Paradoxical Understandings Regarding Adult Undergraduate Persistence

Abstract

Historically, characteristics of student persistence and graduation completion were most often linked to strategies which honored the full-time residential younger undergraduate. Adult students have been viewed as high-risk and typically problematic students for continuous enrollment and degree completion. This article explores the key paradoxical aspects that have defined understandings of persistence and graduation completion impacting perspectives on adult students, of key research findings regarding influencer characteristics for persistence of adult undergraduates, and of broad institutional stances that have influenced and hindered adult access and persistence. Implications suggest three key actions by adult higher educators for policy, programs, and future research.

Keywords:

• adult students
• college attrition
• college persistence
• college completion
• adult undergraduate students