Talk:Nontraditional student

British usage

In Britain the similar term 'non-traditional background' is used to describe students applying to top Universities (Oxbridge, the London Four, etc.) that come from lower socio-economic groups, or being the first in their family to apply to University. Perhaps something like this should be mentioned here for confusion... JDnCoke (talk) 15:15, 25 April 2008 (UTC)

"Non-traditional applicants, also known as the WP cohort, are those potential HE applicants who come from a background which does not have a tradition of HE study and who are unlikely to consider HE study as an option without a significant input of awareness- and aspiration-raising support, information, advice and guidance." www.f-a-c-e.org.uk/docs/steveporter.doc

Another usage...

I find that there are two more instances where people may be called a "non-traditional student".

• A student takes another BS or BA program immediately after his or her first BS or BA program, but then this may overlap with the dual-degree, which may then overlap with being a super senior.
• A student enters the workforce soon after college (matriculated into college right after high school), and for whatever reason, returns back to college part-time to get a second BS or BA. SSS (talk) 00:58, 13 March 2015 (UTC)

Why the hyphen?

All of the online dictionaries spell it "nontraditional" rather than "non-traditional." Anyone object to my renaming this article? TimidGuy (talk) 21:39, 1 March 2017 (UTC)

Wiki Education assignment: Research Process and Methodology - FA22 - Sect 200 - Thu

This article was the subject of a Wiki Education Foundation-supported course assignment, between 22 September 2022 and 8 December 2022. Further details are available on the course page. Student editor(s): Janyu150 (article contribs).

— Assignment last updated by Janyu150 (talk) 10:28, 29 October 2022 (UTC)

Source about term for other countries

This source can help out about the issue of this article only focusing on America.CycoMa1 (talk) 22:41, 3 March 2024 (UTC)

Applies only to undergraduates

When researching on this. It appears the term nontraditional student only applies to undergraduates. I don’t see many sources using this term for graduate students or anything outside of undergraduate.CycoMa1 (talk) 00:53, 4 March 2024 (UTC)

Minors classified as nontraditional students

Adding this comment so people can understand why I added that tag and almost maybe discuss this issue.

I have noticed that some of the sources cited here classify minors (people under 18) as nontraditional students. I get that many of the sources have said age isn’t the only defining characteristic.

But the inclusion of minors under the whole nontraditional student label is problematic is because the term Nontraditional student usually applies to disadvantaged students. To me a 16 year old taking college classes doesn’t sound disadvantaged.CycoMa2 (talk) 22:17, 25 December 2024 (UTC)

Gap year

Here is something I don't understand when it comes to the classification of “nontraditional student”.

It is that sources say students who take gap years are non-traditional. The issue is that it appears many American institutions encourage gap years, come on even Harvard encourages it.CycoMa2 (talk) 20:46, 11 January 2025 (UTC)

What sources say that? ElKevbo (talk) 22:57, 16 January 2025 (UTC)

Stop changing the age

Can you please stop changing the age, the source directly says that it’s undergraduates ages 25 and older.

So quit removing this. CycoMa2 (talk) 03:47, 21 February 2026 (UTC)