Presented by Rita Serotkin, Nicole Cornett Arnold, Carrie Moran, Sharna Newton, & Ferris Wilkins

1. Educating the 75%: The Importance, Needs and Difficulties of Adult Degree Programs and Their Students Presented by Rita Serotkin, Nicole Cornett Arnold, Carrie Moran, Sharna Newton, & Ferris Wilkins February 22, 2012 Durham, NC

2. Why Now? Meeting the President’s challenge The Goal: Only about 27% in the US have completed college. To double the number of college graduates by 2020, another 12-15,000,000associate and bachelor degrees need to be earned. The Problem: In only half the states do more than 50% of first-year students at community colleges return for a second year.* In 27 states, less than half of first-time, full-time (FTFT) college students complete a bachelor's degree in 5 years* In 24 states, less than half of FTFT students complete a bachelor's degree in 6 years In NO state do more than 70% of FTFT students complete a degree within 5 or 6 years. Given the falling or level numbers of 18-24 year olds, it is anticipated that only 30% of the new degrees will be from “traditional” students; 70% will need to be “nontraditionals.”** *Measuring Up. http://measuringup.highereducation.org/ **Pathways to Success. p. 12. http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/acsfa/ptsreport2.pdf

3. Six-Year Graduation Rates  of Bachelor's Students - 2009 “In only a few states do large majorities of first-time, full-time students graduate from four-year institutions within five or six years…[but]…in no state do more than 70% of students complete a degree within five or six years of enrollment.” Downloaded 2/19/2012 from NCHEMS Information Center website: http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?submeasure=27&year=2009&level=nation&mode=map&state=0

4. Persistence & completion by enrollment intensity & 6-year outcomes* (1995-2001) * Data taken from Chen & Carroll, 2007

5. PERSISTENCE & ACHIEVEMENT: NC compared to top states

6. ADULT STUDENTS: An increasingly critical population • Students age 25+ increased from 28% to 41% between 1970 and 1998 and now make up 47% of all new and returning students on many campuses (Association for Nontraditional Students in Higher Education ). • 6.8 million college students are age 25 or older and 3.74 million are first-generation students (NCES, 2007) • Students age 35+ in degree-granting institutions increased from ~823,000 to ~2.9 million between 1970 and 2001 — doubling from 9.6% of total students to 19.2% (NCES). • “Quite simply, states cannot reach the target of having 60 percent of the adult population earn some type of college degree…by 2025 without a major commitment to increasing college completion among these students.” (Spence, p. 13)

7. Priscilla S. is a mother of three, grandmother of seven and great-grandmother of five. At 63, she was also one of the oldest students to receive a bachelor’s degree from Post University in 2011…Laid off from her job at age 59, she reinvented her life. “Everything happened for me from age 59 to 63. Don't tell me you're too old. You are never too old as long as you have breath in your body. It's never too late for you to do what you think you can't do. Every day God gives you the chance to do what you want with your life. Don't let insecurities prevent you from living out your dream.” Rowley, Laura (2012), Huff/Post50. Downloaded 2/18/2012

8. Who are they & how do they differ from traditional-age students?* *Data taken from Horn & Carroll, 2005

9. NCESAT-RISK CHARACTERISTICS: Define most nontraditional & adult students! • Delayed enrollment in college • Attend part-time and often “stop out” • Are financially independent of parents • Work full-time while enrolled • Have dependents other than a spouse • Are single parents • Lack a standard high school diploma • First-generation college students Pathways to Success. p. 3. http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/acsfa/ptsreport2.pdf

10. BARRIERS TO ACCESS* *Classification of barriers developed by Cross(1981).

11. BARRIERS TO PERSISTENCE/SUCCESS

12. Guilford Center for Continuing Education (CCE): A case apart Experienced. Oldest program for adults in NC (since 1953). Dedicated to adults. Support services, advisement, financial aid, & an SGA, all housed in one building FlexibleScheduling. Day, evening, & weekend classes. More than 80% of CCE students work, yet 67% maintain a full-time load attending just 2 nights a week. Generous transfer policy. 90% have transfer credit. Financial Aid.67% Pell eligible; 84% receive federal aid. Unique.Focused on personal contact and connection. Recognized.Enrollment increased from 275 in 2002 to 1,300 in 2011-2012. Graduation rates as high as 58%.

13. CCE Student Demographics .

14. CURRENT BEST PRACTICES FOR ADULT STUDENTS: Access Publicity • Online and media outreach • Images of adult students • Public information sessions & open house events • Recruitment through employers, agencies, education & job fairs • Express Admissions Fridays • Calls always answered Ease of Applying • Online information & application • 5-minute application • Transcripts requested • No SAT/ACT • Veterans liaison/ admissions counselor • Day and evening admission & financial aid appointments • Transfer evaluations

15. CURRENT BEST PRACTICES FOR ADULT STUDENT SUCCESS: Structural • Dedicated Facility for Adults • Lounge • Computers • Canteen • Day & evening hours of advisors, mentors, tutors • Coordinated administrative functions and evening hours • Adult student activities and family-friendly social events • Convenient Parking • Classes & Scheduling • Small Class Size ▪ Year–round admission • Flexible Class Schedules ▪ Year-round classes • Full-time study leads to financial aid eligibility

16. CURRENT BEST PRACTICES FOR ADULT STUDENT SUCCESS: Programs • Summer Bridge programs • All-in-one Check-in Day • New Student Orientation • Adult Transitions class • Gateways to Success class • Learning Strategies class • Full summer schedule • Mentoring program • Student Success Workshops • Online and hybrid class pilot tests

17. CURRENT BEST PRACTICES FOR ADULT STUDENT SUCCESS: Resources • First registration with program advisement/ explanation • GPS binder at registration • Adult Student Government Association & activities • Assigned financial aid advisors • Dedicated faculty • Faculty advisors • Learning Commons—tutoring, support services • Support person • Office for Student Success • Outreach to faculty and at-risk students • Tracking/intervention • Referral to on/off campus resources

18. CCE Student Persistence

19. SharnaNewton ‘08Cheryl Brooks Poole ‘11Carmisha Wright ‘12 MEET OUR STUDENTS

20. References & Resources Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance (2012). Pathways to Success: Integrating learning with life and work to increase national college completion. Washington, DC: A Report to the U.S. Congress and Secretary of Education. Downloaded from: http://www2.ed.gov/about/bdscomm/list/acsfa/ptsreport2.pdf Berkner, L, et. al. (2007). Persistence and attainment of 2003-2004 beginning postsecondary students: After three years. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Chen, X. & Carroll, C.D. (2007). Part-time undergraduates in postsecondary education 2003-2004. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Complete College America (2011). Time is the enemy. Washington, DC: Complete College America Alliance of States. This and other reports available at: http://www.completecollege.org. Cross, K. P. 1981 Adults as Learners: Increasing participation and facilitating learning. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

21. References & Resources (cont’d) Day, J. C and Newburger, E. E. (2002). The Big Payoff: Educational Attainment and Synthetic Estimates of Work-Life Earnings. Washington, DC: U.S. Census Bureau. Downloaded at: http://www.census.gov/prod.2002pubs/p23-210.pdf DeAngelo, L., et al. (2011). Completing College: Assessing graduation rates at four-year institutions. Los Angeles: Higher Education Research Institute, UCLA. Horn, L., Cataldi, E.F., Carroll, C.D. (2005). Waiting to attend: Undergraduates who delay their postsecondary enrollment. Washington, DC: National Center for Education Statistics. Pusser, B., et. al. (2007). Returning to learning: Adults’ success in college is key to American’s future. Indianapolis: Lumina Foundation. Measuring Up 2002: The state-by-state report card for higher education. San Jose, CA: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Downloaded from:http://measuringup.highereducation.org/

22. References & Resources (cont’d) Measuring Up 2008: The national report card on higher education. San Jose, CA: National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education. Downloaded from:http://measuringup.highereducation.org/ National Center for Educational Statistics. http://ies.ed.gov/ National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. Graduation Rates-2009. Downloaded from: http://www.higheredinfo.org/dbrowser/index.php?submeasure=27&year=2009&level=nation&mode=map&state=0 Spence, D., et al. (2010). No Time to Waste: Policy recommendations for increasing college completion. Atlanta: Southern Regional Education Board. Downloaded from: http://publications.sreb.org/2010/10E10_No_Time_to_Waste.pdf US Census Bureau 2012 Statistical Abstract http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/cats/education.html