Nontraditional Vs Non Traditional Essay

Ross-Gordon (2011), states that adult learners are very prominent in colleges today. Adult learners make up more than half of the school population in colleges. Chances are adult learners having other life responsibilities such as parent, full-time job, helping their elders, and among other things can help them succeed in college because their social experiences can give them tools that they already possess to use in their academic studies. However, trying to do multiple roles can cause adult learners less time to participate in on campus social life and time for studying (Ross-Gordon, 2011). The diversity of colleges now brings a different atmosphere to the campus. Majority of enrolled students in the past was students fresh out of high-school. Students who attend college now are a mixture of young and older adults. The fact that colleges have to recognize the climate change, they will have to accommodate adult learners who have other responsibilities. As an example, class schedules, credit programs, flexibility in locations, student services, distant learning, accelerated courses, and degrees and certificates offers for students will previous degrees; colleges will have to offer these services to this particular demographic to
help them in their journey.
Pelletier (2010), explains the nontraditional is the new traditional students.
Nontraditional implies that colleges do not accommodate this certain demographic of students. The fact that adult learners bring a set of different expectations to school changes how colleges support those changes. Universities have to understand that nontraditional students want the same care when it comes to services on supporting their goals. The hardest issue for adult learners is to balance their obligations to their education and personal life. How to handle these obligations can cause stress on an individual, so colleges have to take that into account and offer supportive services that can be flexible for nontraditional students (Pelletier, pp. 5-6,
2010).
I believe that an adult learner come with a personal mindset and knows what their goals are and how to obtain what they are trying to pursue. As an adult learner myself, certain guidance I do not need because I know what I need to do to complete my goal. I need more flexibility and distant learning, so I would want the college I attend to be able to offer those services. I agree with Ross-Gordon that colleges today enrollment of adult learners have increased considerable. This information is so important to know because it informs the people the state of our economy. People are returning back to school to gain more skills sets and obtain more degrees because of the demand of employers looking for well qualified candidates that can perform the job. Adding to that, adult learners also go back to school to increase their on resume’ so they can increase their income and keep up with the younger generation that is more inclined with technology. Advancement in technology plays a major role in our economy and adult learners have to gain this knowledge to compete with the younger generation. A person can never have too much knowledge in their field. The continuance of their education will help them keep their job and not lose it to another younger person fresh out of college. In the end, now colleges know that adult learners make up more than half their enrollment at their school, they will have to restructure their education system to accommodate this growing population of students.