With age comes maturity. Maturity often leads to responsibility. Colleges now have a wide array of students.
- There is the younger generation, fresh into the college world.
- There are the second chance students. They are usually the ones who attended within the past four years and are now back to finish what they started.
- Finally, you have the middle-aged college student.
The last two groups mentioned are normally the ones who receive the most out of their educations and here is why.
1) Adult students have a clearer meaning of money.
They know how hard it is to work for a dollar. They have the ambition of getting through college as quickly as possible strictly for cost purposes. They stay focused to ensure no repeats are needed.
2) Adult students have a better sense of what they want out of life.
The adult student has spent time out in the workforce without a degree. By now they should have an understanding of what they want out of life. Adult students have usually held down many jobs and know which field they work the best in.
3) Adult students are more accountable for their education.
With being an adult student there is usually a family attached. This family is the driving force for the school return. The student is not only responsible for achieving success for themselves but also for the ones they provide for. This in itself is a big enough factor to get adult students to graduation.
Young students are still only focused on themselves, as the adult student is focused on their family.
4) Adult students know what life is like firsthand without a degree, as to where the younger entrant does not.
The adult learner knows how difficult it is to get to where you want to be without a degree. The young student still entertains ideas that a degree is not necessary in order to make large amounts of money. While this may be true, it is very hard to take this route in life and actually succeed in doing so.
5) Young students lack the maturity and wisdom of the adult learner.
The adult learner is there to complete a job. The younger student is there to party, socialize, and every now and then attend class.
There are many differences in the two parties. There are a few exceptions to the young group. You will find those who were raised with the mentality that education is key.
These are the young few who go on to be doctors and lawyers and the tender age of 25. Granted there are many young graduates, but how well they retained their studies is an entirely different thing.