A decade ago, a majority of Americans thought college was worth whatever they had to pay for it. Today, that confidence in a college education has turned to skepticism.
Americans owe $1.6 trillion in student loans. More than 40 million American adults have attended college but have no degree to show for it. It’s hardly surprising, then, that a new poll revealed that 56% do not believe a college degree is worth the cost.
When adults do enroll in college — adults 25 and older comprise roughly 40% of our nation’s postsecondary enrollment — the value equation changes. Money is certainly a key part of it. But so is time, because adult learners are often balancing work, children and other family responsibilities in addition to college.
To show the value of postsecondary education, faculty members must in turn value their learners. They must value their time, because they have so little of it to waste. They must prove to their students that everything they’re learning in a course has value to them and to potential employers. Sometimes, instructors must convince their students that they possess value.
I have been teaching at The College of Health Care Professions since 2021 after working for nearly 20 years in health care as a medical assistant, office supervisor and clinical manager. I’ve walked in the shoes of my students — I’m a wife and mother who has juggled much over the years — and I appreciate their struggles to balance everything in their lives.
But I’m there to do a job — to use my experience and knowledge to prepare my students for demanding careers in health care. My students are self-motivated — they have enrolled to make better lives for themselves and their families — oftentimes though, they need a little extra push wrapped in respect and compassion to become even better.
For instance, a year ago I was assigned to teach a required class in the Limited Medical Radiologic Technologist program. Over four weeks students would learn medical assisting skills to broaden their value to future employers.
To say my students were dubious was an understatement. They hadn’t signed up to be medical assistants and saw no point in learning MA skills. How would they help them take X-rays or do MRIs? My challenge was to convince them that MA skills are valuable, that knowing how to do multiple jobs in any clinic or medical office made them more desirable job prospects and worth more to anyone that hired them.
Over tacos during class, we talked about why it was important to take and accurately measure vital signs. About why it was crucial to talk to patients about their reasons for visiting the doctor. About processes and procedures that worked and didn’t work at their current medical offices. These discussions built two-way trust. I learned from them, and they learned from me.
I put together a MA Passport program that taught my students to document their new medical assisting skills. The passport showed employers that they could take vitals, administer injections and perform rapid testing. It also showed students that they’re more valuable than staying in a room taking X-rays all day.
It took some time, but I saw my students’ attitudes change and their confidence build. Because they trusted me, they were willing to go outside their comfort zone. Because they saw this class added value to their program experience and strengthened their resumes, they embraced it with pride.
I also serve as an extern coordinator at CHCP. That means I place medical assisting students in clinics and doctor’s offices so they can get the real-life learning experiences required for their certification.
When I met with an MA student named Melinda to discuss her externship, she burst into tears. She was in the middle of a divorce and was raising two young boys, both with autism, largely by herself. The school year was about to start, and Melinda couldn’t afford after-school care. Melinda had every reason to quit school, but I wasn’t going to let her. She had come too far and learned too much to stop now.
I called around and found a clinic close to her home that was willing to accommodate her schedule, which required her to leave work early and get her sons after school. The clinic manager also agreed to work around a number of issues, including school days that let out early and when Melinda and her boys got COVID-19. Melinda’s externship took twice as long as normal, but she completed it and got her MA certification.
Melinda’s story might sound extreme but it really isn’t. Many adult learners encounter multiple barriers along their school journey. That’s why colleges should do things like provide bus passes so students can come to class and get home again, open food pantries so students can feed themselves and their families when they’re low on cash, and set up career closets so learners can look professional for their job interviews. That’s why colleges should be patient and flexible with their learners, whose lives can be unbelievably complicated.
Adult learners are in school because they want to uncomplicate their lives. They want a certificate or credential that can help them make more money, find more stability and get them where they want to go. They expect value from their program — and to be valued. That’s an important lesson that colleges and college instructors must keep in mind when working with adult learners.
Kimberly Hernandez is a Medical Assistant Faculty Member and Extern Coordinator at The College of Health Care Professions.