.svg){kind=icon}
- Research Colleges & Universities
How are we doing?
👍
👎
Time management</a> is also important in this regard, which should involve scheduling time not only for school and studying, but also for family and socializing.</p>
<h2>Money</h2>
<p>Money is another of the struggles for the non-traditional student. It can be expensive to pay for school on its own, but many people don’t figure in the additional loss of income from having to reduce hours at work too. In addition to tuition, there are also the extra costs of lab fees, textbooks, supplies, etc.</p>
<p>The good news is that a lot of employers actually offer compensation for returning to school (especially if it will benefit the student’s job knowledge and performance). There are also an abundant amount of <a href=https://plexuss.com/n/"https://plexuss.com/news/article/scholarships-for-adult-students">scholarships available for adult learners</a>, which can be easily found and applied for by students in the know. If all of that fails, there are always loans that are offered in most schools as a fall-back plan as well. For people who know where to look, money doesn’t have to be an obstacle to success in school.</p>
<p><img src=https://plexuss.com/n/"https://s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/asset.plexuss.com/news/images/struggles-for-non-traditional-students.jpg" alt="Struggles for Non-Traditional Students" width="400" height="250" /></p>
<h2>Lack of Support and Confidence</h2>
<p>Sometimes the challenges for the non-traditional student aren’t as obvious. One of the most hurtful can be a lack of support from family members, co-workers, and/or friends. This can come in a variety of different forms - not respecting boundaries during study time, joking, etc.</p>
<p>The lack of support can also lead to a lack of confidence, which may have already been lurking under the surface. It can already be uncomfortable going into a classroom that may be filled with younger students that can seem difficult to relate to. For students who don’t feel supported, it can further reduce their confidence level, which can be difficult to recover from.</p>
<p>A way to overcome these challenges for the non-traditional student is to set up support systems before going back to school. These can be study groups with other adult learners, discussion with family members who have been through the same issues, or simply an online message board that students can go to just to vent with other, like-minded people.</p>
<h2>Stress</h2>
<p>Due to the increased responsibility and pressure involved with going back to school, many adult learners experience an increase in their stress levels. Elevated stress levels can result in a lowered immune system, poor performance in both school and work, anxiety and depression, and difficulty with personal relationships.</p>
<p>It is <a href=https://plexuss.com/n/"https://plexuss.com/news/article/self-care-for-college-students">important for all non-traditional students to remember to take care of themselves</a>. Self-care is critical with managing stress levels, which can help adult learners be as successful as possible at school as a result. This can be as simple as working out regularly, taking a bath, going to therapy, or just reading a book.</p>
<h2>Accessibility</h2>
<p>In addition to the many challenges for the non-traditional student we’ve discussed, one that doesn’t get a lot of consideration is accessibility. In fact, accessibility actually involves many of the above factors in one. In some cases, accessibility can also refer to students with disabilities or health issues that can impact their ability to be able to physical access campus facilities.</p>
<p>Due to the different types of obstacles adult learners face, it is often best to look at some of the less conventional educational options. These often include online-only or hybrid (half classroom, half online) courses, which allow people the flexibility to access their courses the way that works best for them. For students with disabilities, it is mandatory for most campuses to comply with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act). Physical access to campus doesn’t have to be a dealbreaker.</p>
<h2>In Conclusion...</h2>
<p>Knowing what the common challenges for the non-traditional student are when deciding to attend school as an adult is the best way for people to get a solid plan in place ahead of time. Students should take the time to evaluate all of the above factors so that they can set themselves up for success before even entering the classroom.</p>"/>
