According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Education and the University Continuing Education Association, the fastest-growing group taking college courses is adults 25 and older who are working and raising families. As thousands of these adults return to the higher education market, they are making a huge impact. The non-traditional student is becoming more the norm in the college classroom.

Here are some more facts from the National Center for Education:

? The number of students taking classes online tripled to 2.2 million in the year 2002.
? The proportion of four-year colleges offering online programs grew from 84 percent to 90 percent in 2005.
? Total enrollment in all distance learning courses across the United States has more than doubled since 1995 (754,000 to 1.9 million).
? In 2004?05, only half of community college students received some form of financial aid, primarily grants. Because community college students are likely to work full-time, attend school part-time or both, relatively few take out the student loans that are widely available.
? More corporations than ever before are using tuition reimbursement and other education-related incentives to hire and retain key employees.
? Students who complete Associate degrees and certificates are more likely to move into higher-status management and professional positions with higher earnings than those with only a high school education.

What these facts mean is that there is a growing need to provide college education to people who cannot attend college on a full-time basis. Universities and technical schools have responded (and continue to do so) in a positive way to meet the needs of this group of college students. Independent learning courses, accelerated programs, weekend programs and online courses are just the beginning of the trend in how the education sector at large is responding to the needs of the non-traditional learner.

So, the next time you say to yourself ?

“I’m too old to go back to school.”
“The school?s schedule doesn?t fit my schedule.”
“No one wants to help someone with as many needs as I have.”

? think again.

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