Romeoville’s Lewis University has been named one of the top colleges in the country for nontraditional students by BestColleges.com.
Lewis ranked 14 out of the 50 best colleges for students 25 and older, according to the rankings.
Such factors as academics, student engagement, percentage of students older than 25 and programs geared toward these nontraditional students were considered, according to a Lewis news release announcing the rankings.
“This distinction recognizes our excellence in providing a supportive environment committed to student success, regardless of age,” Brother James Gaffney, president of the private Catholic university, said in the release.
Lewis offers more than a dozen undergraduate programs, many of them completely available online, according to BestColleges.com, which collects and analyzes data on colleges. Lewis also awards continuing education credits to students based on proficiency exams or a portfolio that showcases their credentials or on-the-job experience, according to the Best Colleges entry for the college.
Such portfolios can save students more than two years and about $16,000 in tuition, according to the website.
“Specialty advisors familiar with the challenges of mature learners are also available to counsel the adult-student demographic,” the website states.
More than 40 percent of Lewis University students are nontraditional, Dr. Michele Young, dean of the School for Professional and Continuing Education, said in the release.
“We have significant experience understanding and adapting to the unique challenges they face as they work to earn a respected degree,” Young said. “This designation recognizes our support system is exceptional among our peers in the nation.”
Lewis is the seventh largest not-for-profit Illinois university and has more than 6,700 students, according to the college.
People postpone college for a variety of reasons, including marriage, children or military service, according to BestColleges.com. But increasingly, adults are returning to school, with the number of nontraditional students in undergraduate programs rising 41 percent from 2000 to 2011, the website says. That made them more than a third of all undergrads by 2011.
The University of Texas at Dallas was named the top school for nontraditional students in the BestColleges.com rankings.
To see the full list, go to bestcolleges.com/features/50-best-colleges-for-older-students.