We are the students with a long list of life experiences. We sit next to students filled with dreams, not knowing how tough it is in the real world. We also sit next to students who really don't want to be in class, but are there because their parents want more for their children. Some of us stay for the long haul, and some of us realize that we can't for whatever reasons. We tend to drop out a semester or two because our families need us, or because there is too much in our lives to make the grade.
Nontraditional students tend to push themselves harder because they are older.
We want to make the grades. We have been around longer than the traditional student, so what we learn becomes part of us. Studying is not always easy for nontraditional students. Most of us cannot breeze through our lessons, remembering each and every detail. We read, take notes, study and drill ourselves constantly so that we can remember.