ERIC Number: ED225475
Record Type: Non-Journal
Publication Date: 1982-Oct
Pages: 36
Abstractor: N/A
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: N/A
EISSN: N/A
Impact of the Older Student on Undergraduate Enrollment. SAIR Conference Paper.
Kayla, Carol A.; And Others
Enrollment and retention trends during 1977-1981 for undergraduate nontraditional (age 25 and older) students at West Virginia University (WVU) were studied. During the 5-year period, the number of nontraditional undergraduates increased over 23 percent, while total undergraduate enrollment remained relatively stable. Nationally, females represent the majority of adult students, but there was a slight majority of males at WVU. However, the number of older female students increased dramatically since 1977. Although nationally about 72 percent of the students 25 years old and older are part-time, the majority of WVU nontraditional students have been full-time and over 70 percent have been enrolled in degree programs as opposed to specialized majors. Retention of nontraditional freshmen was slightly over 50 percent after 1 year and 35 percent after 2 years. Retention rates were slightly higher for sophomores and juniors. The graduation rate in 4 years was low for nontraditional students; however, it appears that about 50-76 percent of sophomores, juniors, and seniors graduate by 5-6 years after entry. It is concluded that the majority of adult students are degree-oriented. (SW)
Descriptors: Academic Persistence, Adult Students, Age Groups, Degrees (Academic), Full Time Students, Higher Education, Institutional Research, Longitudinal Studies, Nontraditional Students, Part Time Students, School Holding Power, Sex Differences, Student Attrition, Trend Analysis, Undergraduate Students
Publication Type: Reports - Research; Speeches/Meeting Papers
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A