Adult College Student Choice: Individual & Institutional Factors That Influence Students Hello! Shane Crounse Lygie Hinkle Christin Shatzer
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Adult College Student Choice: Individual & Institutional Factors that Influence Students Hello! Shane Crounse Lygie Hinkle Christin Shatzer Contact us: ▷ [email protected] ▷ [email protected] ▷ [email protected] Contents ▷ Introduction Study Background & Context Purpose of Study Study Questions Conceptual Framework ▷ Design of Study ▷ Findings ▷ Recommendations For Institutional Practice For Future Research for TICUA & Member Campuses 1. INTRODUCTION West Tennessee Middle Tennessee East Tennessee Baptist College of Health Sciences Aquinas College Bryan College Bethel University Belmont University Carson-Newman University Christian Brothers University Cumberland University Johnson University Freed-Hardeman University Fisk University King University Lane College Lipscomb University Lee University LeMoyne Owen College Martin Methodist College Lincoln Memorial University Memphis College of Art Meharry Medical College Maryville College Rhodes College Middle Tennessee School of Anesthesia Milligan College Southern College of Optometry Sewanee: The University of the South Southern Adventist University Union University Trevecca Nazarene University Tennessee Wesleyan University Vanderbilt University Tusculum College Watkins College of Art, Design, & Film Welch College Study Background & Context Adult undergraduate population % among TICUA institutions TICUA institutions average 18.9% adult undergraduate population (IPEDS, 2015) Nearly 1/3rd of bachelor's degrees awarded by TICUA institutions go to adult students (THEC, 2016). PURPOSE OF STUDY To understand adult (25+) students’ process in choosing a postsecondary institution, and more specifically, why they may choose a private nonprofit institution over other options. Study Questions Institutional Behaviors 1. What are current best practices among TICUA institutions for recruiting and retaining adult students? 2. What institutional characteristics or practices influence TICUA institutions to offer programming for adult students? 3. What does literature and theory suggest are important factors in the recruitment and academic success of adult students? Study Questions Individual Behaviors 4. What factors are most influential in the adult student decision to enroll at any institution of higher education? 5. What factors are most influential in the adult student selection of any institution of higher education in which to enroll? 6. What are the most pressing concerns of adult students enrolling at TICUA institutions of higher education? Conceptual Framework 2. DESIGN OF STUDY Mixed Methods Study Design Data Sources: ▷ Literature, Existing Documents, & Data Extant research areas: adult college students, the college choice process, adult student choice behaviors, and adult learner persistence and college completion. TICUA and THEC reports and adult student data ▷ Survey of adult college students ▷ Interviews Adult college students TICUA institution staff & administrators Data Source: Literature, Existing Documents, & Data ▷For conceptual framework formation ▷For study questions #2 & #3 ▷Comparison tool Extant research and our findings TICUA and THEC adult student data and our survey descriptive statistics Data Source: Survey ▷For study questions #1, #4, #5, & #6 ▷ Items constructed from: Public Agenda’s Is College Worth It for Me? How Adults Without Degrees Think About Going (Back) to School Conceptual framework ▷Participation: 7 TICUA institutions 263 adult college students* * Valid subset of 402 Data Source: Interviews ▷For study questions #1, #2, #4, #5, & #6 ▷ 2 Interview protocols constructed from conceptual framework: Adult college students TICUA institution staff & administrators ▷Participation: 9 TICUA institutions (3 from survey) 10 adult college students (from 3 TICUA institutions) 12 staff & administrators (from 9 TICUA institutions) 3. FINDINGS Summary of Findings Institutional Best Practices Institutional Literature on Institutions Awarding credit for previous work Characteristics Institutions should place and tailoring course delivery & Program offerings are in high emphasis on the quality of faculty administrative services to adult demand and the mission and/or and services for adult students in student schedules and needs religious affiliation are attractive to a way that maximizes welfare adult student learners Adult Student Enrollment Adult Student College TICUA Enrolled Adult Decision Selection Student Concerns Going to school fulfills personal or Program offerings align with Balancing the demands of school professional goals and is student goals and institutional with other obligations and manageable for the adult student resources address adult student financial responsibilities given their life circumstances needs in efficient manner Institutional Behaviors 1. What are current best practices among TICUA institutions for recruiting and retaining adult students? We identified three broad areas of best practices that are currently implemented at TICUA institutions: ▷ Websites that are easy to navigate and specifically address adult student programs and services ▷ Tailoring course delivery and administrative services to adult student schedules and needs ▷ Awarding credit for previous work Before you picked your current school, did you learn about colleges and programs from the following sources? Count Yes (%) Individual college websites 163 74.4 Friends, family or colleagues 157 71.4 Interactive websites to rank and compare priorities 95 44.6 College recruiters who promote and market their school 80 36.9 Books with information on colleges and programs 63 29.7 Television commercials, billboards or other ads 56 26.5 Guidance counselors at individual colleges 51 24.1 Financial aid advisers 50 23.3 An employer 43 20.4 High school guidance counselors 22 10.5 “ Online classes for older adults are about scheduling more than anything. It is [not] a matter of preference, it is a matter of necessity. Credit for previous work by importance in decision to enroll "Other" answers Frequency Coursework 15 Work experience 11 Test/Assessment 10 2. What institutional characteristics or practices influence TICUA institutions to offer programming for adult students? Two major influences emerged from our data sources related to the offering of adult programs: ▷ Institutions whose program offerings address areas of high demand among adult students ▷ Institutions whose mission and religious affiliation are attractive to adult student learners “ “They know [the institution’s] history,” they “believe in the brand,” and that the institution “made them feel welcome.” Only UT-Knoxville offers a program in religion outside of TICUA institutions THEC Careers in Demand, 2015 3. What does literature and theory suggest are important factors in the recruitment and academic success of adult students? The literature suggests the importance of two specific ideas on which to focus for the recruitment and academic success of adult students: ▷ Information about adult programs at should be easy to access on the institutions website ▷ Institutions should place emphasis on the quality of faculty and services for adult students in a way that maximizes welfare “ 65% of adult students choose to enroll within six months of beginning the college search process. 75% of highly nontraditional students enroll within six months (Hutchens, 2016) “ The more a student perceives that their college or university is committed to the welfare of its students, the greater the degree of the student’s academic and intellectual development (Braxton et al., 2014, p. 184) It is critical that“ faculty and administrators serving adult and working students understand this population and adapt to the needs of these students (Perna, 2010) Individual Behaviors 4. What factors are most influential in the adult student decision to enroll at any institution of higher education? Our data sources show that three key factors influence adult decisions to enroll in higher education: ▷ A career or personal goal will be supported by completing their degree ▷ The time and cost of degree completion is clear and manageable ▷ They are supported by family, friends, or colleagues in their decision to enroll Which of these best described the MAIN reason you are pursuing a (degree/certificate/diploma)? Which of the following two things are MORE important to you? Financing and Support Loans dominate the mix of financing options and decrease among older age groups “ Tom, another adult [She] told her husband student, described his that [she] wanted to go employer as “flexible” back to school and he and “willing to work with told [her] he wanted [him].” [her] to just focus on school. So [she] focus[es] on school. 5. What factors are most influential in the adult student selection of any institution of higher education in which to enroll? This question produced the largest number of findings, however three factors were found to be of central importance for adult students in the selection of a college or university: ▷ The institution offers a program that closely aligns with student’s career or personal goals ▷ Faculty, institutional services, and academic supports are professional, efficient, and address the specific needs of adult students ▷ The institution recognizes and award credit for previous coursework, professional skills, and relevant experiences “ Charlie, an adult student, described his enrollment experience as being “walk[ed] through the whole process.” What is the MAIN reason why you chose this school rather