Going back to school is a tough decision for working adults to make.
Some worry about juggling a full-time job and family responsibilities while getting a degree. Others are unsure how they will afford it.
Bellevue University's "Make It Happen Now" campaign strives to address these concerns.
The campaign, announced this week, is mostly aimed at people who have some college education but for whatever reason were unable to graduate.
Bellevue University spokesman Jim Maxwell said the campaign supports an Obama administration and Lumina Foundation goal that 60 percent of Americans will have college degrees by 2025. The private, Indianapolis-based Lumina Foundation is dedicated to enrolling and graduating more college students.
According to the U.S. Census, about 30 percent of Americans had at least a bachelor's degree in 2010.
Maxwell said the campaign is meant to help people overcome obstacles that stand in the way of pursuing higher education.
"The concerns aren't just educational-based. These are life concerns that need to be addressed before you can even take that step toward education," Maxwell said.
A "Make It Happen Now" website contains articles and videos on various topics that contribute to success, such as time management and stress management.
Some experts on the site have personal experience with attending college later in life.
"I think some students wonder 'Can I still do it? I'm working, I'm raising a family, I've got kind of a busy life now,' " Bellevue University President Mary Hawkins said.
The website also features a pledge page that allows visitors to establish personal goals to start the process, such as talking to an enrollment or financial aid counselor.
Before launching "Make It Happen Now," Bellevue University conducted a national email survey that garnered responses from approximately 1,600 people older than 18.
Results indicated that people ages 25 to 54 are struggling economically, with 36 percent saying they are having a tough time making ends meet.
The results also showed that two out of three people who don't have degrees are considering going to college, and more than half of people with two- and four-year degrees are thinking about going back for further education.
The survey had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
"I don't think there was anything shocking in the survey," Maxwell said. "It just reaffirms what other studies have shown, what we've suspected, and what we as a nation as a whole need to address."
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