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    ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​PA EmpowerU

    ​​Adult Students

    Almost one third of all students enrolled in postsecondary institutions are 25 or older1. That means students are often working, parenting, or even taking care of parents or other loved ones. It's important to recognize and remember that a college system designed for an 18-year-old living with their parents may not be the college system that will ensure success for every learner. The most recent data show that about half of all college students earn a degree or certificate within six years of enrolling, while only a third of student-parents complete school, with the rate even lower for single parents, according to Higher Education Today2.

    Adult Student Needs for Institutional Leaders

    Get Help on Your Campus

    Check with your institution through advising, counseling, or even admissions departments to see what help they can provide to non-traditional aged students.

    Resources

    High School Equivalency and Adult Education

    Earning High School Equivalency – Adults wishing to earn their high school equivalency can learn more and register for exams at The GED Test or The ​HiSET.​​

    Adult Basic and Family Literacy Education – The Pennsylvania Division of Adult Education administers programs that provide services to help adults fully participate in their child’s schooling, provide basic skill for employment, or to obtain a high school equivalency credential.

    Adult College Guides

    How To Go Back To College – Graduate Philadelphia! advisors provide guidance on filling out and filing financial assistance forms, getting academic support, navigating work and family schedules, completing paperwork, improving study skills, and staying in school. 

    Parenting Students

    Pittsburgh Scholar House is an example of a two-generation model for parenting students. An affiliate of the Family Scholar House in Louisville, KY, this program – which will eventually have an on-site housing component – offers parenting students academic supports and financial resources to engage with postsecondary education, continue in their program of study, reengage with postsecondary education, or upskill to find different or better employment.

    ​1 Student Enrollment: How many students ages 25 and over enroll in postsecondary institutions in the fall? (US. Dept of Education, National Center for Education Statistics)
    2 Building Family-Friendly Campuses: Strategies to Promote College Success Among Student Parents