Understanding Their Motivations And Barriers For Returning To School Is Now More Important Than Ever
Why Are Non-Traditional Students So Important?
There are currently 8.2 million college students aged 25 or older in the U.S. This is not only a significant portion of the student population but also an area that has been rapidly growing. We’ve seen a 35 percent increase in the number of college students aged 25 to 34 from 2001 to 2015. This group, commonly referred to as the non-traditional adult learner, isn’t following the typical track of pursuing post-secondary education subsequent to completing high school, and includes individuals ranging from the early 20s to retirement age.
In our preliminary research, we found that there is a confidence gap that holds many of these students back from returning to school. We knew this was something we had to learn more about and decided to undertake a research project, which resulted in this white paper.
Our goal was to uncover the factors influencing the confidence gap that exists among non-traditional adult learners and how higher education marketers can communicate with this growing student population in a more meaningful way. Areas you’ll see covered in the white paper include:
Six Actionable Insights About Unique Students Motivations & Barriers
Four Key Personas For Your Marketing Team
Quotes From Real Students Considering A Return To School
Actionable Insights About Prospective Students
Whether you already have an in-depth understanding of this audience, or if this is an emerging audience that you are just now going to consider pursuing, there is something for you in our research. Some of our research findings validated previously held assumptions we had about these students, while other findings helped us realize this is an education marketing trend and audience that is largely underserved. You can expect insights in areas including:
Motivations & Barriers Of These Unique Students
Types of Marketing That Most Resonates
Analysis Of Student Demographic Trends
Four Personas For Higher Education Marketing
To better understand the non-traditional adult learner, four main personas were derived from the research findings. Although the makeup of the non-traditional adult learner is far more nuanced than these four personas alone, the insights drawn from each informs the claim that marketing to such a student requires a targeted messaging approach that speaks to the individual and his or her certain pain points. The four personas in which these non-traditional adult learners can be categorized are:
Military Affiliated
Job-Ladder Climber
Career Switcher
Person with Unfinished Business
Opportunities Exist For A Variety Of Schools
Because the non-traditional adult learner is comprised of such a diverse student base, this report can provide actionable insights for a variety of schools and programs. Whether you are a vocational school or an online university offering master’s degrees, there is something in it for you. Some of the types of schools we believe can use the findings include:
Online Colleges & Universities
Trade Schools & Vocational Programs
Public Colleges & Universities
Private Colleges & Universities
Community Colleges & Junior Colleges
Postgraduate Programs
If you are actively looking for a marketing or digital partner, you can learn more about our capabilities as a leading higher education marketing agency.
