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Underserved Student Population: Nontraditional Students, Wesley F. Lewis

Florida Statewide Symposium: Best Practices in Undergraduate Research

40 percent of students enrolled in postsecondary institutions are nontraditional students (NTS), but many of the services offered are designed for traditional students (NCES, 2017). How does an undergraduate research office support this growing student population? To answer this question, a literature review was conducted, and the following themes were discovered: barriers to nontraditional students participation, programs designed for NTS, and a gap within the literature of student’s perception on participating in UR programs. Before addressing this issue, programs should first conduct an analysis of available data on their NTS to determine if special programs are warranted.