Adult Learners: Who They Are and What they Want from College
There’s a surge in the number of people seeking to improve their lives by going back to college. According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the percentage of students ages 25 to 34 will jump by 11 percent by 2026. With that in mind, it’s important for colleges to understand the feelings, motivations, obstacles, and needs of the adult learner.
In this post, we’ll explore the evolving landscape of higher education, focusing on the growing population of adult learners and their unique needs. We’ll go beyond defining the outdated “non-traditional student” label and delve deeper into the diverse backgrounds, motivations, and challenges faced by adult learners. We’ll also offer education marketers some actionable insights into how to effectively reach and engage this crucial demographic.
Who is the adult learner?
Typically 25 and older, adult learners may or may not have a college degree, are seeking to complete or earn a new degree, work full or part-time, are interested in advancing their careers, have professional and/or military experience and may be taking care of children. It’s a diverse group that comes from a wide variety of different ethnic and economic backgrounds.
“Adult learners are all different,” said Amina Mecca, director of advertising sales for AMNY Education Marketing. “People might be high school dropouts, they might be those that entered the workforce to get jobs quickly but now want to go back to get a degree, they might be people who got an associates/certification and want a degree, they might be someone who is in their 40s/50s and wants to do something different — all different life stages.”
Once called “non-traditional student,” the adult learner is quickly becoming a norm, as more people over age 25 seek to advance their lives by returning to higher education. But this term is quickly becoming outdated.
“The education/workforce world wants to drop the term non-traditional, because it sounds like it’s an unconventional path,” said Mecca.
Motivations and Goals
Adult learners have a variety of different reasons for pursuing higher education. For some, it’s reigniting a passion, for others, to stay competitive or advance their career, or increase their earnings.
“Career advancement is the biggest one, enrichment, financial stability. Those are definitely the most common themes. The other thing is there’s so much different and bigger opportunity now, especially in New York State, with technology and manufacturing jobs that upskilling as an adult learner is attractive. And there’s more variety in types of courses that meet their life stages, such as after work hours, online classes, fully remote programs, childcare stipends, etc.,” said Mecca.
Education marketers interested in reaching the adult learner should focus on the return on investment and potential career paths for adult learners seeking a higher degree.
Challenges and Barriers
But adult learners face some real-world obstacles. Considerations such as work-life balance, finances, and academic anxiety all play a different role in how education marketers can address the adult learners needs.
“Even with the above flexibilities, the biggest challenges would be fitting time schedules,” said Mecca.
To help adult learners overcome these challenges, colleges can offer the following:
- Flexible scheduling. This includes online classes, remote and hybrid learning options, night and weekend courses and full and part time options and transfer credits.
- Simplified application process. Consider adjusting the application process for adult learners, who are in a different stage of life than the typical first-year college student.
- Financial aid options. Be clear and up front about tuition costs, financial aid, fees, scholarships, and payment plan options.
- Support systems. Consider hosting tours, workshops, online information sessions, career services, affordable childcare, and community events to support adult learners.
“Individualized marketing is what we’re trying to focus on. Because this audience looks very different community by community, you can’t just blanket message them. They really have different obstacles and different needs,” said Mecca.
To reach adult learners more effectively, education marketers should focus on tailored marketing strategies that resonate with adult learners. This includes targeted messaging, showcasing success stories, highlighting flexible options, and emphasizing career outcomes.
For example, a success story spotlighting an adult learner who earned a degree and is now working in their chosen field, shows relatable, real-life content that connects with its audience. Authentic, honest, relatable stories featuring real people sharing genuine experiences often resonate more effectively than scripted marketing techniques.
AMNY Education Marketing and our partner Advance Educaiton specializes in creating effective marketing strategies for education providers throughout the United States. Our capabilities include many proven tactics that will add value to your brand and help your institution achieve marketing success.
