Career and Technical Education (CTE) students tend to focus on earning a certificate or degree to improve their current employment status. These students often return to community colleges seeking new job skills; they inquire about their career goals and their plans to achieve those goals. As advisors, how do we best assist them?

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adult learners, Christine Smith Osley

Because non-traditional students have different characteristics and needs than traditional students, advisors must adapt the way they interact with this unique population.

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adult learners, Lisa Sapp, Stephanie Williams

Higher education professionals often think that since transfer students have already attended another college, they don’t need as much attention or assistance.  The students often think that since they’ve attended another institution they know all they need to know.  Both of these thoughts couldn’t be further from the truth.

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adult learners, Kim Morton, transfer students

With increasing numbers of student veterans entering the nation’s colleges and universities, it is critical that professionals in higher education understand the unique perspectives and experiences they bring to the campus and that appropriate models to support their academic success are developed.

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communication, build relationships, advisor competencies, advisor training, academic support, at-risk students, community relationships, advising theory, cultural differences, advising strategy, critical thinking, advising approaches, adult learners, Coby Dillard, deal

Much like letting young adults spread their wings, an advisor needs to be alert, offering assistance when necessary, but knowing when to let the student “learn the ropes” of academic life to ensure they become strong, independent learners.

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role of advisor, academic support, at-risk students, probation, procrastination, preparedness, advising strategy, critical thinking, advising approaches, encouraging students, underprepared students, conditional admit program, adult learners, Katherine Carlman

The 49er Finish Program at The University of North Carolina at Charlotte has been actively pursuing its stop out students for over 10 years, catering to adult learners who are seeking to finish what they started.  Tactics are threefold: personalized marketing, support services, and institutional enhancements.

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build relationships, academic support, student motivation, advising strategy, advising approaches, encouraging students, persistence, adult learners, Eileen Snyder, Leana Zona

Nontraditional student enrollment continues to make up a large portion of undergraduate student populations on both traditional college campuses and in the distance-learning sector. Institutions that wish to retain and help their adult learners be successful will need to be aware of the nontraditonals’ time and effort limitations and provide ways to support them academically to facilitate completion.

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retention, graduation rates, academic support, student motivation, encouraging students, persistence, adult learners, Genta Stanfield