In this report, AIR shares an exploratory analysis of how the past and present experiences of adult learners of color shape their perceptions of college and decisions they make. Existing research highlights some common motivations, strengths, and barriers for adult learners (see, e.g., Patterson, 2018); however, it does not deeply explore the full educational journeys of adult learners, which begin long before they enroll in postsecondary institutions as adults. In addition, much of the current research does not focus explicitly on adult learners of color, and when it does, it focuses more on learners' experiences once they are enrolled, rather than exploring their full trajectories and the key decisions they make along the way. The small number of studies that have focused explicitly on adult learners of color have identified unique postsecondary issues, including the desire of these learners to earn credit for prior learning assessment in foreign languages and the negative effects of classroom climates (Coker, 2003; Jain & Crisp, 2018; Klein-Collins, 2020). These research insights underscore the importance of examining the interplay between past and present experiences in shaping adult learners' perceptions and decisions around college and education.