The traditional image of the college student hanging out in the dorm eating pizza with friends doesn't apply to the older student. These students come into college with challenges that traditional students in the 18- to 22-year-old age bracket don't face. For the older, nontraditional student, life at school means carrying around a day planner filled with not only deadlines for essays and tests, but also kids' soccer matches, meetings at work and home and family care duties. Adult students also have a difficult time sometimes finding classes that fit their schedule, because most colleges and universities still plan their course schedules around the lifestyle of the traditional student. Learning how to fit all of these elements together means the older student's life/school balance isn't always balanced, depending upon what taxes his schedule at the moment.
Older adults worry about how going back to college will affect their pocketbooks. Their concerns include trying to pay for college while supporting their other financial obligations such as a mortgage or car payment. Student loans and grants can offset some of the costs associated with attending school; these financial resources can add several thousand dollars to a student's bank account each semester. Additionally, new loan repayment plans allow students to pay back their loans according to their income, thus offsetting some of the worries associated with borrowing money for school.
Older students often have spent more time out of school than in it by the time they return to college life. As such, they face many fears about being able to keep up with their coursework. They ask themselves if they still have the skills required to write an essay or take a math test, and they wonder how they'll be able to schedule meetings with other students as they embark on group projects. In this way, both the students' fears and their limited schedules can get the best of their academic confidence. Nontraditional students can get their feet wet by taking university refresher courses and asking professors to allow them to choose their own groups and set their own schedules as much as possible. These students should also seek out academic advising if they're unsure how to proceed with their studies.
Older students often feel caught in the middle between younger students and faculty, meaning that while they identify with the age and experience of their instructors, they are still students. This leads many to feel isolated as they wonder how they can make friends and not cross the line with their professors by becoming too familiar. Some colleges offer services that assist nontraditional students specifically; these organizations help them meet people their own age who share their same challenges. Some campuses provide services that allow older students to get advice about financial aid, school/life balance and mentoring programs.