Nontraditional student

rdf:langString Nontraditional student

rdf:langString A nontraditional student is a term originating in North America, that refers to a category of students at colleges and universities. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) notes that there are varying definitions of nontraditional student. Nontraditional students are contrasted with traditional students who "earn a high school diploma, enroll full time immediately after finishing high school, depend on parents for financial support, and either do not work during the school year or work part time". The NCES categorized anyone who satisfies at least one of the following as a nontraditional student: * Delays enrollment (does not enter postsecondary education in the same calendar year that high school ended) * Attends part-time for at least part of the academic year * Works full-time (35 hours or more per week) while enrolled * Is considered financially independent for purposes of determining eligibility for financial aid * Has dependents other than a spouse (usually children, but may also be caregivers of sick or elderly family members) * Does not have a high school diploma (completed high school with a GED or other high school completion certificate or did not finish high school) By this definition, the NCES determined that 73% of all undergraduates in 1999–2000 could be considered nontraditional, representing the newly "typical" undergraduate. This remained consistent the following years: 72% in 2003–2004, 72% for 2007–2008, and 74% for 2011–2012.