Many of us picture young adults in their early twenties when we think of college. Brochures and websites usually depict this demographic tossing their caps into the air, but is this truthful? Most statistics say no; the picture is more diverse than that.
According to the Education Data Initiative, 24.9% of college students in the United States are older than 24. That is nearly one in every four students who do not fit the traditional mold that is so commonly depicted. These students are returning to their studies after raising a family, serving in the army, or just deciding to go a different route in life.
On campuses, it is easy to put people into boxes. As creatures of habit, we love to categorize based on appearance. “People form personality impressions from others’ facial appearance within only a few hundred milliseconds,” said Jon Freeman, an associate professor of psychology at Columbia University and director of the Social Cognitive & Neural Sciences Lab. We overlook the unique stories and traits behind the faces we see daily.
Take Elizabeth Walker, for example. She is a nursing student at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC), at the top of her class, and regularly receives awards for her academic excellence.
Elizabeth has done all of this after raising two children (also UNC students) and working countless jobs to provide for her family. At 48, Elizabeth is graduating with her Bachelor of Science in nursing in May 2025 after years of unwavering dedication.
“I was a mom first, and I still am,” Elizabeth says. “But at some point, when my kids got older and went to college, I decided it was my turn too.”
Elizabeth’s story is far from uncommon. 1,586 students who currently attend UNC are aged 22 and older, including 187 who are 35+. These numbers do not include those on campus who are parents or attending later in life.
Throughout the UNC campus, there are “lactation stations” where individuals can pump in private; each station offers a chair, a privacy screen, and a table. The stations were created by The Center for Women’s and Gender Equity to help parents attend classes with greater ease and comfort.
It is important to remember that students do not follow the same paths to college. There is no one way that students should look, either. Behind every face on campus is a story about their journey that is based on resilience, sacrifice, and commitment. As the college continues to grow, we should celebrate diversity in the student body, and hopefully, we will begin to see that change in the media and shiny college brochures, too. “Traditional students” were never the norm and never will be.