A Review of the Literature: The Needs of Nontraditional Students in Postsecondary Education

Abstract

Nontraditional students, or adult learners, are the new majority in the classroom in any sector of higher education according to the National Center for Education Statistics. These students are considered nontraditional if they identify with at least one of the following criteria: be at least 25 years old, attend school part-time, work full-time, be a veteran, have children, wait at least one year after high school before entering college, have a GED instead of a high school diploma, being a fi rst-generation student (FGS), are enrolled in nondegree programs, or have reentered a college program.This population also tends to be predominantly female. As this population trend grows exponentially in higher education, it is imperative for administrators and instructors to learn how to work with these students, as they deal with far different struggles to stay in school than their traditional counterparts. This review of the current literature will explore the best practices for what nontraditional students need based on the varied issues they face in reentering a classroom. A lack of knowledge about this population has led to low enrollment rates and high attrition rates, leaving some schools especially in the for-profi t sector, struggling to stay afl oat. It is imperative that as populations shift, so do pedagogical and supportive approaches within postsecondary institutions in order to retain these students and ensure their academic success.

What is the FAFSA? An adult learner knowledge survey of student financial aid jargon

“…Moreover, this study suggests student financial aid knowledge among adults may be contingent upon income: wealthier adults may know more about the financial aid process than peers. Extant research has demonstrated adult students may be the neediest students on campus, given the living expenses incurred by adults (Carter, 2018;Fairchild, 2003;Kasworm et al, 2009;Levine & Nidiffer, 1996;MacDonald, 2018;Prins et al, 2015;Ziskin et al, 2014). Similarly, this study finds prospective adults in lower socioeconomic levels may be the neediest in terms of financial wellness programming and student financial aid knowledge.…”

“…The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES, 2018) reported between 2001 and 2015, US higher education experienced a 35% increase in enrollment of postsecondary students aged 25-34. Between 2015 and 2016, the NCES predicted an 11% increase of postsecondary students aged 25-34 (NCES, 2018), as many adult learners have decided to pursue a degree due to career changes, requisite job training, a desire to earn a higher salary, and a wide variety of other influences (Carter, 2018;MacDonald, 2018;NCES, 2018;Patterson, 2018;Prins, Kassab, & Campbell, 2015;Smith-Barrow, 2018). Chen (2017) and MacDonald (2018) asserted adult learners aged 25-34 have comprised over 33% of the total postsecondary enrollment in the US for over a decade, yet researchers have consistently found adult learners to be an under-supported and under-researched population of postsecondary students in the United States (Carter, 2018;Chen, 2017;MacDonald, 2018;Osam, Bergman, & Cumberland, 2017;Rogers, 2018).…”

“…Of the most problematic issues facing US higher education today, researchers have cited postsecondary students' ability to pay for tuition-which have risen nearly twice as quickly as the rate of inflation in recent years (The College Board, 2017)-as a key factor of postsecondary student success (Denning, 2018;Goldrick-Rab, 2016;Kofoed, 2017). However, longitudinal research focused on adult learners have suggested these students are, often times, the neediest students on college campuses, as adult learners often pay expenses-such as the cost of raising children, paying mortgages, and carrying insurance policies-that traditional, aged 18-24 students do not pay (Carter, 2018;Fairchild, 2003;Kasworm, Sandmann, & Sissel, 2009;Levine & Nidiffer, 1996;MacDonald, 2018;Prins et al, 2015;Ziskin, Fischer, Torres, Pellicciotti, & Player-Sanders, 2014). Despite the financial needs of the adult learner population, little is known about these students' knowledge of financial aid, methods of paying for their education, or experiences in applying for financial aid.…”

Cultivating inclusive instructional and research environments in ecology and evolutionary science

“…Students—graduate and undergraduate—experience numerous difficulties and obstacles that may be unknown or unfamiliar to colleagues and mentors. Some students, for example, may have obligations and responsibilities that are obscure to faculty and mentors (MacDonald, 2018). To address some of these complexities, mentors can, for instance, be flexible in scheduling meetings with students who may not be able to adhere to a rigid weekly schedule.…”

Avoiding bad connection: Orientation phone calls foster student‐faculty connection in an RN‐BSN program

“…It has been well‐studied that understanding and anticipating the needs of unique student populations can help educators develop strategies to engage and sustain nontraditional learners 11 . However, despite the problematic attrition rates of RN‐to‐BSN students 12 and simultaneous pressure to rapidly build an increasingly competent nurse workforce, there is little known about what RNs expect from their RN‐to‐BSN program, and how expectations can harm or help degree advancement.…”