Non Traditional Students

Using some simple time management skills can give the student the ability to complete tasks without feeling overwhelmed. Insufficient communication between myself and the school also crippled my studies. Over this course, I’ve learned to excel as a student the importance of new time management skills. The transition although stressful is exciting and eye opening. It's a completely different experience versus the typical college classes I was involved in when I enrolled in traditional college after high school. I will admit I am disappointed in myself this course for falling behind, being side tracked I’m unsure how far behind I’ve become. There’s one thing this has taught me and that’s discipline with my schedule because I find it's easy to get

For first year students coming straight from high school, college life can either be very exciting or overwhelming depending on how well one prepares for it. Some have the notion that college is fun and is all about partying, while some believe that it is an environment in which they can achieve the ultimate freedom thus escape the stringent rules made by their parents at home. Others look forward to experiencing a different learning environment while being exposed to different cultures and sharing different academic knowledge. Successful assimilation into college life is determined by the student’s capability to transform into the new role of a college student. Numerous students face challenges they have never experienced before which can

Another challenge first-generation students encounter is a part of their social life and the development of social skills. These students do not quite understand life on campus and feel that they do not have much in common with their more privileged peers. First-generation students view college differently than the other students attending college. They consider college as a serious responsibility and the only way to get a high-paying job. First-generation students tend to slip through the cracks at large institutions because they do not have social support or simply the knowledge of how a university may operate. They are much less likely to contest a professor’s grade or reach out for help when it is necessary because they feel anxious. They do not understand the need for networking, accessing campus resources, and the history of the campus. First-generation students have difficulty making or finding a community on campus that fits their personality mostly because they are having trouble finding out who they are. This makes them less likely to socialize with peers and take part in student organizations. There are some first-generation students who choose to live at

Time management was a vital element that I had to incorporate into my daily routine. My entire family had to adjust to the new stressors that were introduced with my decision of returning to school. The normal routine that they had grown accustomed to was no longer practical. It was difficult for them to accept that I was no longer the primary source of everyday responsibilities. This new adaptation was difficult and stressful for them to accept. However, the willingness to accept their new roles ended with a positive outcome for everyone involved.

The college student population in the past decade has seen a huge shift from the traditional college student, typically 18 years old and recent high school graduate, to nontraditional college students, including: part time, independent, older adults, and parent college students. Not only are these nontraditional college students faced with the same concerns, struggles, and difficulties as traditional college students but they also have additional responsibilities and struggles that a traditional college student won’t have. In particular, the parent college student is faced with a multitude of added stressors outside of school and in today’s colleges there are approximately 3.9 million student parents which make up about 30% of the college

For highly Non-Traditional learners there are several factors that can negatively impact their lives. Lack of time, including child rearing and full time work that limits time and opportunity is often cited as a major constraint. Additionally, highly Non-Traditional learners are significantly less active in campus activities and are less involved in the the general college experience. Hoyt, Howell, Young & Wygant’s 2010 study found that Non-Traditional students were “Less likely than traditional students to participate in other academically related activities such as organized off-campus study opportunities (10% versus 17% ) and forums, seminars, galleries, and recitals related to their major (49% versus 56%).”

In contrast to researching adjustment to college life for traditional and nontraditional students, the article by Shankland, R., Genolini, C., Riou França, L., Guelfi, J., & Ionescu, S., compared students from a traditional school system to that of an alternative school. In this article, it was noted that alternative schools differ from traditional schools in their teaching methods and philosophy. For this study, 130 students from both types of schools in similar regions were assessed during their final year in high school, the beginning of college, and finally at the end of their first year in college using the State- Trait Anxiety Inventory,

Of course, this proposal is a work in progress, but if this proposal seemed to not be as beneficial as planned, I suppose we could make it mandatory for nontraditional students to go for a tour on campus once they are accepted, causing them to learn about the campus, things offered on campus and so forth. This would not cause Towson to lose any more money because they already pay students to give tours on campus.

First off, adjusting to academic factors in the freshmen year can create stress for students in a variety of ways. First of all, first-year students experience stress while trying to keep up with the new academic workloads in college, which are completely different and more challenging than the workloads in high school. To illustrate this, in Alan Schwartz’s article in the

In recruiting nontraditional students, intentionality and good planning are important. Unfortunately, lingering stereotypes often make the first step of signing up for a class in a nontraditional area difficult. Strategies which are effective are those that understand and consider the target audience, provide information in a way in which

This report that was published by National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) of the US Department of Education Provided multiple points that defined who are the nontraditional students. Those points are: (1) Older than typical age (2) Attends part time for the academic year (3) Works 35 hours or more while enrolled (4) Is considered financially independent ((4.1) 24 years old and older (4.2) military veteran (4.3) ward of the court or both parents are deceased (4.4) had legal dependents other than spouse (4.5) was married or a graduate student and not claimed as a tax exemption for 2 years previous to the beginning of the academic year and had at least $4,000 in financial resources (4.6) was a single undergraduate but not claimed as a tax exemption for the 2 years previous to the beginning of the academic year and had at least $4,000 in financial resources.) for purposes of determining eligibility for financial aid (5) Has dependents other than a spouse (6) Is a single parent (7) GED recipient or high school completion certificate) (Horn,

On one of my first formal teacher evaluations, my principal noted that he wanted me to work on time management. Many years later, I still occasionally struggle with this. I tend to overplan my class periods and overestimate my students abilities to transition and complete activities. This challenge is especially apparent when I am leading community circles.

Psychological stress is pressure placed on a person to adapt, cope, or adjust to a situation (Rathus, 2016, p.284). The result of prolonged stress can affect a person’s mood, pleasure experience, and have harmful effects on physical health (Rathus, 2016, p.284). Society in the twenty first century places high demands on people. Technology makes it very difficult to separate work life, school life, and home life. Today, society places a high value on a busy lifestyle for individuals. For example, many places of business are open twenty-four hours a day. In addition to societal pressures, attending a university adds to the stressors a person may experience. Going to school not only includes classroom time but it also includes homework,

The significant differences between the traditional and nontraditional student has prompted the question whether institutions need to alter their teaching methods to fit the needs of the nontraditional student. As the population of 23+ years old

Getting an education, gaining more knowledge, and preparing yourself for the rest of your life are goals that many high school seniors are pushing for towards the end of their last year of high school. However, this is not the case for all seniors in high school. High school seniors do not really realize how fast time flies and how quick college will come. The four seniors that were interviewed all had their reasons for not going as well, but it was clear that they all had a very good idea of what two-year or four-year school they were going to attend to get a degree. According to Sarah Richardson and Hamish Coates, two academic advisors for non-traditional students and international students for a combined of twelve years, “Younger students who attend college really do not know how lucky they are. Non-traditional and international students are coming back to something or are exploring something brand new with little to no help.”