Traditional students you will encounter are 18-24 year olds, usually coming to college straight from high school, or soon after.  They are full-time students, and may have no work or only part-time work.⁴ 

• 69% of SU undergraduate students fall into this category² 
• 96% of SU undergraduate students study full-time³ 
• 75% of SU undergraduate students live on campus/affiliated housing¹ 

Nontraditional student demographics vary, but are often 25 and older, and are returning to school after some period of time. They are often enrolled part-time, and have obligations and commitments outside of school, such as full-time work and families.⁴ 

These students are highly motivated, and oriented toward a post-graduate goal.  They will bring knowledge and perspective with them into the classroom from previous academic and work experiences.⁵  

When working with non-traditional students, you should keep in mind: 

• School may not be their primary or only responsibility. 
• Be flexible with office hours, or open to appointments. 
• Value and recognize the background knowledge and different points of view these students can bring to classroom discussions.⁶

1. http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges/syracuse-university-2882/student-life
2. http://www.collegedata.com/cs/data/college/college_pg06_tmpl.jhtml?schoolId=130
3. http://www.forbes.com/colleges/syracuse-university/
4. https://nces.ed.gov/pubs/web/97578e.asp
5. http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07377363.2011.544977?scroll=top&needAccess=true
6. http://www.aascu.org/uploadedFiles/AASCU/Content/Root/MediaAndPublications/PublicPurposeMagazines/Issue/10fall_adultstudents.pdf