Implications for Nontraditional Education: Graduate and Professional School Receptivity to Nontraditional Student Applicants.

Overview & Synopsis

The study examined graduate and professional school receptivity to nontraditional student applicants by reviewing what institutions know about nontraditional education, what institutional attitudes and practices are regarding nontraditional education, and what institutions actually do in admissions procedures that permit access to nontraditional students. Questionnaires were mailed to 496 chairpersons of graduate departments of English, Sociology, Psychology, Medicine, Law, Secondary Education, Business Administration, and Chemistry of 61 U.S. institutions with 60 percent return. Findings indicate that graduate departments were somewhat knowledgeable regarding nontraditional concepts but much less knowledgeable regarding specific programs where such concepts are put into practice, and that departments varied in levels of openness, with attitudes somewhat favorable to nontraditional education but much less favorable toward admission of nontraditional students to their departments. Possible correlates of openness in institutions were developed and reviewed. (Author)