Find Your Perfect Program:
More Baby Boomers Head to Community Colleges
By Catherine Groux
Posted December 27, 2011 11:22 AM
Many students who attend community colleges have a unique set of needs. According to the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC), the average age of students at such institutions is 29, which means that many have family and job responsibilities in addition to working on their associate's degree. This is why a lot of community college students go to school part-time and use flexible class options like online education and weekend courses.
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More adults over the age of 50 are going to community college to learn new skills. nontraditional students opt to go back to school for many reasons. The AACC states that while some are earning an associate's degree with the hopes of later transferring to a four-year school, others are simply learning as a hobby and gaining skills in areas such as foreign languages. Others have found that after spending years in the workforce, they need to update their skills with an associate's degree if they want to advance or change careers.
This is especially true among members of the baby boomer generation. USA Today recently cited AACC data that says more individuals above the age of 50 are attending a community college. Since 2005, this number has increased by more than 12%.
As members of the AACC noticed this trend, they decided to create what they called the Plus 50 Initiative in 2008. At that time, 13 schools across the country agreed to participate and create enrichment programs for older students looking to brush up on their skills. As of December 2011, the initiative has attracted an additional 11 schools.
"What we're trying to offer them is accelerated programs that will not take them long periods of time to complete," Jerone Gamble, completion coordinator at the College of Central Florida, one of the original Plus 50 schools, told USA Today. "We know there's a need out there. And it's conducive in that age category."
Gamble said two popular training courses among older students are those that prepare them to become security offers and tax return preparers.
Ultimately, the AACC tells students who want to advance their skills at a community college to remember that they will not be the only person over the age of 50 on campus. Also, while earning an associate's degree part time may take awhile, it is generally rewarding to develop new talents and abilities.
