Never Too Late: The Adult Student's Guide to College

A smart, snappy, and comprehensive guide for the millions of adults who are thinking about going—or going back—to college and want to know how to do it right

As anyone who has done it knows, going back to school is a major undertaking. For younger and older adults alike, starting or returning to school presents different challenges than those encountered by teens fresh out of high school and heading straight to college. Countless Americans take on this task while working, raising kids, caring for parents, volunteering, serving in the military—and in some cases all of the above. Although the “non-traditional” undergraduate student is in fact the new normal, the glut of college guides out there don’t include practical advice for the busy moms, frustrated employees, and ambitious adults who are applying to college or hoping to finish earning a degree.

Never Too Late will help readers jump-start a new professional path or speed down the one they’re already on by guiding them through vital questions: What should I study? How can I afford the time and money required to get a college degree? How do I compare schools? With key chapters on flexibility (“It’s About Time!” and “Face-to-Face or Cyberspace?”) and rankings of the best colleges for grown-ups diving back into the books, Never Too Late is an essential reference for adults seeking a richer life—and a meaningful place in our rapidly changing economy and world.

Rebecca Klein-Collins is the associate vice president of research at the Council for Adult and Experiential Learning, a group that aims to enhance learning opportunities for adults around the world. She holds degrees from the University of Chicago, Indiana University, and Grinnell College and lives in Naperville, Illinois.