Today’s College Students: Who Are They and What Do They Require From a College Education?

Abstract

College students today are different. A review of the literature suggested that professors are encouraged to be technolgically knowledgeable; consider students preferences and skills; utilize technology innovatively; remember that students are already conducting research on their devices; teach students how to evaluate sources; augment research skills with academic skills; remember need for organization, constructive feedback, results orientation, to know what is expected of them, and to be evaluated; encourage career-connected decisions; provide opportunities for participation; consider games to engage them; respect their need for connection; ask questions for ownership; and link learning to the real world. The purpose of this archival quantitative, data mining study using data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) of the National Center for Education Statistics was to identify the demographics of today’s college students in the United States during the Fall of 2014. This study was significant because understanding who these students are and what they need from college is critical for providing an education to become tomorrow’s leaders. Findings revealed that the majority of students tended to be under the age of 25; female; full-time; enrolled in face-to-face courses; and White. They tended to enroll in public 2-year and 4-year colleges.