| During the past few decades a high percentage of faith-based colleges and universities have aggressively developed adult learner-focused programs. This rapid increase in adult educational programming in higher education resulted in a need for further research of the academic success and persistence of adult learners in adult learner-focused programs. The ramifications of poor persistence rates for students, institutions, and society are significant, and educators who oversee programs targeted at the nontraditional adult student audience need to gain an understanding of the factors that impact their academic success and persistence. The purpose of this study is to provide valuable information about the academic success and persistence of adult learners that may assist educators in higher education who are responsible for planning, design, and implementation of adult learner-focused programs.;The research used the case study method to analyze adult learners at Rochester College, a small faith-based baccalaureate degree granting college in southeast Michigan. Institutional records and a survey of adult learners enrolled in the institution's adult learner-focused programs were used to obtain the data needed for analysis. Analysis was conducted on five categories of variables that included demographic, history and preparation, motivational, institutional, and external factors that potentially have impact on academic success and persistence of adult learners.;Statistical analysis of the data revealed that academic success as measured by grade point average was associated with several factors including race, household income level, transfer GPA, transfer hours, academic preparation, persistence, and degree major in addition to the students' perception of the accelerated program format, institutional accommodation of adult learners, and small college environment. The persistence of adult learners in this study revealed significant association with the number of transfer hours, the receipt of financial aid in the form of loans, the students' perception of the usefulness of the academic advising they had received, and external pressures.;These findings provide insights into the factors associated with the persistence and success of adult learners and can assist educators who design and administrate programs targeted at this growing segment of the undergraduate population in the United States. |
