A recent NIU study documents the incredible growth of admissions of older female students. While male on-campus enrollment fell 2.3 percent from fall 1978 to fall 1986, female enrollment went up 7.6 percent in the same period.

“Most of this rise in females came (proportionally) from the 30-plus age group, which grew by 38.1 percent, approximately 13 times the university’s overall growth of 2.9 percent in that same time period…” according to the report, done by E. J. Keeley, research associate for the NIU Office of Institutional Research.

“By fall 1978, 30-plus women made up 6.4 percent of the NIU on-campus student body.

“By fall 1986, they comprised 8.6 percent of the NIU totals,” according to Keeley’s research.

These figures seem to agree with a national trend toward older students.

Graduate and undergraduate students age 25 and older now compose 45 percent of all college and university enrollment.

However, within 10 years this group will make up the majority of the college population, according to a study by the national college board.

This study was reported in the June 16 issue of Newsweek.