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Nontraditional Student Survey - Fall 1997

Introduction

This survey was conducted at the request of the Office of Off-Campus Student Services in order to determine the needs and current satisfaction of new and continuing nontraditional-aged students. The Off-Campus Student Services coordinator of this project was Susan Stafford, Assistant Director.

Highlights

Nontraditional-aged undergraduate students (undergraduates who enter CU-Boulder at the age of 23 or greater) place high importance on academic-, career-, and money-related aspects of college and less importance on the social aspects.

• These students assign high importance to knowing about job opportunities in their major, financial aid opportunities, and computers and the internet and assign less importance to knowing about campus events.
• These students assign high importance to being able to get advice on choosing courses, having one place to go for general questions, taking an active part in class, accessing services at nights and on weekends, and getting advice on careers and assign less importance to participating in social events and being involved in extracurricular activities.

In improving the college experience for nontraditional-aged students, efforts should be focused on improving academic and career-related advising, financial aid opportunities, and access to services.

• 32% or more of students report being dissatisfied with the information they've received on job opportunities in their major, financial aid opportunities, computers and the internet, and academic tutoring services.
• About 40% of students report being dissatisfied with advising on choosing courses and advising on careers.
• 35% of students report "major" problems with having enough money for living expenses, and 24% report "major" problems with having enough money for tuition.
• 22% report "major" problems with having access to campus services and offices at times that are convenient.

Last revision 07/08/05