Struggling parents with children in college are experiencing a particularly bitter time. This is when colleges send out the second semester bills.
Many parents have already cut back on their household and personal costs in order to confront the economic downturn, but the idea of depriving their children of a college education is a very hard pill to swallow. When you add up the bills for tuition, books, room, board, fees, and living expense, the average cost of education comes to a hefty $50,000. Given those circumstances, the average family just can't meet those "average" costs.
Many parents have turned to requesting increased support from the colleges themselves. Midyear applications for increased institutional support have already risen sharply. As much as colleges want to retain as many students as they can, financial aid goes just so far.
Most colleges have already committed to serious institutional belt-tightening. Administrators have put a freeze on hiring new faculty and many pleasant but unnecessary items have been cut. Worried higher education executives recognize that a lower student population will have a shattering effect on tuition-dependent colleges.
Sadly enough, evidence shows that once a student drops out of college there is a good chance that he or she will never return. To try to prevent that, a lot of serious family discussions are now in progress.
Strategies vary. Some students will transfer to less expensive colleges. Even then, however, the cost of higher education can be staggering. Others will be forced to spend more time working or take on more of a loan's obligations in order to complete their studies.
A thought worth considering and often overlooked is continuing education. Continuing education was originally designed to serve the needs of working adults who seem to come in distinct categories. Some continuing education students take courses to complete an interrupted degree. Others need to stay abreast of new developments in their field as they seek to enhance their upward mobility. Still others are there simply because they like learning.
As it turns out, though, this obvious possibility seems to escape the thinking of academic advisers. A new core of courses designed to fit the needs of traditional students shifting to part-time status are a simple matter to develop and could prove beneficial to students adversely affected by the economic downturn.
As a matter of fact, most faculty members report that the courses they most enjoy teaching are those classes with a mix of adult learners and traditional younger students. Teachers find that the mix in ages and backgrounds often creates magical results. There are no motivational problems among students who really want to be there. Younger students are also influenced positively by the presence of adults who see the practical purpose of what they are learning. There are even incidents of adult learners helping younger people find employment at their own place of work. Generational walls fall and new friendships blossom.
Continuing education has fewer campus frills, but they are still available. Continuing education students don't have all the campus services that colleges provide for their traditional younger counterparts. On the other hand, the focus is on education itself rather than on ancillary perks. That means a much lower and more affordable educational package.
There is something to be said for the wonders of traditional campus life. Young people are exposed to social life and new experiences as well as serious academic challenge. Still and all, continuing education has a value that deserves attention. It keeps students in school at a lower cost. It provides students with more time to learn while working. It exposes younger people to more serious adult learners who are happy to be back on campus. Lastly, it also creates a new appreciation for education.
Given the strategic decisions that now confront so many hard-pressed families, continuing education provides a reasonable bridge to cross. It's an educational choice worth considering.
Frank Mazzaglia can be reached at fmazzaglia@aol.com.
