Adult education is based on the idea that there is much more change in life than might meet the eye. Among the most successful people around are those who embrace life conscientiously, learn constantly, and wrestle with life’s challenges and opportunities with an intelligent and thoughtful enthusiasm. In other words, those who “make good sense a way of life.” Some individuals have a natural curiosity and interest in ideas and things new. They enjoy learning and are easily comfortable, even happy, with change and growth. Others, however, seem to learn, grow and change only by being sort of “dragged through” life. They tend to have less of an appreciation of the somewhat exciting dynamics that growth and change present. Theoretically, adult education is good for everyone. But, only those who relish life will likely enjoy it.

Adult education — sometimes referred to as “on-going education” — might resemble classroom learning in that you may register for, pay for, and attend a presentation or seminar in a formal classroom setting. But, very likely an adult education offering is shorter than courses of study at a high school, technical school, college or university. Each session is more “bite-sized” and is measured in clock hours rather than months or semesters. Usually anything resembling “homework” is optional and without any graded test or exam at the end of the session. Generally, the topic is very specialized and is intended to be informative, practical or insightful rather immediately. The purpose for each adult education opportunity is usually very specific and evident. At the end of the session, you leave with information usable almost at once.

Almost any topic is worthy of adult education status because in 21st Century society an ever increasing awareness is a requirement for responsible participation and effective decision-making. Life planning, political issues, health and medical issues, life-style issues, how-to-do-it items, household management, business management, time management, physical self-care, philosophy, religious ideas, culture and the arts, and just about anything else can be included in fruitful adult education presentations. And, while sometimes “a little learning is a dangerous thing” (for learning is like money or power, much depends on how you use them), you can only begin serious learning from the beginning of the issue or idea. You must risk learning only a little before you can successfully learn a great deal. There is no 3-hour seminar which will make you competent to practice law or medicine, a 3-hour presentation can effectively help you learn more than you knew before. Thus, you can more reasonably and intelligently engage in a useful professional legal or medical consultation.

If “ignorance is bliss,” then ignorance can also become very dangerous and expensive. Adult education is a great modern remedy for ignorance. It has been said that once one stops learning and thinking, one has effectively “died” intellectually. Adult education is a great preventative measure for an intellectual “premature death.” Everyone can do this. And it can be (in fact, it should be!) very enjoyable, even down right fun!

Adult education opportunities are offered by schools and school districts, colleges and universities, professions and industries, and by private adult education companies. Some are free of charge and some cost a moderate tuition. A quality adult education presentation is always worth much more than it’s price. Search the web for “adult education” and similar key words and phrases, and you’ll likely find a whole host of opportunities to live intelligently and insightfully.

The SAT and ACT: The spring of your junior year is an excellent time to take the SAT Reasoning Test or the ACT. You’ll get your scores in plenty of time to use them in your college selection. If your scores match those of students who were recently admitted to your target schools, you can rest easy and turn your attention to other application tasks. If your scores fall below that mark, you’ve left yourself plenty of time to take the test a second time.

SAT Subject Tests: A number of selective schools either require or encourage applicants to submit scores from 2 or 3 SAT Subject Tests (formerly known as SAT IIs) in addition to their SAT or ACT score. Look into the requirements for your target schools now, so you’ll know what tests you need to take, and then visit the College Board website to find out what dates you can take the tests on. SAT Subject Tests are given on most, but not all, of the same test dates that the SAT Reasoning Test is given on. Not all Subject Tests are available on all test dates.

Each SAT Subject Test is one hour long. Although you can take multiple tests on a single day, you might find it less stressful to take just one or two tests at a time. If you can, it’s a good idea to take at least some of your Subject Tests this spring. The material you’re being tested on should be fresh in your mind from your classes, and you’ll leave your summer and fall weekends free to work on other parts of your applications. (Don’t forget, though, that you may also have to take AP or IB exams in May.
Don’t schedule yourself for too many major exams at one time.)

Class Selection: It’s not too early to start thinking about what classes you’ll take in your senior year. Your first-semester classes are especially important because they will be listed on your transcripts and mid-year reports. Of course, admissions committees like to see high grades – but they also like to see proof that a student is curious and has sought out challenging courses. That doesn’t mean that you have to load up on every AP or IB class that’s available to you. On the contrary, there’s a good argument to be made for deciding how much time you want to put into AP and IB coursework and then taking only as many classes as you feel comfortable with.

School Selection & Visits: You’ve probably been researching schools for some time now, at least informally. Now is the time to get serious. You want to come up with a list of 8 to 12 schools that you would be happy to enroll at, including ’stretch’ and ’safety’ schools.

If you can, use this spring or summer to visit your top-priority schools. There’s nothing like a campus visit to give you a better idea of what it might be like to actually attend a particular school. Let the admissions office know you’re coming, especially if you’re visiting a smaller school. Having a record of your visit could help you when admissions decisions are made. Schools prefer to admit students who show strong interest in them, and a campus visit is one way of showing your interest in a school.

Essays: All selective schools require applicants to submit one or more essays as part of the application package. Look at the requirements for your target schools. Start thinking about topics for your essays and jotting down your ideas months before your application deadlines. Essays can be the most time-consuming part of preparing a college application – but good ones can pay off by setting you apart from the many other applicants with grades and test scores similar to yours, and by convincing an admissions committee that you are someone they want as a student at their school.

Application Deadlines: Start thinking now about what schools you want to apply to, when. Most Early Action and Early Decision deadlines fall on November 1. Regular admissions deadlines often fall on or around January 1. Although public universities with rolling admissions continue accepting applications into the spring months, it’s advisable to submit your applications well before that. With today’s large and well-qualified applicant pools, many state schools fill all of the available spaces in their freshman classes long before their final deadlines. This past year, several of the more selective state universities (including Penn State) advised high school students to submit their applications by the school’s priority deadline (which is November 30 in Penn State’s case).

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the holder of a university degree can earn over one million dollars in extra income over the course of their lifetime. One million dollars is a significant sum of money considering the cost involved in investing in a university degree ( On average US $35,196). Knowing that a person who holds a university degree may earn one million dollars more in their lifetime supports the concept that higher education is a worthwhile investment. There are many other verifiable reasons to support going to college to earn a university degree, such as:

Financial value of earning a higher education university degree: A breakdown of the U.S. Census Bureau results reveals that over the working life of an adult, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate’s degree holders earn approximately $1.6 million; and those who hold a bachelor’s degree earn about $2.1 million. When you consider the large differences in earning between these categories, it makes the value of a college education and university degree quite apparent. Alternatively, the U.S. Department of Education has determined that a full-time student at a 4-year public university pays an average of $8,655 for tuition, room and board and a full-time student at a public 2-year university pays the average of $1,359 per year for tuition. Although higher education can be costly, it dramatically increases an individual’s earning capacity.

Social value of earning a higher education university degree: In their 1992 report, Elchanan Cohn and Terry Geske found that “college graduates appear to have a more optimistic view of their past and future personal progress.” The improved self-esteem of people holding a university degree makes them more viable candidates for many positions in the job market along with the confidence to pursue those jobs.

Public value of earning a higher education university degree: The Institute for Higher Education Policy has found that public benefits of attending college are greater productivity in the workplace, more workforce flexibility, increased tax benefits and less need to rely on governmental financial support. People who hold a university degree revel in being self-sufficient because of their ability to earn an adequate living.

Personal value of earning a higher education university degree: Furthermore, the Institute for Higher Education Policy reports that college graduates have higher levels of savings, more hobbies, increased professional mobility, a better quality of life for their children and even make better decisions as consumers. The skills learned while acquiring a university degree are also applied in a beneficial manner to everyday living.

Health value of earning a higher education university degree: The Cohn and Geske study in 1992 revealed that “parental schooling levels are positively correlated with the health status of their children” and “increased schooling are correlated with lower mortality for given age brackets”. Most people who hold a university degree pursue jobs they derive pleasure from which decreases stress and such jobs often offer better health insurance plans to their employees, resulting in improved overall health.

So what is the potential for people who pursue a university degree but do not actually earn it? A study done by Boesel and Fredland in 1999 found that those who do not complete their degree earn less than, or the same amount as, 2-year college students. Since 600,000 students leave 4-year colleges every year without graduating, it may be wise in certain circumstances to earn a 2-year degree before pursuing a 4-year degree. Earning a 2-year degree first can maximize personal earning potential without accruing educational debt for a 4-year program that may not be completed.

The value of deciding to earn a university degree is indisputable. For busy people seeking flexibility, earning a university degree is easier to attain with the convenience of online education. Almost any curriculum can be studied through online courses and a valid degree awarded. According to Making the Grade: Online Education in the United States, 2006, nearly 3.2 million students took at least one course online during the 2005 fall semester, which represented a substantial increase over the 2.3 million reported the year before. The same report states that most Chief Academic Officers believe that the quality of online instruction is actually equal to or better than traditional learning face-to-face. The knowledge and skills gains by taking an online course are equivalent to going to the trouble and inconvenience of attending classes in a traditional setting.

The College Board study Education Pays 2006 found that women between the ages of 25 and 34 who held bachelor’s degrees earned 70 percent more than those with high school diplomas and men in that category earned 63 percent more. This means that the average earnings premium for holding a university degree is $14,000. After carefully reviewing the facts, there are a myriad of great reasons to study for and earn a university degree. One of the most practical reasons to get a college degree is the increased earnings degree holders enjoy.