Perceptions of Barriers to Undergraduate Education by Non-Traditional Students at Selected Non-Public, Liberal Arts Institutions in the Mid-South.

The study examined barriers to education perceived by a sample of 119 students aged 25 and over attending small private liberal arts colleges in Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee. Among findings were that the number of children a respondent had impacted his or her perception of situational and dispositional barriers; the employment status of the respondent had an effect upon perception of institutional barriers; and race of the respondent had an effect upon perception of situational barriers. The six most frequently reported barriers were: (1) not enough time; (2) amount of time required to complete the program; (3) cost; (4) home responsibilities; (5) not enough energy or stamina; and (6) job responsibilities. Recommendations are offered, such as providing credit for students' past experiences, providing information on possible sources of financial aid, establishing more liberal admissions requirements, providing quality low-cost day care services, and scheduling to meet the needs of students employed full-time. Detailed analysis of questionnaire results and the questionnaire itself are appended. Includes 56 references. (DB)