Adult students, which are undergraduate students over the age of 25, are often misunderstood at colleges, according to a recent study conducted by Lumina Foundation for Education. However, support services are offered to all AU students, including "returning students," the term the university uses to distinguish students over the age of 25 because all students are considered to be adults in college, according to Dean of Students Faith Leonard.
"At American University, all fundamental academic support services are available to all students," Leonard said.
During the fall of 2006, there were 203 AU students ages 25 years and older enrolled. Of these students, 47 were 25 years old and 81 were 26-29 years old. The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment considers them full-time students who are pursuing undergraduate degrees, according to AU's Academic Data Reference Book.
James Valvo is a 28-year-old returning student in the School of Public Affairs, who hopes to work for the State Department or on Capitol Hill. He said the age gap is "the most difficult part" of being a returning student.
"Students right out of high school go directly to college - whether close to home or far away," Valvo said. "Whereas, when an adult student goes to school, they have a different goal."
Returning students' college experiences differ from undergraduate students under the age of 25, said Jonathan Post, an undergraduate academic counselor in the Kogod School of Business. It is the norm for high school students to go to college and have an internship; whereas returning students are focused and well organized, he said.
Returning students have used the help of the Academic Support Center, according to Kathy Swartz, director of Academic Support Center who has experience in helping returning students. Swartz said returning students go to the Academic Support Center to refresh test taking and research writing skills.
"We've had dedicated services for adult students," Swartz said. "There is a counselor for adult students and graduate students."
Swartz said the most common problem adult students come to the Academic Support Center for is time management.
Returning students not only go to school full-time, but sometimes have a full-time job and a family, she said. The commute has an additional effect on the lives of returning students, Swartz said.
Post said he has observed many reasons why returning students come back to school.
"Students who were in the working world hit a road block," he said. "They realized without a bachelor's degree they can not get a contract or close a deal."
The report said returning students often have no clear path to earning a bachelor's degree.
When students enter Kogod there is a clear tracking sheet with organizing transfer credits to see how many more semesters are needed to graduate, Post said.
Valvo said he has a good working relationship with his adviser toward his degree progress.
Valvo said he's often closer in age to his professors and older than his teaching assistants.
"I don't feel disconnected," he said. "I sometimes feel more misunderstood with students just because of the age and perspective"
