Transcript NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS

NON-TRADITIONAL STUDENTS
Can’t live with them; Can’t live
without them
FASTeam Presentation
April 30, 2007
Presented by Peg O’Brien
Who Are They?
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The non-traditional student wears many hats such as parent,
employee, etc. who waited at least one year after high school
before enrolling in college.
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Dill and Henley (1998)
The non-traditional student is one whose key responsibility is
not being a full-time student and is over 25 years old.
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The Association of Non-Traditional Students in Higher
Education (2005)
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U.S. Census Bureau
Over 25
Are older, come from working-class backgrounds, work at least
part-time, and are predominantly minority and first generation.
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Terenzini (1994)
Who are they?
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Students can be described as minimally, moderately or highly
non-traditional based on seven characteristics:
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7.
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Older than typical
Attend part-time
Work full-time
Independent
Have dependents
Single parent
GED or high school completion certificate
Assigned one point per characteristic
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Minimal (one point) to highly (four or more points)
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Horn and Carrol (1996)
Who are they?
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46% of non-traditional students work full-time
39% receive external financial support
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A major issue and stressful concern
57% are married
53% support more than one dependent
29% are single parents between the age of 30 and
40
Women make up 59.2% of adult students
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National Center for Education Statistics (2002)
Student representation
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In 1970, 14 to 21 year old college students
represented 55.3% of the collegiate
population.
By 2010 this same group will represent only
46.3% of the collegiate population.
By 2010, the 22 to 24 year old group will
reflect 15.5% and adults aged 25 and older
the remaining 38.2%.
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National Center for Education Statistics (2002)
Growing population
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Adult Students in higher education represent
a growing population.
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An increase from 28% to 43% of total
undergraduate enrollment in the last 30 years.
This represents over four million students
Projected enrollment - this population will
represent 35% - 38% of the undergraduate
population for the next 15 years
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National Center for Education Statistics (2002)
South Dakota Adult Population
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The following statistics are taken from the
2003 South Dakota Board of Regents
Opportunities for South Dakota.
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There is an expected 28% drop in traditional-aged
freshmen over the next 10 years.
By 2025, the 18- to 24-year-old population will
decrease from 82,000 to 74,000 in the state.
25- to 64-year-old population will increase from
375,000 to 394,000 in the state.
What do non-traditional students want
from higher education?
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Kasworm (2003) identified changing beliefs
by adults and society about the importance
of a college credential linked to work,
financial support, and related life
opportunities
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Main college enrollment goals:
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Career reasons (number 1)
Personal transitions and changes
Proactive life planning
What do they want?
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Schools that are
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Readily accessible
Relevant to their current life needs
Cost effective
Flexible in course scheduling
Supportive of their lifestyle commitments
What do they want?
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Support services
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Child care
Transportation
Health care
Employment
Academic support
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Flexible scheduling
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Night
Saturdays
Distance
What do they want?
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Non-traditional or alternative programming
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Removing time and place barriers
Assisting in life and career planning
Financial aid
Emphasizing learning outcomes rather than educational
inputs and process
Implementing learning contracts
Adult student orientation and support systems
Increased use of technology
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Flint & Frey (2003)
Vincent Tinto (Retention Guru)
Barriers for adult students
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As a group, older students have somewhat different
needs from traditional students
However, programs for non-traditional students
combine many of the elements of programs
designed for traditional students such as
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Academic assistance
Advising
Counseling
Mentoring
Other Barriers
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Juggling their multiple Roles
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Family member
Parent
Spouse
Worker
How can higher education respond to
these non-traditional needs?
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Remove institutional
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Red tape
Program fees
Scheduling
Procedures
Institutions must be committed to adopting
policies and procedures that address the
special needs of the adult learner
Responding to non-traditional needs
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Programs must ensure they provide whatever
information the adult student needs to form clear,
realistic expectations, set targets, and monitor
progress.
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Full and relevant information in areas such as:
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Purpose
Goals
Activities
Responsibilities
Schedule
Logistics
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Wonacott (2001)
Responding to non-traditional needs
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Admissions departments should:
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Devise recruitment efforts that attract non-traditional
students.
Develop the same type of pre-college counseling for adult
students as that provided for traditional students.
One-on-one contact with a counselor to discuss the
academic and social expectations of college life.
Help the non-traditional student feel a part of the college
environment.
American Council on Education
Report (2004)
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National Description of institutional policies,
programs and practices that campuses have
implemented to help low-income adults meet
their academic and career goals, and those
that may impede their success.
ACE Report
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Where the responding institutions performed best
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Acknowledging the importance of adults in the campus
mission statement or strategic plan
Offering special academic programs (night, weekend)
Developing early warning systems to identify struggling
students
Establishing full-service satellite campuses
Being accessible via public transportation
Welcoming adult students through an orientation
program
ACE Report
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Areas needing institutional improvement:
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Identifying the low-income adults
Funding programs for low-income adults
Finding and developing faculty who know how to
teach adults
Offering childcare
Providing financial assistance to low-income
adults
What can we do?
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Develop and communicate a clearer campus
understanding of the non-traditional student’s needs
and expectations, both in and out of the classroom.
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Traditional campus policies and procedures, are not always
applicable.
Develop recruitment and marketing strategies for this
population
Provide financial aid counseling, and alternative forms of
financing (loans, grants, scholarships)
What more can we do?
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Provide more flexible hours of operation
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Help desk
Enrollment Services
Class schedules
Student Services
Tutors
What can we do as advisors?
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Provide informational sessions and advising sessions directed to the non-traditional
student
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Time commitment required in and out of the classroom
Number of credits versus working schedule
Faculty and Staff recognition that “life gets in the way.”
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Students will place family and work commitments above their educational commitments
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Not a lack of commitment, but a shift in priorities
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Voluntary student success workshops geared to this populations’ needs
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Academic support
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Tutor schedules to match student availability
Faculty availability and assistance
Whatever it takes because…
We need these students!!
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In South Dakota, the issue of higher education retention is a
major concern of the Board of Regents, the State Legislature,
and others.
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The expected drop in traditional-aged freshmen over the next
10 years means that all SD universities will be vying for this
limited pool.
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It becomes imperative for colleges and universities to recruit
and retain the growing non-traditional student population.
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Which means meeting their unique needs and expectations in
higher education.