Educators must recognize that today's students do not fit the traditional student profile. With the changing face of higher education, colleges must embrace new models of education and support services that can accommodate today's non-traditional students, who include many first-generation students from low-income backgrounds, students over 24 years old, students of color, part-time students, and students who also work or have family responsibilities.

1. “To adequately address the barriers 21st-century students face, educators
must first recognize that they don't fit the traditional profile.”
TODAY’S STUDENTS
7 POWERFUL FACTS
McNair, T. B., Albertine, S. L., Cooper, M. A., McDonald, N. L., & Major, T. (2016). Becoming a student-ready college: a new culture of leadership for student success. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

2. “With the face of American higher education changing, it is imperative
that we embrace new models of education and support services that
can accommodate today’s college students.”
Source:
McNair, T. B., Albertine, S. L., Cooper, M. A., McDonald, N. L., & Major, T. (2016).
Becoming a student-ready college: a new culture of leadership for student
success. San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

3. 52% of students are the first in
their family to complete college.
52% of students
are the first in their
family to complete
college.
TODAY’S STUDENTS
7 POWERFUL FACTS
FACT No. 1

4. 52% of students are the first in
their family to complete college.
51% come from
low-to moderate-
income levels.
TODAY’S STUDENTS
7 POWERFUL FACTS
FACT No. 2

5. 52% of students are the first in
their family to complete college.
44% are age
twenty-four or
above.
TODAY’S STUDENTS
7 POWERFUL FACTS
FACT No. 3

6. 52% of students are the first in
their family to complete college.
42% come from
communities
of color.
TODAY’S STUDENTS
7 POWERFUL FACTS
FACT No. 4

7. 52% of students are the first in
their family to complete college.
30% attend
school part-time.
TODAY’S STUDENTS
7 POWERFUL FACTS
FACT No. 5

8. 52% of students are the first in
their family to complete college.
28% take care of
children and other
dependents.
TODAY’S STUDENTS
7 POWERFUL FACTS
FACT No. 6

9. 52% of students are the first in
their family to complete college.
26% work full-time
while enrolled.
TODAY’S STUDENTS
7 POWERFUL FACTS
FACT No. 7

10. Source:
McNair, T. B., Albertine, S. L., Cooper, M. A.,
McDonald, N. L., & Major, T. (2016). Becoming a
student-ready college: a new culture of
leadership for student success. San Francisco,
CA: Jossey-Bass.
Source: Miller, Vale, Engle, & Cooper, 2014
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