their schooling, such as family obligations and jobs. Almost half of all adult learners have children, and often struggle to maintain a normal class schedule when they have to work around their kids’ schedules as well. Childcare is usually not very affordable, and can cost over $6,000 per year, which is a hefty fee for people that are already struggling to pay college expenses. Most adult learners must also work to cover these expenses, leading to work commitments that present a difficult schedule to work around. 60% of full time adult students are working, compared to 80% of part time students that are working. These students with these outside obligations usually require alternative class schedules, such as night or remote classes. 

Conclusion

College can usually be a difficult expense for many of these adult students. There is usually a $6,000 gap between the financial aid they receive and the tuition fees they must pay. In addition to these financial struggles, many adults also struggle to adapt to a classroom environment after spending so many years away from academia. In fact, most of these learners have not had to study and take exams since they were in high school. This can lead to a higher need to gateway classes to Math and English courses that are designed to provide additional support for their transition. All of these factors contribute to a 4x lower success rate for adult learners to obtain their degree compared to their fresh from high school counterparts. These issues must be addressed if Kentucky is to raise the rate of college degrees among their adult population.