What is Nontraditional student

1.

A student who does not immediately enroll in college after graduating from high school, and/or who attends college only part time, and/or who is financially independent from her/his parents, and/or who has children or dependents other than a spouse, and/or who is a single parent, and/or who works full time (35 hours or more per week) while attending college, and/or who has a GED rather than a high school diploma ( Horn & Carroll, 1996 , p. 3). Learn more in: Common Denominators to Learner-Centered Success: Undergraduate STEM, Graduate Teacher Education, and an Educational Technology Doctoral Program

2.

A student with any of the following characteristics: has delayed enrollment, attends part time, works full time while enrolled, is considered financially independent for purposes of determining financial aid, has dependents other than a spouse, is a single parent, or does not have a high school diploma (NCES). Learn more in: Using Technology in the Assessment of Adult Learners in Online Settings

3.

A student with any of the following characteristics: has delayed enrollment, attends part time, works full time while enrolled, is considered financially independent for purposes of determining financial aid, has dependents other than a spouse, is a single parent, or does not have a high school diploma (NCES). Learn more in: Understanding the Online Learner

4.

Students who are over the age of 25, balance a variety of work and family responsibilities, and may attend college part- or full-time. Learn more in: Building Higher Education Community: A Lesson From Nebraska

5.

Higher education students that exhibit one of seven attributes: delayed enrollment, part-time attendance, financial independence, dependents to support, single parent, full-time employment, or GED or high school equivalent status (Horn, 1996 AU75: The in-text citation "Horn, 1996" is not in the reference list. Please correct the citation, add the reference to the list, or delete the citation. ). Although age was not an attribute in Horn’s research, for the purposes of this study, the terms Nontraditional and Adult student will be used synonymously. Learn more in: Asynchronicity, Access, and Attainment: Best Practices of an Adult Degree Completion Program

6.

A college student who is over the age of 24 and/or possesses characteristics that are not typically found in traditional-age college students, such as having a spouse or children, working full time, or being a veteran. Learn more in: Critical Success Factors and Methods to Increase Persistence for Non-Traditional Online Students

7.

Bean and Metzner (1985) define nontraditional students as a population including: Students age 25 or older, part-time enrolled students, commuter students. Learn more in: The Cost of Convenience: How Does Distance Education Mix with the Modern-Day Student?

8.

Students over the age of 24, and/or with external obligations that create barriers or challenges to attend college. Learn more in: Expanding the Role of Community Colleges With Workforce Baccalaureate Programs

9.

A term used to label a student that is not attending college right out of high school. Synonymous with adult student and re-entry student, the term is typically used to describe a much older student attending college for the first time or returning after an extended period of time. Learn more in: Negotiating Virtual Identity in an Age of Globalization