PHOENIX — Arizona State University is seeing changes when it comes to the age of its students. Today, more adult learners are heading back to class. Some are even starting for the first time.
The university said it’s answering an unmet need: that people in the 40+ age group want to access education. Now, they're addressing that need, and finding ways to connect adults with education.
The increase in students who are 40 and older attending college is based on data ASU has taken over the last 10 years. Since the 2012-2013 school year, the total number of both undergraduate and graduate students in the 40+ age group has increased from about 5,200 to nearly 13,000 -- near 150%, according to the university.
Ysenia Palma is a 3rd year ASU student who is 47-years-old. She said she’s always wanted to go to higher education, but took a different path in life when she became pregnant at 17 and then worked full time. Now, she's working toward an undergraduate degree in psychology and encourages prospective students like her to not let anything hold them back from taking the leap.
“Well I had too many thoughts run through my mind even to begin community college. Will I make it? Am I too old? Am I going to succeed," Ysenia said. "And I finally just decided that I wouldn’t know unless I try. So I just got out there and enrolled in my first semester and here I am.”
ASU's Dr. Aaron Guest said they’re now targeting the age group of 40+ students based on the recent positive trend in enrollment.
“I think it's a population that's often overlooked. Often in higher education we think about college students being in the 18 to 22-year-old group," Dr. Guest said. "Really there's a lot of people who have come to college and maybe didn't have the opportunity to finish the first time."
Ysenia said she’s a Nina Scholar, which has given her the opportunity to start college in this stage of her life. Plus, it’s allowed her to focus solely on her education.
Dr. Guest said ASU is seeing a lot of growth in this age group focusing on degrees in health related industries, social work and psychology.
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