Is it Hard Getting a College Degree as an Adult? Here are 4 Ways Being an Adult Makes Higher Education a Little Easier!

Factors in your life may have prohibited you from getting a college degree straight out of high school. Maybe completing your high school education was a feat unto itself and you needed to hit “pause” on further education. Or, perhaps, you served in the United States Military, or you wanted to get some on-the-ground training before committing to a specific area of study.

But now, here you are in adulthood with all its demands – bills, parenthood, job expectations –and you’re ready for new opportunities.

It’s never too late to pursue a goal that matters to you. A college education is no exception.

If you’re wondering if you really can make time to get a degree now that you’ve got more on your plate, the answer is “yes!”

As an adult seeking higher education, you have several advantages that set you on the pathway to success. You also have countless resources and people to encourage you along the way.

Here are four ways being an adult in higher education is an advantage:

1. You already have a better understanding of priorities.

You’ve probably been paying bills, holding down jobs, and handling family responsibilities for years.

You know that balancing an education on top of competing – and maybe even conflicting – priorities will be a challenge, but you also know what really matters to you. When life gets busy, sacrificing good for great and saying no to distractions is critical.

The ability to delay gratification is like a muscle that needs to be developed over time. The fact that you’re already learning to flex it on other areas of your life makes you primed to start your college degree.

2. You appreciate the art of time management.

Time is one of our most valuable and nonrenewable resources. And you already know you’re going to need to allocate 10 or more hours a week to studying, reviewing lecture notes, writing papers, reading and preparing for exams.

Just like in your home or work life, you have to dedicate pockets of time to diligently fit in your studies. Getting up an hour earlier, trading in some evening screen time for reading or writing, and dedicating part of your weekend to assignments are a few examples of how to develop a new normal. Knowing that you only have so much time to dedicate to a certain project or reading assignment will make you more focused on the work you have in front of you.

You don’t have time to binge the latest series on Netflix; you’ve got a degree to work toward!

3. You have a goal – and a degree is what will help you get there.

This is perhaps one of the biggest advantages adults have when it comes to starting their degree: their “why.”

Many students straight out of high school have a loose-leaf idea of what they want to “be when they grow up.” But time is our friend. You know much more about your strengths and challenges, as well as what you like and absolutely don’t like.

Maybe this degree will put you on the path to your desired career, or the course credits will help you advance where you already are in your workplace. This degree will likely give you more opportunities and equip you to provide a better life for your family. It will inspire your children (or future children) to work hard, too.

Either way, deciding that you need to get a college degree to advance the career and life you want is one of the most engaging “whys” there is.

And if you’re stuck on what career you’d be good at, or if you want to know how a degree can advance your status in the workplace, Regent University’s Office of Career & Talent Management is primed with people who can help you get the tools you need.

4. You have a community of people who are here to support you at every step.

Nothing about the process of pursuing your education from start to finish requires you to do it alone. At Regent, from the get-go, you’re connected with enrollment counselors, academic advisors and faculty members whose purpose is to guide you on your educational journey.

With their help, as well as the support of the wonderful community of students, both on campus and online, you’re well on your way to achieving your higher education dreams!

Want to learn more? Look through our programs and see what degree is right for you!