The myth of nontraditional students in higher education

Hopefully this isn't behind a password, because it's the best thing I've read on higher education practice in a long time.

https://www.insidehighered.com/views/2016/08/05/defining-students-nontraditional-inaccurate-and-damaging-essay?utm_source=Inside+Higher+Ed&utm_campaign=6e820cc26b-DNU20160805&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_1fcbc04421-6e820cc26b-198482621

Today is the last Friday I am off due to our college's "no Friday in summer" policy.  I am glad for it, because it was a rough week. But I was doing some errands and went to the bank.  One of my former students (I have thousands of those) works there and came up while I was dealing with an account issue.  I recognized him and was trying to do my "Oh, let me remember you" game and I had to be reminded of his name, and it was only a year ago.

He is having a hard time getting the classes he needs to fit around his work schedule due to our college's behindness to online courses. I agreed with him.  Online classes are not the panacea for "nontraditionals" (or post-traditionals as the commenters suggest) but they do have advantages.  There are lots and lots of ways colleges can serve these folks better.  A person is only 18-22 for 4 years, but they are adults for 40 or more. 

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