Key points:
- A number of surveyed online learners have previously enrolled in higher-ed programs but never finished
- More than half of those learners are interested in non-traditional degree programs
- See related article: Stopping the stop-outs: Promising re-enrollment practices
Adults who stopped out of higher education are finding their way back to finishing their degrees through online learning, according to a new survey.
Forty-two percent of online learners in Wiley’s annual Voice of the Online Learner report previously enrolled in a college-level degree or certificate program they didn’t complete. These learners tend to see online learning as a quick, flexible way to help them rejoin the workforce, complete an industry requirement, or achieve personal growth.
Nearly half (44 percent) of these returning non-completers identify as first-generation college students. Because they are the first in their family to enroll in postsecondary education, they may need additional support to complete their degrees and achieve their desired outcomes.
Online learners look beyond traditional programs to degree alternatives
Online learners express strong interest in alternatives to full degree programs. Two-thirds of respondents said they are open to pursuing quicker, more affordable non-traditional degree programs such as trade skills certificates, industry certifications and non-credit certificates in place of college degrees, and most (83 percent) of these learners would remain interested even if financial aid wasn’t available for them.
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