By Eliza Haverstock | NerdWallet
Mary Williams, 52, says she is the first in her family to go to college. After an earlier stint at Brooklyn’s Medgar Evers College, she re-enrolled in 2020 to continue an associate degree program in childhood special education. Originally from Trinidad, she aims to eventually earn her master’s degree.
“I want to finish what I started,” says Williams, who takes night classes after her full-time day job working with special needs children. She also wants to show her daughter, now 22 and attending college herself, the importance of higher education — “doing something to better yourself, enhance your career.”
Williams is among the one-third of college undergraduate students who are at least 25 years old, according to a 2023 White House report. Her story, like millions of others, is a contrast to typical college narratives focused on the youngest adults — ages 18-24 — many of whom go directly from high school to college.
Generally, college students 25 and older are described as “adult learners.” But the term can also encompass younger students who are financially independent from their parents and whose primary identity is shaped by something other than being a student — for example, being a parent, a worker or a veteran, says Becky Klein-Collins, vice president of Research and Impact at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning and author of the book Never Too Late: The Adult Student’s Guide to College.
“These are students for whom it’s not always an option to go to a four-year residential college. Oftentimes, they can’t just drop their family or their work or their financial obligations to go to school,” Klein-Collins says. “They have to find ways to make school fit around where they are at as this person, at this time in their life.”
If you can find a program that fits into your life and budget, it can pay off. Adults who graduate from college at 25 or older experience “substantial” earnings premiums, with the sharpest gains going to students who were at least 30 years old at graduation, according to a February 2024 report published by the Brookings Institution, a nonprofit think tank.
“It’s never too late to go to college, but it’s not for everybody,” says Moshe Buchinsky, an economics professor at Sciences Po in Paris and a co-author of the report.
From tips to finding the right school to financial aid and scholarships, here’s what you should know before you go to college as an adult learner, according to experts and students who’ve been in your shoes.
Consider your post-college goals
Your first step should be self-reflection. Think about what type of degree or credential you want, what you want to get out of your college experience and how much you’re willing to go into debt for it, says Klein-Collins. “You don’t want to get three-quarters down the road and realize, ‘Oh, I’m in the wrong major,’ or, ‘this is not going to lead me to the job that I need’.”
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ database can help you gauge the salary potential of different careers. If you were previously enrolled in college, check with that school’s registrar’s office to see how many credits you’ve already earned and how many you still need to finish your degree.
Reflecting on your motivations can help you stay positive if challenges arise during your college journey, says Terah Crews, CEO of ReUp Education, a company that offers personalized support and coaching to adult learners.
Your motivations might not be tied solely to career outcomes. For example, Alexander Foreman, a 28-year-old working towards his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, has clearly defined both career and life goals after graduation.
Foreman aims to work for a company that promotes renewable energy resources. Beyond that, he says, “I really just want to enjoy life, I don’t want to just survive it … I really want to give myself what I never had growing up, which was a sense of financial freedom, a sense of security in my home, a capacity to do the things that I love and a capacity to spend time with the people that I love.”
Research colleges that support adult learners
Look for a college that values who you are at this stage in your life, says Klein-Collins. These schools may offer flexible class schedules, academic coaching, academic credit for past work or military service, free admissions applications and clear career pathways. Some colleges, like those in the public City University of New York system, even offer on-campus child care to support student-parents.
A local community or technical college may be a great fit. These institutions are “designed specifically for people who are trying to juggle work and learning, and they’re often the most affordable option,” Klein-Collins says. “They also offer lots of short-term, professional or occupation-oriented programs that are often very state of the art, and really focused on the hybrid occupations of today’s labor market.” Nearly 44% of community college students are at least 25 years old, the 2023 White House report found.
However, if you’ve completed some college, the best path is likely back to your original institution, Crews says. You can usually pick up where you left off, which can save you money and time.
Tap into scholarships, grants, tuition benefits and other ‘gift aid’
Though a college degree can increase your earning potential, try to minimize college costs by tapping into financial aid, including “gift aid” — grants and scholarships that you don’t have to repay.
“Make sure that you’re finding options that are affordable, that you are not taking on too much loan debt, and if (debt) is your only option, keep asking questions,” Klein-Collins says. “Keep looking for other opportunities until you find something that’s going to work for you. If not, it’s probably not worth it to go so far into debt that it ends up affecting your ability to support your family down the road.”
You must fill out and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to qualify for most types of financial aid, including federal student loans and the need-based Pell Grant, which can give you up to $7,395 per year.
Working adults should check if they qualify for tuition benefits from their employer, Klein-Collins says. Military education benefits, like the G.I. Bill, can also help cover college expenses for service members, veterans and their dependents and spouses.
Some states, colleges and private organizations offer scholarships intended for adult learners, or for students with specific life experiences like parenting or military service. State grants, in particular, are often underused, Crews says. Here are some examples of state financial aid programs designed for adult students:
- Alabama’s (Re)Engage program. Grants for students age 25 and up who’ve been out of school for at least two years.
- Colorado’s Finish What You Started program. Financial and academic support for students re-enrolling in college.
- Indiana’s Adult Student Grant. Grants of up to $2,000 for working adults in college.
- New Jersey’s Garden State Guarantee. Free or discounted tuition for students in their third or fourth year of a bachelor’s degree program.
- Michigan’s Reconnect program. Free or discounted community college tuition for students age 21 and up.
- Ohio’s College Comeback Compact. Up to $5,000 in student debt forgiveness for students who re-enroll at a public Ohio institution.
- Massachusetts’s MassReconnect program. Free community college for students age 25 and up.
Many adult learners — like Williams — work through college. Among undergraduates ages 16-64, about 40% of full-time students and 74% of part-time students work while taking classes, according to a 2022 report by the National Center for Education Statistics. Earning money while studying can help you manage college costs.
After you maximize grants and scholarships, student loans can cover remaining bills. Prioritize federal student loans, which offer flexible repayment options and borrower protections. Private student loans should be used as a last resort to fill in any funding gaps.
If you previously took out student loans but left school before earning your degree (and the income and career boost that can come with it), finishing that degree is almost always the best financial move, says Crews. “Until you complete the degree, you’ve got the [debt] burden without the uplift.”
Negotiate financial aid offers
You may also be able to negotiate for more financial aid or to restore aid that you previously lost. Foreman says he lost his original financial aid package in 2018 after Western Michigan dismissed him for poor academic performance. He spent time off working to save money and wrote a financial aid appeal letter to the school with the help of his ReUp coach, which led to his aid being reinstated.
That restored aid package, along with student loans and savings he built working during his time off, made it possible for Foreman to re-enroll as a full-time student. He’s on track to graduate with his bachelor’s degree in the spring of 2025.
Bring any questions about your financial aid package to your prospective college’s financial aid office. And if you previously tapped into financial aid to pay for college, ask if that could impact what you’re eligible for today.
Klein-Collins adds: “You should never fully commit to enrollment before you have had those conversations, and they shouldn’t expect you to.”
Lean on your support network
Both Williams and Foreman emphasize the importance of a support network as they navigate college. Whether it’s from family, friends, classmates, neighbors, partners, a religious community or college advisors, a support network can cheer you on and help you manage the logistics of going back to school.
This may be especially true for the nearly 1 in 4 undergraduates who are parents, according to a 2023 data compiled by the Urban Institute, a nonprofit think-tank based in Washington, D.C. Williams says she waited until her daughter was older to go back to school and relied on her husband to help with child care. “You go to school, you come home, you’re tired,” Williams says. “I’m not going to lie to anybody. It’s very challenging. It’s very challenging.”
Organizations focused on adult learners, like ReUp, can also be part of your support network. ReUp pairs students with coaches who help them navigate college — at no cost to the student.
“I understand how overwhelming and how daunting [going back to college] can be,” says Foreman, who credits his ReUp coach for helping him get back to school. “If there’s one thing I could recommend, it sounds so simple, but honestly, just believe in yourself, take your time and ask for help.”
Even with support, you’ll be your own biggest advocate in the classroom.
“Don’t assume that you’re going to be the oldest person in the room and also recognize that you have a lot to contribute,” Klein-Collins says. “You have the benefit of your work and life experiences that you’re bringing to that classroom, and that’s an asset for the learning of everybody.”
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Eliza Haverstock writes for NerdWallet. Email: ehaverstock@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @elizahaverstock.
The article Considering College at 25+? Here’s What To Know Before You Enroll originally appeared on NerdWallet.
