Taking a class can improve your cognitive abilities, increase your memory and have social interaction all at the same time. According to the American Council on Education, approximately 60 percent of accredited schools will waive tuition for adults over age 60, as of 2008. Community colleges are also a great source of education for Emeritus. According to the American Council on Education, about half of college-going adults age 50 and older attend community colleges, primarily for fun, to connect with other people, and to retool for a new career. And 84 percent of community colleges offer courses specifically for students age 50 and older, according to a recent survey of 204 community colleges by the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC). There are a few options for taking courses. Choosing which program is best for you will depend on what your goal is for pursuing education. Most colleges have specific classes for Emeritus. These either have reduced or waived tuition fees. Read carefully about any space, income or residency restrictions.

Types of Emeritus Education Programs:

Waived or Reduced Tuition Programs:

Some accredited colleges allow Emeritus to take regular/credit classes with reduced tuition. This may cost more but will give you the real college experience, allowing you to build towards a degree and either build a new career or enhance it.

Auditing Classes

If the class is not completely free or you do not see one you find interesting, consider auditing a course. Meaning attending classes without an actual grade or credit. It allows you to learn from the course without the stresses of the exam and homework. Auditing arrangement can often be made on an individual basis.

Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes

Most colleges also offer specific programs for Emeritus. These courses are typically not for credit and will mainly have other Emeritus in them. Some colleges actually participate in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes which balances the need for taking an actual class but not in a typical setting. So you will not get the complete college experience but they are still taught by professors so you can gain a lot out of them and in some cases still purse a degree. They are also likely going to be less costly.

Community college:

Community college is another great option for Emeritus to take classes for the joy of learning or for a specific skill. Classes may typically be shorter and less costly. List of community colleges by state: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_community_colleges

Financial Aid:

If you do find yourself wanting to take regular courses or actually pursue a degree, Emeritus will still need to file a FAFSA to qualify for financial aid. If you qualify, it may be in the form of a Pell Grant which does not need to be repaid Also most likely you can take tax deductions for higher education tuition: www.collegescholarships.org/scholarships/hope-taxes.htm

Online courses:

Although you will not get the benefit of actually being around people, taking online courses is a great way to learn at your own pace. Credible institutions now offer their classes online for free, such as MIT: MIT OpenCourseWare Saylor actually allows you to take a set curriculum of free classes for a variety of subjects with progression of level: http://www.saylor.org/