Social Capital of Non Traditional Students
Birds of a Feather:
Social capital of non-traditional students
The number of undergraduates enrolled in higher education in the United States has risen to new heights (NCES, 2012). Between 1999 and 2009 alone, US college matriculation increased by 38 percent, three times the rate of the preceding decade (Rosenbaum, Deil-Amen, & Person, 2006). This stunning growth is driven in large part by record enrollments of “nontraditional” students: defined as older, minority, of lower income, and often the first generation in their family to attend college (NCES, 2011). Their numbers have been increasing since the 1970s, while the “traditional” definition of a college student as young, financially dependent, and living on campus now describes only about 14% of current undergraduates in the U.S. (Attewell & Lavin, 2012). While the bulk of undergraduates engage in higher education as commuters, however, most research on higher education (with the exceptions of Chang, 2005; Pascarella, Duby & Iverson, 1983) continues to focus on traditional, residential institutions. Urban commuter colleges, such as community colleges and the new, for-profit career colleges, have attracted the most challenged segments of the non-traditional population (Baum, Little, & Payea, 2011; NCES, 2012). Compared to other four year colleges, urban commuter and career colleges have a significantly larger percentage of students below the poverty line, a larger percentage of single parents, African American and Latino students, and first generation college students (Deming, Goldin & Katz, 2010; Rosenbaum, Deil-Amen, & Person, 2006) that, taken together, raise the specter of growing segregation in higher education. About 72% of two year and 54% of four year community colleges are minority students, while minorities constitute about 80% of career college enrollments (NCES, 2012). This concentrated environment of minority, disadvantaged students at commuter schools presents a challenge to social models of
Social capital of non-traditional students
The number of undergraduates enrolled in higher education in the United States has risen to new heights (NCES, 2012). Between 1999 and 2009 alone, US college matriculation increased by 38 percent, three times the rate of the preceding decade (Rosenbaum, Deil-Amen, & Person, 2006). This stunning growth is driven in large part by record enrollments of “nontraditional” students: defined as older, minority, of lower income, and often the first generation in their family to attend college (NCES, 2011). Their numbers have been increasing since the 1970s, while the “traditional” definition of a college student as young, financially dependent, and living on campus now describes only about 14% of current undergraduates in the U.S. (Attewell & Lavin, 2012). While the bulk of undergraduates engage in higher education as commuters, however, most research on higher education (with the exceptions of Chang, 2005; Pascarella, Duby & Iverson, 1983) continues to focus on traditional, residential institutions. Urban commuter colleges, such as community colleges and the new, for-profit career colleges, have attracted the most challenged segments of the non-traditional population (Baum, Little, & Payea, 2011; NCES, 2012). Compared to other four year colleges, urban commuter and career colleges have a significantly larger percentage of students below the poverty line, a larger percentage of single parents, African American and Latino students, and first generation college students (Deming, Goldin & Katz, 2010; Rosenbaum, Deil-Amen, & Person, 2006) that, taken together, raise the specter of growing segregation in higher education. About 72% of two year and 54% of four year community colleges are minority students, while minorities constitute about 80% of career college enrollments (NCES, 2012). This concentrated environment of minority, disadvantaged students at commuter schools presents a challenge to social models of
References: Pascarella, E. T., Wolniak, G. C., & Pierson, C. T. (2003). Influences on community college students ' educational plans. Research in Higher Education, 44(3), 301-314.