Non-traditional students make most of college experience
Published: January 23, 2012
Jennifer McSparren studies in the library.
By Angelica Holmes
Lyon College student
With an increasingly tumultuous economy and an even more unstable job market, more people than ever are considering going back to college well after their teen years. Colleges across the country have seen an increase in non-traditional students, and the number is expected to continue to rise as previously secure jobs continue to become more and more vulnerable.
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES), between 2000 and 2009, the enrollment of students 25 and over rose 43 percent. But besides age, students can be considered “non-traditional” for multiple reasons, and they all have different stories.
“A non-trad is a student who falls outside of the typical student,” non-traditional Lyon student, Tonya Clapp, said. “They’re usually over 24 years old, have taken at least a semester off between high school and college, do not live in a college-owned house or apartment, are married or are single with children. I personally started Lyon College in 2009 when I was 36 years old.”
Clapp decided to go back to school to advance her teaching career.
“I had always wanted to be a teacher,” Clapp said. “I got my associate's degree and I taught for five years. Now, I am ready for my own classroom. I graduate in 2013.”
Clapp is not the only one with this idea. A Kaplan University study found that 90 percent of U.S. adults feel that furthering their education can increase their earning potential and opportunities for promotion.
Jennifer McSparren, another Lyon non-trad, decided to go back to school for that very reason.
“The recession caused me to lose my seven-year factory job in 2009 and I transferred from a community college to this one this fall,” McSparren said. “I will have a bachelor's degree to hopefully get around having to work in factories anymore, because they're just not stable enough in today's economy.”
Having experienced the real world for many years, Clapp feels that non-trads have somewhat of a leg-up on many of the younger students.
“I think just my life experience has given me an advantage over the other students,” Clapp said. “I know how hard it is out in the real world. Many of the students have not even held a part-time job. I know what it takes to succeed.”
McSparren agrees that her experience helps her in college.
“I've seen the "real" world,” she said. “I've worked several factory jobs since I graduated high school and I pretty much know how the world works.”
Though many non-traditional students feel somewhat disconnected, Clapp is involved with a number of activities, on and off campus.
“I am president of the Non-Traditional Student's Association, member of the Lyon College Concert Choir, member of the Marksman Club and a non-trad/commuter representative on SGA, and I work five hours a week at the library on campus,” Clapp said. “Off campus, I am the Administrative Assistant for the Batesville Montessori School. I also work part-time as weekend staff for the Mabee-Simpson Library and a van driver for the APPLE Program. Did I mention I have kids?”
Though her schedule is consistently full, Clapp knows the importance of being involved on campus.
“Some non-trads only want to take their classes and go home,” Clapp said. “They don't realize that being part of an organization not only helps them integrate into college life and helps them feel part of the community, but it also shows future employers that they can handle their home responsibilities, work, and community outreach considering almost all the campus organizations do some sort of community outreach.”
For this very reason, Clapp created, and is the president of, the Non-Traditional Student Association (NTSA).
“NTSA was established to provide a resource of names and numbers of people who can solve various problems,” Clapp said. “Some of the non-trads don't want anything to do with the traditional students, for some reason or another. This separation is one of the reasons NTSA was established. We wanted to break down these walls. College students of any age should take advantage of all the things their college has to offer.”
Clapp sometimes feels that there is a separation and mild discrimination against non-trads like her.
“One misconception may be that traditional students think we may be too old to be in school. They may look at us like they look at their parents,” Clapp said.
McSparren agrees that there is often a disconnect between traditional and non-traditional students.
“We are students too. We are here to improve our lives through education,” McSparren said. “It's really hard for some of us to even come back to school.”
Through all of the struggles and difficulties non-traditional students face, they have the right idea. A college degree is more vital now than ever. According to U.S. census data, people with a bachelor's degree earned 90 percent more than high school graduates in 2007. And according to eh U.S. Department of Labor, of the 50 top-paying careers, only two do not require a 4-year college degree.