From The Chronicle of Higher Education:

Adults over 50 are eager to continue learning, but they are not keen on reentering the classroom, according to a report by the American Association of Retired Persons. A survey of more than 1,000 older adults found that they prefer individualized study and hands-on experience over the traditional setting.

The survey found that just 10 percent of older adults learn "most of the time" through college courses. By contrast, 64 percent read newspapers, magazines, or books; 36 percent search the Internet; and 18 percent enroll in community-based classes or workshops.

Almost half of the respondents said classrooms were not optimal learning environments. The increased popularity and availability of the InternetÑthe over-50 set is now the fastest-growing group onlineÑis partially responsible for the low scores given to classrooms. Online communities, distance-learning projects and computer programs may be chipping away at enrollments of older people.

A report by the Pew Internet & American Life Project analyzing the responses of more than 64,000 Americans to phone surveys in the past three years shows that 63 percent of U.S. adults now are online and many of them - especially those with several years of online experience - have built Internet use into their lives in practical ways.

From Best Practices in Marketing to Adult Students:

• Direct mail is most effective; should focus 70 - 80 percent of efforts here.
• A newspaper article has 3 times the credibility of an ad.
• The testimonial approach is very effective.
• Use pictures of people dressed in career outfits corresponding to certificate and degree programs

In general, according to research published by Joann Alexander Brown:

• Adults take education seriously
• Adults today feel an increasing need to learn, upgrade skills, and get credentials.
• Adults want assurance of concrete benefits: skills, credentials, personal growth.
• Adults bring life experience to the learning setting.
• Adults are paying the bills and expect a quality product.
• Adults have time constraints placed on them by work and family responsibilities.
• Adults expect/appreciate services such as toll-free numbers, access to library and other services, expanded hours, streamlined processes, parking, child care, readily available advising.
• Adults may feel out of place in a traditional campus setting.

The general public knows community colleges exist. However, most of them think they're only for high school graduates and vocational students. Don't assume the older students knows how to enroll or matriculate. Encourage older students to participate in the orientation process.