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Support non-traditional paths to student success
Painting “Student”.
Chances are you’re thinking of a young person between the ages of 18 and 22 on campus surrounded by trees and majestic brick buildings, wearing school colors in class preparing for a bachelor’s degree.
If yes, then you are only half right. This traditional view of the college student still exists, but is no longer the norm. “non-traditional” students – a group that includes part-time students and online students; adults return to school after the weekend; and students seeking technical certifications or professional certifications make up a huge proportion of college applicants, and helping them achieve their goals requires rethinking all kinds of student support structures.
How many non-traditional students?
While we still tend to think of traditional college students as the “default”, in fact more than half of all college students fall into one or more of the “non-traditional” categories.
The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reports that as of 2019, 7.7 million (nearly 40%) of the 19.6 million students enrolled in American colleges and universities attended part-time, and about 1/3 of all college students attended college by age. 25 years and older. (In addition, an estimated 36 million adults received some college education but dropped out before graduation.)
In terms of earning a degree, Georgetown University’s Center for Education and Workforce reports that “[c]In 2016, colleges awarded about the same number of associate degrees and certificates (1.95 million) as they did bachelor’s degrees (1.92 million).” Students specifically seeking certificates and other forms of certification account for almost 12% of all students.
These programs are especially targeted at historical minorities and disadvantaged communities. As stated in Higher Ed Dive“About 62% of Hispanic students and 56% of Black students received an associate’s degree or certificate, compared to 47% of white students.”
What unique barriers do non-traditional students face?
While all college students have to constantly balance their studies, life, work and family, this struggle is often more difficult for adults and part-time students. 82% of part-time students also have a job; that’s twice as many as full-time applicants. For older students, this balance becomes even more difficult as you deal with childcare, commuting, and an increased likelihood of scheduling conflicts.
Online learning can help minimize some of these logistical challenges, but it brings its own challenges. As Melvin Hines, co-founder and CEO of student assistance app Upswing, said in an interview: “When you are a non-traditional student and you are taking classes, you can feel isolated. You don’t get that camaraderie, that wild feeling you usually expect from college. No one seems to help you guarantee that you will graduate. If you go to class tomorrow, this is for you. And if you decide not to go to class tomorrow, it’s your fault. I think the biggest problem that non-traditional students have is that they seem to feel like they’re on an island.”
Philanthropist MC Belk Pilon, President and Chairman of the Board of the John M. Belk Foundation in North Carolina, agrees, telling Chronicle of Higher Education “Adult students have very different needs than high school students. They have a full life … They did not fall out because they could not work. They dropped out because the system wasn’t built for them, their lives were very busy, and maybe they didn’t have the flexibility.”
In addition, as students move away from the traditional paradigm, it becomes increasingly difficult to find financial support. Most financial aid advice is geared towards 18-year-old dependents, not working moms or mid-level professionals trying to improve their skills. Most scholarships are awarded to students who wish to pursue a full-time bachelor’s degree. And part-time students eligible for Pell grants receive proportionately less than full-time students.
For those looking to go back to college after the pandemic, or improve their resume with a certificate, or complete a degree one course at a time, it can all too often feel like they don’t have social, cultural, or financial support—and that’s where scholarship providers and community organizations can really make a difference. situation.
How can we help non-traditional learners get back (and stay) on the right track?
In a sense, the lack of financial support is the simplest problem, especially for companies and foundations. Unlike programs like Pell, private sector scholarships can be very flexible in how and where dollars can be distributed. The direct inclusion of part-time students, returning adults and certificate applicants in the list of eligible scholarship programs can open up important and effective sources of funding; the same can be said for more subtle changes, such as simply removing a GPA requirement or a recent transcript.
Of course, these scholarship funds won’t magically reach non-traditional students, so informed outreach is vital to connecting the right students to the right support. And while traditional learners may be informed in traditional ways (their high schools, counselors, and counselors), work with non-traditional learners must take on several new forms.
Given that “over half (57%) of associate degrees and almost all (94%) of certificates are designed to help graduates find jobs in the field,” employers and trade organizations have a unique motivation to support non-traditional students. Using this support may mean researching trade organizations and publications; posting to Facebook, LinkedIn or Reddit groups dedicated to specific areas or communities; or establishing attendance at in-person or virtual events.
When it comes to online learners, it’s important to meet them where they are: invest in search and social awareness, connect with learner-focused blogs and apps (like InsideTrack, which specializes in adult learning as they return to their educational way) and use social media to engage in conversations about educational technology and student connections. Just as being an out-of-the-box student means thinking out of the box, the same should be said for opportunities.
What does the future of non-traditional students look like?
In addition to all we can do as scholarship advocates and providers, there is currently a wave of government support for non-traditional students. This spring, the US Department of Education is launching several Raise the Bar: Unlocking Career Success Initiatives to help more students focus on apprenticeship-based learning and certification. AND Inside the high school Reports on Colorado’s Unconventional Post-COVID Student Return Program:
“This fall, state legislatures launched CARE Forward Colorado, which uses COVID-19 relief dollars to pay for tuition, fees, and books for a range of short-term health certification programs at Colorado community and technical colleges. [Colorado community college system chancellor Joe] Garcia said short-term free programs are attracting students who want to get back to work quickly in a strong economy.”
These initiatives, along with the state’s new “promising programs” for returning students, are a step in the right direction. As schools, the public sector, and private scholars and advocates continue to recognize the prevalence of non-traditional learners, we are committed to removing more barriers and ensuring that more learners from all walks of life can achieve their educational goals.
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