While college has traditionally been seen as the pinnacle of education for young adults, many American campuses now see seniors as a noticeable portion of their student population. These middle-aged or elderly students primarily benefit from adult education geared either toward professional training or personal enrichment.

A specific sector known as continuing education is available at many prestigious American universities, such as Harvard Extension School, Columbia School of Professional Studies, and similar programs at NYU, UCLA, and The University of Chicago. Generally, continuing education accepts students of any age and educational background, offering practice-oriented training that enhances the expertise and skills of students, who are mostly already working professionals.

In contrast, another type of senior education offers a more humanistic approach. Since the 1970s, the American Government has been promoting the awareness of elderly education as a basic right and has encouraged each state to enact relevant legislation. Nowadays, many community colleges waive tuition fees for older adults, and some distinguished universities provide them with non-credit auditing opportunities. Liberal arts subjects are the most popular under these programs.

As an integral pursuit in American society, diversity is manifested in multiple dimensions in college. Besides well-recognized aspects such as ethnicity and gender, there is a subtler yet equally profound inclusiveness from which other countries can learn.

(Aries Cheng)