If you’re an adult who is ready to return to college, there are many reasons to believe you’ll succeed. Here are a few:

• You Have Real-World Experience: Adult college students have life experiences that bolster their chances of succeeding in school. For example, you’re not as distracted by the social scene. You can also easily make the connection between academic learning and practical knowledge, as you have a better grasp of education’s value and how translates into real-world earnings.

• You’re Self-Motivated: Research indicates that students ages 18 to 24 rely heavily on their parents when it comes to selecting their colleges and majors. The same studies also show that parental encouragement plays a role in student success. For adult students, less support is required. You determine where to return to school and your major. While it’s nice to receive periodic encouragement, you’ll need less of it to maintain momentum.

• You Know How to Get Answers: Navigating the bureaucracy of even a small college can be an intimidating process for younger students. However, it’s much easier after you’ve dealt with managers or administrators in the corporate world. In fact, part of being an adult means finding your own answers, so you can often avoid the red tape of academia entirely.

There is more evidence to support the idea that adult students will likely succeed in college. Therefore, if you’re an adult who would like to return to school, go for it!