# data[].attributes.body
The nontraditional African American woman brings with her different expectations and experiences and for varying reason she decides to pursue a higher education. The increase in the visibility of the African American nontraditional female student reflects the shift of “the composition of the higher education class room”. Nontraditional students more so than others have to balance school, work, family, but despite the balancing they bring with them and eagerness to learn and to excel. Because there is limited research on the phenomenon of attending college as a nontraditional African American female student, this study will explore the subjective experience of the nontraditional African American female student to better understand what the common structures of the experience are across a number of women.

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1. How do nontraditional African -American female students describe their transition to college?

2. What factors do nontraditional African -American female students identify as contributing to their persisitence in college?

3. What role does family support play in the nontraditional African- American female students’ persistence and self-efficay?

4. What is the relationship between student services and the nontraditional African-American female students’ persistence and self-efficacy?

# data[].attributes.body
Nontraditional Female Student - adult women who decide to go back to school after the traditional college age of 18-24

Single Parent-  an uncoupled individual who shoulders most or all of the day-to-day responsibilities for raising a child or children

Persistence- firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition

Motivation- firm or obstinate continuance in a course of action in spite of difficulty or opposition

Higher Education- education beyond high school, especially at a college or university

Phenomenon- an observable fact or event

Potential Strains- a force that has the potential to pull or stretch something to an extreme or damaging degree

Student Services- prevention, intervention, transition and follow-up services for students and families

# data[].attributes.body
The presence of the nontraditional African-American female student is increasing on college campuses to pursue their degree however many are leaving campuses without the obtainment of their degree. Therefore, research is needed to gain insight on the plight of these women and the barriers that interfere with the successful completion of their degree.

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I was amazed to read the education of women was frowned upon in the early years. Several years ago, I was reading a periodical and I ran across the following arguments: “since the weight of the female brain was less than that of the male brain, higher education would involve “an acute and intolerable strain for women”; “educated women would not marry, therefore the college presented a eugenic threat”; and the vulgar poems of Chaucer or the amorous ditties of Burns and Byron who stated "education was likely to produce complications at the time of pregnancy or menopause”.

I have worked in the realm of higher education for the past 15 years and I have noted the experience of attending college as a nontraditional African-American female student has its challenges. I have spent countless hours educating, mentoring, and advising this population and their dedication is one to be admired. Many of them come to college and leave spouses, kids and other family members to care for each other. Some come in an attempt to create a better life for their family while others boost their self-esteem just enough to step into the classroom. Whatever the reason I find pleasure in working with them and I am interested in hearing more about their stories.

Once upon a time women composed less than twenty-five percent of the student population on college campuses. However, over the last several decades the numbers have increased and women are vastly becoming the face of higher education students resulting in several studies that discuss this phenomenon. Although research has been initiated, it has been limited in scope.  Earlier arguments and ideologies of the education of women focused on the age group between 18 and 24 but there has been a noticeable increase in the enrollment of the nontraditional African-American female student in post- secondary institutions.

# data[].attributes.body
The nontraditional African American woman brings with her many different expectations and experiences and for varying reason she decides to pursue a higher education.  The increase in the visibility of the African American nontraditional female student reflects the shift of “the composition of the higher education class room”. Nontraditional students more so than others have to balance school, work, family, but despite the balancing they bring with them and eagerness to learn and to excel. There is limited research on the phenomenon of attending college as a nontraditional African American female student and this study will explore the subjective experience of the nontraditional African American female student to better understand what the common structures of the experience are across a number of women.

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Drexel University Ed.D. Student
Dr. Kathryn Betts
alc389@drexel.edu
Winter 2017

# data[].attributes.body
Over the last several decades the number of nontraditional female students have increased and they are vastly becoming the face of higher education. Although research has been initiated to discuss the phenomenon of the nontraditional female student, it has been limited in scope and focuses on the entire population of nontraditional female students however, there has been a noticeable increase in the enrollment of the nontraditional African-American female student in post- secondary institutions. The nontraditional African American woman brings with her different expectations and experiences and for varying reason she decides to pursue a higher education. The increase in the visibility of the African American nontraditional female student reflects the shift of “the composition of the higher education class room”. Nontraditional students more so than others have to balance school, work, family, but despite the balancing they bring with them and eagerness to learn and to excel. Because there is limited research on the phenomenon of attending college as a nontraditional African American female student, this study will explore the subjective experience of the nontraditional African American female student to better understand the common structures.