Today’s students are more diverse than previous generations. Twenty-four percent are parents, 37 percent are older than 25, 49 percent are financially independent, and 42 percent are students of color. About 40 percent of today’s students attend part-time.

Unfortunately, the current higher education system — and the policies that govern it — can result in barriers for some part-time students, such as the inability to access student support services and the misalignment between higher education and workforce systems. But, this doesn’t have to be the case. Policies and institutions of higher education can better support part-time students by making career pathways more transparent for students and using technology to offer flexible and innovative student support services.

Download the policy brief here.