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If you’re interested in The Wellness Center, please contact:

Jeanne Irwin-Olson
Director for Wellness Programs
336.334.3190
jrirwino@uncg.edu

Non-Traditionally Aged Students

Another student population deserving special consideration when understanding mental health concerns and mental disorders is non-traditionally aged students. As the majority of undergraduate college students fall in the age range of 18 to 24, a non-traditionally aged student is an individual over the age of 24 who is pursuing an undergraduate degree. Like others students populations, non-traditionally aged students are extremely diverse with respect to age, cultural identities, partner/family status, life/work experience, motivation and goals for college, and life circumstances. As such, it is important to consider that while there are commonalities among non-traditionally aged students they are also quite unique in terms of life situations, cultural background, and mental health status.

Based partly on their age and life experiences, non-traditionally aged students often come to college with different expectations than their traditionally aged student counterparts. Some of these expectations might include a desire to achieve excellent grades in all courses, advance quickly through a major/discipline, make use of study time during the day, invest more time into knowing a professor, and possibly resisting opportunities to build relationships with peers outside class. Put simply, non-traditionally aged students commonly have a desire to "get done and get out." It is important to consider that while some non-traditionally aged students might be returning to college for a second or third time, others may be entering college for the first time. In the case of the latter, transition concerns common to traditionally aged students entering college will likely be present with non-traditionally aged students, which include anxiety about school and interpersonal relationships and finding a way to manage time in an effective manner. Finally, some non-traditionally aged students might view a college degree as a "ticket to advance" in a professional they have already become established in during their adulthood, which can be either a motivator or barrier in terms of motivation and retention.