It’s Never Too Late for a College Education

In previous generations, college degrees weren’t the necessity for long and stable careers that they have become today. Trade schools and work experience were often more than enough to make one’s professional way in the world. But as the previous generations get older, they may find themselves out of work or looking for a change in career and will come up against the problem of not having a higher education degree. So what should they do?

Well, they should go to school and get that degree! Since the baby boomer generation is a casualty of both the recent economic downturn and an era when earning a bachelor’s degree wasn’t a standard affairs they are returning to college in large numbers. They’ve taken the recent turn of events and used it as an opportunity to expand their horizons and their employability.

Take the example of Paul Klinger. Mr. Klinger is a mold-maker for plastic manufacturing companies, a line of work he enjoys, and one he didn’t need a college degree to begin. But he recently lost his job and found finding a new one difficult. What did the other candidates vying for the same opportunities have that Mr. Klinger didn’t? College degrees.

So Mr. Klinger began attending courses at Monroe Community College to bolster his years of experience in the field. Mr. Klinger is not alone. The number of people older than 50 entering college is increasing. In 2009, that number was 388,000, an increase of 6% since 2007 and 12% since 2005. Consider some of the advantages to returning to school as a person over fifty:

The knowledge is appreciated more when it’s directly relevant to the career, experience, and job needs of the students. Returning to college later in life means that the necessity is clear and the motivation is high.

After many years in the workforce, it’s possible to save up enough money to either pay for school directly or to comfortably afford the loan payments required. With money in the bank, it can be easier to concentrate on the education at hand.

Many schools, such as the Cape Cod Community College in Massachusetts, train their professors and faculty specifically to understand the needs of older students. For example, microphones are employed in large classrooms, and suitably large font sizes are used on paper handouts and tests.

With the motivation to finish a degree quickly due to a lifetime of other responsibilities, older students may apply to accelerated programs that enable them to earn their degrees at a faster pace.

College can provide the extra edge necessary to compete in today’s modern workforce. The baby boomer generation has a lifetime of skill gained through hands-on knowledge in many different professions. All that is missing for some of them is the degree to back it up. And with school becoming more understanding and accommodating to older students, it just goes to show that it’s never too late to earn that college education.