From "Nontraditional" to "New Traditional"

A nontraditional student is defined as having one or more of the following characteristics:

However, according to data from a recent National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) report, 74% of all undergraduate students enrolled during the 2011-2012 academic year possessed at least one of the above characteristics.

The NCES brief notes, “Examining nontraditional characteristics is important not only because a high percentage of postsecondary students possess them, but also because students with these characteristics can be vulnerable to challenges that can affect their well-being, levels of stress and satisfaction, and likelihood of persisting and attaining a degree.”

Nontraditional students face struggles that their more traditional counterparts might not. Trying to schedule classes and fit coursework around a work schedule is difficult. Attending school part-time in order to work or handle family demands can postpone degree attainment. Balancing financial commitments and keeping an eye on student debt is often stressful and sometimes may lead to students dropping out or putting their postsecondary education on hold.  

Data from the NCES report highlights the urgency for colleges and universities to make more courses available online to help meet the needs of the nontraditional student, as they are among those most likely to enroll in one or more online courses.

Online courses offer both convenience and flexibility, providing a way to meld a busy lifestyle with educational goals. Students are not bound by either time or physical location – allowing them to make the choice as to when and where to study and complete their coursework. 

In addition, higher education as a whole should further examine flexible degree programs, credentialing options, badges, competency-based learning, and alternatives to the traditional credit hour to help meet the needs of today’s student. This evolution of higher education will drive greater degree attainment and job placement, ensuring student success both in the classroom and beyond.

The definition of a traditional student appears to be outdated. As the number of nontraditional students grows, perhaps it’s time to take a look at the definitions. It would appear that our “nontraditional” students have now become our “new traditional” students.

Ed4Career understands the way adults want to learn and how they learn the best. We currently offer one of the largest proprietary career vocational certification catalogs available on the market today, and in our ongoing desire to offer the best we are constantly updating and improving our courses and our course selection. Visit us today to learn more!