(50) FACTORS POSITIVELY INFLUENCING PERSISTENCE AND PROGRAM COMPLETION FOR NONTRADITIONAL STUDENTS ENROLLED AT A FOR-PROFIT POSTSECONDARY INSTITUTION

摘要

For-profit institutions grew exponentially in population and demand in higher education in the 21~(st) Century, yet have met tough times recently. With expedited, job-specific programs; flexible classes; no extracurricular activities; and the options of students earning certificates, diplomas or even associate's degrees; these schools are attractive to nontraditional learners. Nontraditional students are typically over the age of 24, predominantly female working single mothers, enrolled in school parttime, have a GED rather than high school diploma and many are the first in their families to attend any kind of postsecondary education. This nontraditional population accounts for 73 percent of students enrolled in for-profit postsecondary institutions; however, only approximately 30 percent of those students end up graduating from those programs. Despite the fact that these expedited programs at for-profit institutions range from an average of 6 months to three years, more than half of students who actually graduated six years to finish. Approximately 63 percent of nontraditional learners drop out before graduating; some students only lasted mere months before leaving. Nontraditional students have different needs from their traditional counterparts in order to succeed at a for-profit postsecondary school.