Obstacles, corollaries, etc.

At a glance, the non-completion rate for mid-career graduate school of all kinds - masters and doctorate - seems very high.

Obstacles:

1. Time. People in midcareer are generally already invested in a time-demanding occupation, which may or may not be related to what they want to study. They may also have families, mortgages, etc.

2. Money. No fellowships for employed people doing part-time school. Sometimes some employer support but funds may be limited.

3. Other. Multitude of individual factors.

Corollaries:
1. Re time: Lack of time could be a showstopper for a part time graduate program. Therefore, anything that reduces time overhead (not study time - that you expect to be substantial - but commute time etc.) greatly increases the chance of success. If the course is on your side of town or on your desktop, that is great. If the course is offered in your employer's facility or on the desktop, that is even greater - a good employee benefit if the course is something you are interested in.

2. Re money: Your employer may or may not be able to fund your courses. Or they may fund one but not the next one you need, so you'll have to pay for that one (or more) yourself - and wait a while before buying new clothes for your next big meeting or job interview. So low tuition helps increase the chance of success, or at least decreases the chance of failure. Some schools offering part-time graduate degrees are very expensive. If the course - or a package of courses, like a company-sponsored certificate or degree program - is offered in your employer's facility AND paid for by your employer, that is a very generous employer benefit.

What programs are cheap and have low time overhead? People should know this. A Consumer Reports on accredited/midcareer/distance/online graduate programs would be helpful.

3. Re other: Complex.