Education and Career 

The most significant driving factor behind the back to school wave is the economic downturn, which is causing an unemployment gap between those who have a degree and those who don't. With the unemployment rate higher for non-college graduates and job shortages showing no signs of abating, going back to college is becoming an increasingly attractive alternative.

Such returning students are helping alter the makeup of today's student body. The number of students age 35 and older in degree-granting institutions has soared from about 821,000 in 1970 to an estimated 2.9 million in 2001 — doubling from 9.6% of total students to 19.2%, according to the National Center of Educational Statistics.

At the University of Phoenix, a private, accredited university offering courses both online and at roughly 100 locations around the USA, there are 63,000 students taking classes online. More than half are undergraduates, most of whom have at least some college credits.

"We've seen a huge increase in students going back," says the CEO of university of phoenix. "It's being driven by the economy and by the ability of more students to take classes online."

Other colleges that cater to returning students also report that enrollment is perking up.

What's driving the trend:

•Going back to school has never been easier. Many colleges have added programs that allow students to complete studies long-distance, using the Internet to connect with professors and fellow students. Sometimes returning students can finish degrees without setting foot on campus.

He added that the degrees must come from accredited institutions rather than degree mills that churn out diplomas for cash.

One reason online studies are more accepted is that schools have come up with unusual ways for students to take classes, such as offering all-day Saturday classes or courses that meet over lunch.

•Employees want to be more attractive to employers. Many employees believe that going back to school is a savvy career move.

The current economic downturn is taking a heavier toll on those without a degree. The unemployment rate for workers age 25 and older with some college or an associate's degree was 4.8% in May, according to the Department of Labor. That compares with the 3.1% unemployment rate of those with a bachelor's degree or higher. And for those with only a high school diploma, the unemployment rate was 5.5%.

The rise in long-term unemployment means those who are laid off are having a harder time finding work. Frustrated, they're going back to school instead. The number of Graduate Management Admissions Tests (GMAT) taken in the U.S. through May this year reached nearly 61,000, compared with 57,000 tests in the first five months of 2000.

Education does pay off. The average earnings for bachelor's degree holders are 50% higher than the average earnings of those with only a high school diploma, according to the U.S. Department of Education. That's why, in a sluggish economy, adults often stay in school longer or pursue advanced degrees.

• Older employees feel more comfortable returning because the traditional college student is changing. Today, college isn't just for recent high school graduates. Gray-haired students are more accepted. Two out of five college students are 25 or older, according to the Department of Education. An estimated 90 million individuals participate in some form of adult education each year.

At 52, Constance Clark is finishing a nursing degree she began in 1969. She left her studies in the early 1970s to get married. While she got a bachelor's in general studies in 1995, she's now returned to complete her nursing degree at Ball State University in Muncie, Ind. "It's something I've always wanted to do," says Clark. "People today have a different perception of age."

•Many employees receive tuition help from their companies. Nearly 80% of employers offered educational assistance in 2002, according to the Society for Human Resource Management, up from 74% in 2001.

Going back to school can be costly, no matter how the degree is earned. Getting a degree from an institution that specializes in online courses and distance learning can be cheaper than from a traditional private university. But most traditional universities offer online classes, which cost the same as taking a course in person. A master's degree can be earned from some distance programs for $6,000 to $10,000, but can cost $30,000 or more at a traditional private university.

Some employers looking for hires with the latest skills see returning to finish a degree later in life as an advantage. A degree in computer science, electronics engineering or other technical fields is more valuable to an employer if it's been earned in the past 10 years, education experts say.

Going back to school is enabling Nicole Mehlbrech, 36, to change career paths. The office manager in Tualatin, Ore., took some college courses but left when she became pregnant. Her son, Anthony, is now 12. Mehlbrech went back to school in 1998 and got her undergraduate degree in sociology from Portland State University; she's graduating this summer with a master's in education from the university of phoenixand plans to teach.

"Right now, I have a job, but I wanted a career," she says. "I worried at first that employers would think it was a fly-by-night degree, but that hasn't been the case."

Financial help from her employer and a desire to be more marketable were the main reasons Mary Beth Puryear, 51, went back. While she took a few college classes after high school, she left when she got married. Now she works in corporate communications at Health Alliance, a health care system of six hospitals in Cincinnati. She returned in 1992, and recently got her associate's degree from the College of Mount St. Joseph.

This fall, she'll go back again to work on getting a bachelor's in communications. She credits her ability to go back to her company, which reimburses employees up to $4,000 a year for continuing education. Last year, 830 employees at Health Alliance used $1.2 million in tuition benefits.

"We encourage people to go into areas where there are identifiable labor shortages. We have to grow our own talent," says Debbe Endres, vice president of human resources with the Health Alliance. "We can't wait for the schools to turn them out. And we also think it's important for people to continue to learn."