Dr. Lee Viar February 24, 2026 Returning to school as an adult isn’t just an academic challenge, it’s an emotional and logistical one. Stress, self-doubt, financial strain, and time pressure are common, and pretending otherwise doesn’t help anyone. Mental health support is a critical piece of student success. Burnout can sneak up quietly, especially for students juggling multiple roles. Learning to pace yourself, set realistic goals, and ask for help is not a weakness, it’s a

by Dr. Lee Viar January 6, 2026 While technical knowledge matters, employers consistently emphasize something else: soft skills. Critical thinking, communication, adaptability, and emotional intelligence are often what separate capable employees from exceptional ones. Adult learners are uniquely positioned here. Many already bring workplace experience, problem-solving ability, and interpersonal skills into the classroom. Education helps refine and articulate those strengths.

by Dr. Lee Viar January 5, 2026 For adult learners, flexibility isn’t a preference, it’s a necessity. Between work schedules, family responsibilities, and financial pressures, traditional learning models don’t always fit real life. Thankfully, technology has reshaped what learning can look like. Mobile learning allows students to review lectures during lunch breaks or complete readings on the go. Micro-learning, short, focused lessons, makes it easier to absorb material witho

by Dr. Lee Viar December 18, 2026 Artificial intelligence has quietly become part of everyday life, writing emails, navigating directions, recommending what to watch next. For adult learners returning to school, AI can also become a powerful academic ally. The key is knowing how to use it thoughtfully. AI works best when you treat it as a support, not a substitute. It can help you clarify ideas, organize your thoughts, or break down complex readings into manageable summaries.

by: Dr. Lee Viar December 18, 2025 Returning to college as an adult is rarely a simple decision. It’s often shaped by career transitions, family responsibilities, financial pressures, and a clear sense that something needs to change. When it comes time to figure out how to pay for school, many adult learners discover an uncomfortable truth: scholarships can feel frustratingly out of reach. That doesn’t mean they aren’t there. Scholarships for nontraditional students exist, bu

Many people say that obtaining a college or university degree was the largest challenge they’ve ever faced. A part-time job can make the process even more overwhelming, although you’ll probably graduate with unparalleled time-management skills. But the most significant advantage of a part-time job is that you can suspend it if you feel overwhelmed. But being a student and a mom is nothing like that: you cannot take a day off or sick leave to recover from a sleepless night wit

National Nontrad Student Week has traditionally fallen on the first full week in November. Plans for Nontraditional Student Week are well...

If there is one word to describe these times we are experiencing in every aspect of our lives, but specifically in higher education, it...

Getting a degree or certificate in retirement or later in life can have its advantages. Getty Images by: Alina Tugend September 2, 2020...

Published Dec. 17, 2019 Jeremy Bauer-Wolf Senior Reporter Higher Ed Dive Rawpixel/Pixabay There’s some evidence that people are more...