As professionals in higher education, we understand the importance of strong enrollment numbers for the health of a university. Historically, there have been enough young people from 18--21 years old available to attend college and maintain healthy enrollments at institutions. Higher education is currently faced with changing demographics that reflect a reduction in the population of the traditional-aged student. In order for colleges to thrive in this new environment, they need to consider focusing on other constituent groups. The post-traditional learner is one such student type. Adult learners have different interests, concerns, and goals than their traditional-aged counterparts. The central research question asked in this dissertation is: How do post-traditional students make meaning of their lived experiences as they navigate institutions of higher learning? Research has shown that institutions of higher education can do many things to facilitate the success of adult learners. Much of this work centers on customized advising, mentorships, and a shift in the way institutions of higher education do business. Future research should be done to determine how the challenges encountered by adult students at public universities compare to their peers at private colleges and how the study findings might differ if the participants were unable to persist in their programs of study. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]