This is the executive summary for the study "How They Pay: The Voices of Adult Learners on College Affordability, and How Institutions are Responding." The study is based on data from a national survey of 996 adult learners, in-depth interviews with 47 adults from 14 institutions, and interviews with financial aid personnel from six of these institutions. Overall, conversations with adult learners revealed that their approaches to financing their education are shaped by their previous experiences in financing postsecondary education. Many adult learners fall into the "some college, no degree" category -- they may have a long educational history but no credential. They may also be weighed down by the burden of student loan debt that has been accumulating since they left high school. For these reasons, adult learners can be hesitant to approach the financial aid office or skeptical about the information they receive. As a result, they might miss out on valuable cost-saving strategies or funding opportunities that could help make college more affordable. [This report received funding from the Truist Foundation. For the full report, see ED629542.]