Adults and the Higher Education Experience (Part 2)

By Melora Sundt - EvoLLLution. 2. What are the barriers facing non-traditional students in on-campus programs and what advantages might online programs offer?
While there are many benefits to attending a traditional program, these programs, because they cater to a traditional population (ie. 18 to 24-year-olds, single, no children, not working full time and residential), create some barriers for non-traditional students that many online programs have worked around. The first is scheduling. Classes held during the day are less accessible for the working adult than are classes on evenings and weekends, or in an executive, compressed format. Any large program has the advantage of scale; because they enroll many students, they can create many more sections at a variety of times, making it more likely that the working adult, or the adult dealing with child care or parent care issues, can find a convenient class time. Online programs also eliminate travel time to campus, increasing their convenience for working adults. More...