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You’re ready to start your continued education journey, and you may have a specific area of study or type of program that you’re interested in. Even with that information, it can feel overwhelming when you’re trying to choose a specific education program or college.

This guide contains expert advice from Valerie Jaquith, one of EdAssist’s academic coaches, to help adult learners choose the right educational program that can accommodate their current responsibilities and benefit their careers.

Consider in-demand job positions, skills, and experience

If you’re trying to determine which programs may help you advance your career, it can be helpful to understand which jobs, skills, and experience are currently in-demand. This can help you get the education you need to develop those sought-after skills.

Start by reviewing job openings within your organization and in your industry. Track trends in the types of jobs, job descriptions, skills, or experience that pops up regularly; this is a high area of need, and a safe bet that your upskilling could help you advance.

You should also look at requirements for specific jobs or positions you’re interested in. Do they require certain types of degrees, certificates, or certification? If so, that’s a good place to start.

Assess which program format will help you be successful

Adult learners often have unique challenges that younger students attending school full-time may not have to consider. They typically have full-time jobs, busy lives, and potentially family obligations.

This means that you need to consider what you need to meet your learning needs and how to fit college into your schedule.

There are different options to consider:

• On-site vs. remote: Some programs are available fully remote, while others may require on-site participation. If possible, remote options can be more convenient for many adult learners.
• Schedule flexibility: Remote classes may require you to be online during certain times of the day to take tests or listen to lectures. Other courses, however, allow you to watch lectures on your schedule as long as you keep up with the coursework during the class period.
• Asynchronous programs: These self-paced programs allow you to take as long as you’d like to complete a course, as there are no set semesters.
• Accredited programs: If you’re going to take college courses to complete a degree or certificate program, accredited schools are always ideal. In some cases, accreditation may even be required in certain industries.
• School resources: Many schools offer student resources, such as writing centers, learning centers that provide tutoring, or career coaching.
• Accelerated classes: Certain programs offer short semesters, compacting full classes into eight weeks, for example, instead of 15.

Some adult learners love self-paced courses that they can work around seasonal demands in their own careers, for example, while others struggle to finish courses when there’s no set deadline and everything else in life feels more urgent.

Consider what you need to be successful, and prioritize that— and know that it’s different for everyone.

Evaluate potential cost

Budget is another major consideration for adult learners— even if they have tuition assistance from their employer.

Employer-sponsored tuition assistance will have specific thresholds for how much they’ll reimburse every year, and many adult learners want to stay within that budget. If you want to take one class every spring, summer, and fall semester, therefore, you’ll need to make sure that three semesters of your program’s tuition costs will be under the limit.

If you’re relying on employee education assistance benefits, make sure you understand your specific benefits. Some companies may only pay for formal degrees and not certificates, for example, or have strict requirements about the types of education you can pursue.

Consider program length

It’s also essential to consider program length and cost.

If you’re attending school full-time, for example, it may take two to three years on average to complete a master’s degree… but most adult learners don’t have full-time availability. It’s important to consider how much time you’re willing to commit to continued education.

Are you willing to be taking a few classes every year for the next five years? If not, you may want to reevaluate a program that would require it and look at alternative learning options instead.

Evaluate different types of continued education

Long gone are the days when formal degrees are the only higher education option available. While degrees are always valuable, they may not be an immediate option for some adult learners who could benefit by starting with short, stackable certificates or certifications instead.

For example, starting with a graduate certificate could help you earn a credential to add to your resume faster as it may only require four or five classes and allows you to earn academic credit. If you complete the certificate and then want to go on to complete a full degree, you can!

Consider the different types of programs available to you, and determine which would best meet your needs and your career goals.

Choosing a program that works for you

When it comes to continued education, there’s no one right answer for everyone. It’s important to consider what you need to be successful. For some, that means finding shorter programs that are covered by their education assistance benefits. For others, it means completing a specific, accredited degree that’s an essential credential for the job you want.

If you feel overwhelmed, consider talking to an academic coach. EdAssist’s coaches can help you decide which programs can both align with your needs and help you reach your professional goals.

Ready to pursue continued education to support a career change? Get advice on how to start through EdAssist’s coaching services.