A student’s path through college can be anything but easy

Path to college degree can be long, winding

DURHAM, N.C. — There’s no such thing as a typical college student these days. Nearly a third of undergraduate college students are 25 or older. About 70 percent have at least one characteristic that makes them “non-traditional” to government statisticians, such as part-time enrollment, caring for dependents, or working full-time while enrolled.

A major study released last week confirms that while many students take a non-traditional route through college, those who bounce around from school to school have a harder time actually finishing a degree than those who go the traditional route straight out of high school.

Those who do best often have a strong drive — and a strong support system.