Midlife Students Increasing on College Campuses

Who says you're too old to go back to school? A 78-year-old woman from Detroit earned her college diploma at the youthful age of 71! Mildred Meriwether lost her two daughters within two short years and used her grief as the impetus to get the degree in social work that she'd always wanted, but had been too busy to pursue.

Ms. Meriwether is not alone. Over 50 percent of the students in American colleges, universities, and trade schools are 'non-traditional' students -- and an increasing number of them are 40- and 50-year-olds. Midlife students site increased career opportunities, thrill of discovery, and renewed personal confidence as reasons to hit the books again. It all begins with an innate desire to learn and a strong sense of curiosity. "Education is not about the acquisition of knowledge," says educational author, Dr. Gan Siowck Lee. "It's about the development of the mind."

Colleges are recognizing this growing trend of older students and many are going out of their way to accomodate their needs by offering quiet dorms, weekend classes, and separate commuter lounges where they can meet and connect with other older students. Some even offer on-campus day care. Yet these schools are still hard to identify. Carlette Hardin, author of 100 Things Every Adult College Student Ought to Know, recommends plugging "nontraditional student" or "adult learner" into a university website to see what kinds of resources pop up. She says, "If you see links, that means they've thought about it."

Whether you want to change professions, earn a promotion, or re-enter the workforce after staying home to raise young children, you will discover the experience of returning to school is both challenging as well as deeply rewarding.

An excellent list of what Adult College Students Should Know (pdf format) was excerpted from Professor Hardin's book and compiled by Gary Rapp, Director of Adult Student Services, Wichita, Kansas.