| Abstract
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The purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which nontraditional student characteristics related to academic and social integration of community college students. Additionally, another purpose of this study was to determine the degree to which nontraditional student characteristics occurred among a sample of community college students. In this study, nontraditional student characteristics were delineated by three categories: adult students, traditionally underserved students, and students with attrition risk factors. The study sample consisted of 573 students enrolled in a two-year community college located in central Virginia. Results from this study indicated that some nontraditional student characteristics were related to institutional integration while others were not. Being an adult age twenty-five or older, being female, being financially independent, and delaying enrollment into higher education were all nontraditional student characteristics that were significantly related to overall institutional integration for the community college students in this study. Additionally, being an adult female was a strong predictor of institutional integration in this study. The findings in this study also indicated that nontraditional student characteristics occurred, generally, as expected among a sample of community college students, though some characteristics were slightly underrepresented compared to national averages. Percentages of adult students, first-generation students, minority students, students who worked full-time, single parents, and students without a high school diploma were all less than national statistics. Additionally, 80% of the students in the sample had at least one nontraditional characteristic, thus emphasizing the importance of understanding the hidden nature of some nontraditional student characteristics. This study documented that nontraditional student characteristics were related to academic and social integration of community college students, though whether or not institutional integration occurred varied among individual characteristics. This study supports the importance of understanding the unique nature of individual community colleges in order to avoid possible generalizations about the institutional integration of the student body. Administrators, student affairs professionals, and faculty members should consider these findings when establishing programs and policies to promote student retention among community college students.
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