This is an exciting time of the year. The children are heading to school with their new duds, and their backpacks are filled with notebooks and lunch buckets. But it turns out that not only young people will break books.
Many baby boomers will also return to school. Some people go to college for the first time.
The American Association of Community Colleges [AACC] said in its report "Adding 50 students: entering a growing market", "The number of baby boomers has reached 78 million, which has brought college students into the campus."
What is the reason for this trend? According to a survey by Schools.com, unlike young college students, groundbreaking baby boomers are not driven by anyone's expectations. And, perhaps surprisingly, regret does not seem to be an important factor. Only about 15% of students between the ages of 50 and 59 said they returned to school to complete their previous degree.
So why is the baby boomer generation going back to school?
Update skills
Longer working hours for many baby boomers have shown that up to 80% of baby boomers plan to do some paid work before the age of 70 to stay in a state of mind, stay social, and get financial security when they retire. Worked for 50 years and then worked for decades.
Whether it's because of economic needs or personal choices, the baby boomers are working, and many people will go back to college for additional training so they can stay on the job market or improve their careers. Some people are fired and it is difficult to find a job. Going back to school to update skills seems to be a step in the right direction.
In addition to motivation, the baby boomer generation stands out from younger students in other ways. For example, most people don't care about social activities, campus life and extracurricular activities. Due to the low cost and flexibility, many people participate in online or mixed degree programs.
Many universities have noted the unique needs of older students as they seek quick and effective ways to promote their education and career development. In fact, the American Community College Association launched the Plus 50 program in 2008 to help universities learn how to provide what older students want. As a result, students over the age of 50 can often find enough flexibility in degree programs, online and weekend courses, and accelerated courses.
Change career
Some baby boomers are pursuing a "recycling cause" and returning to school to prepare for a new direction in life. Whether the baby boomers are retired, want to try another career part-time or are still working and want to change jobs, many people want to pursue their interests and passions before it is too late.
In addition, as people age, they often want to help others in their careers. "Sometimes people may be very successful in their careers, and now they are retiring, but they always know that this is not what they really want to do," said Dawn Jones of the Schenectady Care and Transfer Services Office. County Community College. "They want to do something that is more important to them."
Focus on yourself
For those 50-59 years old, the decision to return to school often ends with the freedom to explore the topics they like. 31% of those surveyed in this age group said they were studying at the university to explore their passion. In contrast, those 18 to 29 years old are three times less likely to give an answer; they are more likely to say that they are a logical next step in their lives.
In fact, the baby boomer generation is changing people's ages, and many people want to continue to grow and learn. Some people become part of the continuing education department and learn new languages or astronomy in class. The idea is to learn for yourself rather than earn a degree. So why not? Many people now have freedom and no opportunity to take advantage of opportunities.
Are you a baby boomer who is considering returning to college? Don't let age stop you. It is never too late to go back to school or try a new career.
Jones said: "This is not a number, but about the state of mind." "If this is what you want to do and has the ability to do it, you will be passionate about it. We are in their 60s and 70s. Students, and I think we even have some older people, classes and degree programs. There is no age limit, and if you want to do, there is no limit to what you can do."
"I often say to the returning adults that when you grow up, you decide what kind of person you want to be and you will never be too old." #36, Jones added.
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