Though Americans are, on average, a well educated populace, changes in our economy have occurred rapidly and to such a degree that the general education of past decades is no longer sufficient. Many adults will return to school to prepare themselves for the changing world of work. These are people who may have had other life commitments after high school but who now feel the need for higher education. They generally have had little or no college experience and return to school to obtain their first bachelor's degree. Life changes such as unemployment, divorce, or the need for a second income make many realize that higher education may offer them new opportunities.
Adults return to sharpen outdated skills.
These include people in professions such as law, dentistry, medicine, business and education, who enter continuing education courses to keep abreast of technical changes. These students often find their current employers will fund part or all of their education. Jobs that are currently in the middle of the skill distribution will be the least-skilled occupations of the future, and there will be very few net new jobs for the unskilled. Adults return to school to explore new career choices. With changes in the economy, many traditional jobs are offering fewer employment opportunities or have disappeared altogether.