Understanding and Responding to the Needs of Nontraditional College Students

Authors

Joyce Hickson

Abstract

The statistical profile of today’s American college student indicates that this sector is overwhelmingly “nontraditional”. The nontraditional student possesses at least one or more of the following characteristics: married; a parent; 25 years or older; returning to college after having been out of school for a number of years; financially independent from parents; attending school on a part-time basis (U. S. Department of Education, 2002). According to the Columbus State University Fall, 2002 Enrollment Report (Wallman, 2002) the average age of undergraduate students is 25 years, while the graduate student mean age is 37 years. Additionally, large numbers of CSU students attend college part-time and hold jobs, mirroring the national profile of higher education students.

Author's Biographies

Dr. Joyce Hickson is a Professor in the Department of Counseling, Educational Leadership and Professional Studies. During the current academic year she assisted the Division of Enrollment Management in developing a strategic plan to recruit non-traditional students and improve services to this sector.

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Recommended Citation

Hickson, J. (2003). Understanding and Responding to the Needs of Nontraditional College Students. Perspectives In Learning, 4 (1). Retrieved from https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/pil/vol4/iss1/4