Non-Traditional Students

Who is a traditional college student?

  • Recent high school graduate
  • 18-24 years old
  • Enrolled as a full-time student

Who is a non-traditional college student?

There is no clear definition of a non-traditional college student. Anyone outside of the traditional student characteristics may fall into this category. Students with any of the following characteristics are non-traditional.

  • Over the age of 24
  • Delayed enrollment
  • Enrolled as a part-time student
  • A student with dependents (other than a spouse)
  • Working full-time
  • Received a nontraditional high school diploma (GED)

If you are interested in learning more about the definition of a non-traditional college student or seeing data on the population, click here.