According to the National Student Clearinghouse, more than 790,000 New Jersey residents have earned some college credit but left school before completing their credential or degree. In Spring 2023, New Jersey launched a multi-faceted statewide ‘Some College, No Degree’ (SCND) initiative. Through this effort, the Office of the Secretary of Higher Education (OSHE) is working to re-engage students and support them in completing their college degrees. A key component of this initiative is a partnership with ReUp Education, which is working directly with 22 institutions of higher education in New Jersey to identify, reach, and engage adult learners who stepped away from college and need support to re-enroll. Interest in re-enrolling these students has grown as colleges and universities prepare for the demographic cliff: a sharp decline in traditional-age college students expected to start in 2025 due to lower birth rates during the Great Recession.
In its qualitative study, “Reengaging COVID-Disconnected College Students in Newark, NJ: Barriers and Opportunities,” the Newark City of Learning Collaborative (NCLC) interviewed students who had stopped out of college. All expressed a strong desire to complete their degrees but felt stuck and unsure of how to move forward. Some had already completed all major requirements and are close to graduation. However, some still had outstanding balances owed to their institutions that they are unable to pay which prevented them from re-enrolling. One student, unable to access her transcript due to an unpaid balance, has been unable to transfer to another school closer to home. When asked to rank the supports that would be most helpful to stay in college, all students ranked debt forgiveness as their top one or two priorities.
Academic advising also emerged as a significant challenge. Two students shared that uncertainty about their field of study led them to change majors multiple times, causing them to fall behind in credit accumulation. As one student noted, “They make it sound like you can study whatever you want, but after the first or second semester, you really have to choose and know what you want to do.” This student felt that guidance from advisors did not meet their needs, leaving them to navigate these decisions alone. Another student received inconsistent advising, which led to enrolling in unnecessary coursework, including being directed to complete two different course pathways within his major. Multiple students recommended instituting a peer advising system to support students within their fields of study. As one student shared, “It’s better to speak to someone who has gone through the courses at that school and is a year or two ahead.”
Miscommunication between different departments also created barriers. One student lost her scholarship without realizing it and was told by her academic department that she could continue attending classes while the paperwork was resolved, so that she did not fall behind on assignments in her courses. Later, however, she was dismissed because it was said to be against university policy for her to enroll in classes without paying her balance. As she shared, “Not having someone on my side was an issue. I had [professors] rooting for me, but they couldn’t do anything about it. It was a lot of pressure and stress to deal with on a regular basis. I didn’t understand why I couldn’t go to school and be a regular kid.” She has still not been able to complete her degree.
Mental health and social-emotional challenges also impacted students’ ability to persist through college. Two students experienced family deaths while in school and felt the need to return home. One was unaware of the mental health support available on campus. By the time her advisor took her to counseling, she felt it was already “too late” to recover academically and had to take time off. Now ready to return, she faces financial barriers: “I have a hold on my account, and that makes it hard to come back. It’s a lot of money that I don’t have.”
These stories demonstrate the complex realities faced by the “Some College, No Degree” population. Most want to return and complete their degrees but need targeted and ongoing support with financial aid, academic advising, and mental health. Many are now working full-time and would benefit from flexible course options, including online and asynchronous modalities. Credit for prior learning could also help them apply skills gained in the workforce toward degree completion.
As New Jersey’s “Some College, No Degree” initiative continues, institutions and policymakers must consider the diverse needs of returning students. By addressing financial, academic, and social-emotional barriers, these learners can not only return to learn but also persist and complete their degrees.