“I’m Not Letting Nothing Stop Me This Time”: Transitions Among Adult Learners Using the Tennessee Reconnect Grant

Abstract

Objective: States increasingly create promise programs to increase college enrollment and degree attainment. The objective of this study was to understand the experiences of adult learners using the Tennessee Reconnect Grant (TN Reconnect) as they transitioned to becoming college students. Methods: Drawing upon interviews with 23 adult learners, this longitudinal qualitative study applied Schlossberg’s Transition Theory to explore the experience of transitioning to college. Results: Findings revealed students who used the TN Reconnect, many of whom were first-generation and low-income students, faced insurmountable barriers that contributed to their decision to initially not enroll in college or drop out of college. Access to TN Reconnect provided an unexpected opportunity for them to return to college. However, participants still faced barriers often associated with adult, first-generation, and low-income students. Contributions: Findings suggest state and institutional policy, and practice must adapt to fit the unique needs of adult learners to maximize degree completion outcomes. As currently structured, promise programs may not provide substantial benefits to student groups who face significant barriers to success, such as adult learners. State policymakers must explore the benefits of adopting a more equitable policy structure and/or implement additional services and resources for adult learners.

Keywords

promise scholarships 2-year colleges adult learners college completion

The demographic landscape of higher education in the United States is evolving, and the idea of the “traditional” student is antiquated (Goldrick-Rab, 2010). Specifically, adult learners—defined as students who are older than 25—are increasingly pursuing postsecondary credentials to further their career and earning prospects (Carnevale et al., 2013). Concurrently, in an attempt to meet workforce needs and rejuvenate state and local economies, policymakers across the country have passed or proposed legislation to make college tuition-free (Davidson et al., 2020). However, only two states (Oregon and Tennessee) offer tuition-free programs for adult learners (Davidson et al., 2020). This study explored the experiences of adult learners enrolled in Tennessee’s program, The Tennessee Reconnect Grant (TN Reconnect).

The TN Reconnect provides eligible adults in Tennessee the opportunity to attend an associate degree or technical certificate granting institution tuition-free through a last-dollar grant. Tuition-free programs, often referred to as promise programs, are either first-dollar (promise aid is applied first and other aid is used for nontuition costs) or last-dollar (all other aid is applied first and promise aid covers remaining tuition costs) (Jones & Berger, 2018). The TN Reconnect is part of former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam’s Drive to 55 Initiative, which challenged the state to get 55% of Tennesseans a college degree or certificate by 2025. The TN Reconnect is one of two statewide tuition-free grant programs in the United States created to increase postsecondary attainment among nontraditional adult learners (Davidson et al., 2020). As such, there is no research examining the experiences of nontraditional adult learners using a tuition-free grant to pursue postsecondary education.

In this study, we longitudinally explored the experiences of adult learners who used TN Reconnect. Participants shared their experiences through multiple qualitative interviews at transition points during their time as students. We developed the study to understand the following about TN Reconnect recipients: (a) their lifetime experiences with education, (b) the influence of the grant on their decision to enroll in college as an adult, and (c) the experience of transitioning from nonstudent to student.

Literature Review

Free-College Programs

Multiple scholars have conducted descriptive analyses of free-college initiatives in the United States (Davidson et al., 2020; Mishory, 2018; Perna & Leigh, 2018). Perna and Leigh (2018) identified 289 free-college programs in the United States, the first being the Kalamazoo Promise, which was designed in 2005. The promise moniker is often used for new free-college initiatives, yet the authors point to “the diversity of approaches that is masked by the college promise label” (Perna & Leigh, 2018, p. 164). The authors highlighted diversity of policy characteristics such as last-dollar/first-dollar funding, full-time/part-time enrollment, and merit and age requirements. However, Perna and Leigh (2018) also emphasized the importance of future research exploring subjective characteristics of promise programs such as support services, communication, program awareness, and diversity of programs.

Gershenfeld et al. (2019) reported that students who receive a tuition-free grant at a 4-year university are 2.4 times more likely to graduate within 5 years compared to peers who do not receive a tuition-free grant. Miller-Adams and Smith (2018) found that promise programs “can expand students’ postsecondary aspirations, improve a school district’s college-going culture, and increase college enrollment and degree attainment while promoting in-migration of residents and positive growth in housing prices” (p. 2). The authors noted that most programs do not support adult students and suggested doing so would provide additional benefits to local economies.

While local promise programs have existed since 2005, state-based promise programs are a recent development (Davidson et al., 2020; Mishory, 2018). Davidson et al. (2020) highlighted 13 state-based programs in their analysis; the authors found only two programs were open to nontraditional aged students. Scholars questioned the effectiveness of state-based promise programs and the last-dollar structure most states adopted when structuring promise programs (Bell, 2020; Davidson et al., 2020; Jones & Berger, 2018). However, due to the novelty of state-based tuition-free college initiatives, there is a dearth of research exploring their effectiveness and no research exploring adult learners’ experiences using a last-dollar state-based promise program.

Adult Learner Success

Choy (2002) highlighted challenges associated with family and work responsibilities that compete with school for adult learners’ time, energy, and financial resources. Building off these considerations, Ritt (2008) added that personal, professional, and institutional barriers can also cause delays or struggles for adult learners. Deil-Amen (2011) recommended proactively connecting students early with faculty and advisors as mentors, working to affirm grant recipients’ sense of academic competence, and providing them with additional aid to navigate the institution. The researcher also speculated that cohort models could facilitate sustained connections to others through devoted class time, networking opportunities, or even in online communities.

Tennessee Reconnect

The TN Reconnect is a last-dollar grant that pays the remaining balance of tuition and mandatory fees after other state and federal financial aid has been applied. The TN Reconnect is part of former Tennessee governor Bill Haslam’s Drive to 55 Initiative, which challenged the state to get 55% of Tennesseans to earn an associate degree or technical certificate by 2025. The grant may be applied to pursue an associate degree, technical degree, or technical diploma at a Tennessee community college or technical college. It may also be used at an eligible public or private college or university in Tennessee toward an eligible associate degree. To be eligible for the TN Reconnect;

A. Students must be a Tennessee resident for at least 1 year,

B. Be a U.S. Citizen or eligible noncitizen,

C. Qualify as an independent student on the FAFSA,

D. Comply with the U.S. Selective Service requirements,

E. Not be incarcerated,

F. Not have previously earned an associate or baccalaureate degree,

G. Not be in default on student loan,

H. Not owe an outstanding balance to an institution,

I. Be admitted to and enroll in a Tennessee public community college at least part-time (6 hours) in courses leading to a certificate or associate degree,

J. Maintain a minimum 2.0 GPA,

K. Complete the renewal FAFSA each year,

L. And, continue to participate in the Reconnect success plan by completing the Reconnect Grant application every year.

Students who received the Reconnect grant have access to local Reconnect Navigators, college advisors who specialize in adult learners and connect them to resources. Navigators create a success plan based on a student’s previous academic history and their individual needs. The success plan program was implemented following data collection for this project.

Theoretical Framework

Schlossberg’s (1981, 1984) Transition Theory served as a theoretical framework for which data were analyzed through a-priori coding (Charmaz, 2008). Schlossberg’s model provides a “framework in which transitions of all kind—positive and negative, dramatic and ordinary—can be analyzed, and possible interventions formulated” (p. 3, 1981). Her transition theory fits this study well as it is grounded within adult development literature (Patton et al., 2016). Furthermore, the theory is widely used in college contexts to understand the experience of transitioning from nonstudent to a student (Anderson et al., 2011; McCoy, 2014; Patton et al., 2016).

Schlossberg’s (1981) early transition model presented three sets of factors that influence adult transitions: type, context, and impact. Schlossberg (1981, 1984) defined three types of transitions: anticipated transitions, unanticipated transitions, and nonevents. Nonevents refer to expected transitions but never came to fruition (Anderson et al., 2011). Context “refers to the individual’s relationship to the transition and to the setting in which the transition occurs” (Patton et al., 2016, p. 37). Impact refers to the way in which the transition affects daily life.

In her later work, Schlossberg (1984) expanded her theory to include potential resources available to the person in transition, as well as how people can use their existing and new resources during the transition; these are known as the four S’s of transition (Anderson et al., 2011). Situation of the transition involves the trigger (what caused the transition), timing, control, role change, duration, previous experiences, stress, and assessment. Self involves the personal and demographic characteristics of individuals as well as their psychological resources. Support includes intimate relationships, family, friends, and institutions/communities. Strategies refer to coping strategies that modify the situation, control the meaning of the problem, and aid in managing the stress (Anderson et al., 2011; Patton et al., 2016; Schlossberg, 1984).

Policy decisions are often based on data and theory that may not represent all students’ lived experiences and identities as they transition through postsecondary education (Archer, 2007; Harper et al., 2009; Shaw, 2004). Schlossberg’s theory, however, emphasizes the individual factors that influence transitions, including the situation, self, support, and strategies (Anderson et al., 2011; Schlossberg, 1984). Her model was not created to provide a definite timeline of transitions that should occur during one’s life, but instead “incorporates the notion of variability while at the same time presenting a structural approach” (Anderson et al., 2011, p. 37).

Methodology

Data for this project were derived from a multiyear qualitative project, Understanding How Students Reconnect: A Longitudinal Study (2018). Data were collected longitudinally during a 2-year period and involved multistage individual interviews with 23 TN Reconnect recipients. This longitudinal design allowed for focus on a single issue through different perspectives of individuals at different points in their lives (Derrington, 2018). We selected qualitative research methods, specifically semistructured interviews, to give voice to the participants and their lived experiences. Personal stories provided insight into the unique challenges participants faced, which would not have been attainable through close-ended questions (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). The research questions that guided this study were as follows:

What life-experiences preceded students returning to college with the TN Reconnect?

How do adult learners using TN Reconnect experience the transition from nonstudent to college student?

How can initiatives such as the TN Reconnect be enhanced to improve the transition process—and in turn increase educational outcomes such as retention and graduation—for nontraditional adult learners, many of whom identify as belonging to other traditionally marginalized student groups?

Participants

Twenty-three students using the TN Reconnect participated in this study. Our sample identified as female more frequently than the statewide sample (91% vs. 71%; Tennessee Higher Education Commission [THEC], 2020). Other demographic information was consistent with state averages (see Appendix A). While we did not explicitly reach out to students who were previously enrolled in college, the majority of our participants (74%) identified as returning college students. This was consistent with the statewide sample (59% previously enrolled; Tennessee Higher Education Commission, 2020).

Following project approval by the university’s Institutional Review Board, we contacted TN Reconnect advisors through the Tennessee Board of Regents and TN Reconnect communities with information about the study. We asked them to forward recruitment materials to TN Reconnect students and presented them with a letter of support from the THEC. Students interested in the study contacted the research team, completed a demographic questionnaire, and received an informed consent document that provided details about their participation in the study. Not all students who reached out to the research team met the study criteria, and several did not complete the questionnaire or informed consent and subsequently did not participate in the study. Once the demographic questionnaire and informed consent document were received, an administrative staff member contacted students to ensure they met the criteria for the study and to schedule interviews. Interviews, conducted by a research team, occurred via phone calls, online video conferencing, and in-person interviewing.

Data Collection

Our research team consisted of one tenured faculty member and three doctoral students. All researchers were CITI certified and approved by the institutional IRB. For further training, doctoral students were required to observe several interviews conducted by the primary investigator prior to conducting individual interviews.

We conducted three semistructured interviews with each participant. The structure of the interviews followed a modified version of Seidman’s (2013) model involving life history. Participants were asked to think about a certain topic—in this study education—and how it fits their individual story. For example, we asked participants to “tell me a story about how you viewed education when you were in elementary school.” We then followed up with questions regarding how education’s role in their earlier life may have influenced their choices regarding college. This allowed the research team to ask standard questions of each participant while permitting participants to respond based on their experiences. The interviewer who conducted the first interview also conducted Interviews 2 and 3. This allowed for the interviewer and interviewee to build trust and encouraged participants to share their experiences.

The first interview focused on the students’ histories that led them back to college and took place as they began their TN Reconnect experience. The second interview took place after initial course registration to enlighten transition experiences such as enrollment, course selection, and scheduling. The third interview took place at the end of the second semester to allow students to reflect on their academic experiences.

Data Analysis

Data analysis incorporated a two-phase approach that included both emergent and theoretical coding. Considering the data with two different approaches allowed richer findings to emerge and allowed findings to be relatable to the existing body of literature (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015).

In phase 1 of data analysis, we used emergent coding. Emergent coding also called open or in vivo coding, involved searching for common words or phrases, also called “recurring regularities” (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015), in text-based data such as transcripts. This form of qualitative data analysis allowed findings to emerge from data collection and analysis (Charmaz, 2008). Biddix (2018) outlined a basic approach using these methods that we used in this study:

The researcher reads a data source and marks words or phrases (also referred to as “codes”) that appear frequently.

The researcher uses this list of codes and groups them into representative groups (also referred to as “themes”).

The researcher reviews the transcripts a second time to ensure the codes and themes are accurate and to identify examples, or representative quotations.

In phase 2 of data analysis, we used theoretical coding. Theoretical coding involved selecting an identifying theory and coding data based on the core tenets of the theory, seeking congruence and variance (Charmaz, 2008; Merriam & Tisdell, 2015). The approach is sometimes referred to as a priori because the researcher starts with the themes, as opposed to searching for them in the data. Based on experiences revealed in the emergent analysis, we used Schlossberg’s (1981, 1984) Transition Theory to reconsider the data and highlight recurring themes; theory-based codes included the type, context, and impact of the transition, and the resources available to the participant during their transition (Table 1).

Table 1.

Emergent and Theory-Based Themes.

Prior to TN Reconnect	Emergent themes	Theory-based themes
Prior to TN Reconnect	Rocky starts and roadblocks Students often experienced a difficult beginning to their college career, which led to leaving postsecondary education prior to obtaining a credential.	Lack of resources and context Students often dropped out of college because of limited access to resources (financial, relational, and self-esteem) or because their context was not ideal for the life of a college student.
Enrolling with TN Reconnect	Decreased financial barriers and an opportunity to improve Students received incentives to re-enroll in college because of the promise of tuition-free college, as well as the opportunity to improve their lives and the lives of their families.	Unexpected transition, ideal context, and minimal negative impact TN Reconnect represented an unexpected transition opportunity for study participants (type). Many expressed a desire to improve their careers yet found that without a degree their prospects were limited (context). TN Reconnect provided them with the opportunity to re-enroll in college and earn a degree with little to no financial commitment (impact).
First Semester in College	Driven to succeed despite barriers & learning curves Students often experienced barriers and learning curves when re-entering postsecondary education. Specific barriers included technology and student support services geared toward traditionally aged students.	Resources imperative for transitions Students experienced their transition to becoming a student differently based on their access to potential resources. Students who transitioned effectively often reflected on access to resources that helped them in the process of becoming a student.

Trustworthiness

To increase the trustworthiness of the findings, members of the research team coded the transcripts independently and compared codes before determining the themes. Similarly, to enhance trustworthiness for the theoretical coding, we used peer debriefing. This required a researcher not involved in data analysis to review results to ensure instances of the themes in the transcripts aligned with the theory (Merriam & Tisdell, 2015; Winkle-Wagner, 2009).

Findings

Findings of this analysis revealed commonalities in the life histories of study participants, who were adult learners seeking higher education through the TN Reconnect. Participants, many of whom self-identified as first-generation and/or low-income, faced hardships and increased barriers to obtaining postsecondary education when they graduated high school or first enrolled as college students, and they subsequently either did not pursue a postsecondary education or dropped out. Their lack of a postsecondary credential or degree limited career prospects and earning potential; congruently, they did not have the resources to obtain a degree even if they believed in their capability of earning a degree. Establishment of the TN Reconnect provided a change of context—namely, access to resources to return to college with minimal financial investment. However, study participants still faced barriers associated with adult learners and first-generation and low-income students. See Table 1 for a summary of study themes. Details and examples of each follow.

Experiences Prior to TN Reconnect

Emergent themes: Rocky starts and roadblocks

Participants in this study often returned to college for the second or third time through TN Reconnect. Seventeen of 23 participants initially enrolled in college immediately following high school and dropped out soon after. These students indicated two primary reasons for their withdrawal: (a) the struggle to adapt to the rigors of college life and (b) hardships in their lives outside of college. Students experienced difficult beginnings and roadblocks to their college academic careers, which led to leaving postsecondary education prior to earning a credential.

Examples of experiences prior to TN reconnect

Participant “Jay,” a 49-year-old male student who attended college in his early 30s, felt he was not mature enough to get an education at that time: “I had an aborted [college] attempt when I was in my early 30s. I was a remarkably bad student. I thought school to be a waste of time.” Many participants echoed his sentiments and indicated they did not see the value of getting a degree when they were younger.

Participant “Becky,” a 35-year-old female student who “was always a good student,” enrolled in college 2 years after high school and dropped out after one semester:

I don’t think I was mentally ready. I don’t think I really knew what I wanted to do. It was hard because that was my goal, to get an education, but it just seemed like there was always something holding me back. It was horrible.

Participant “Garden,” a 30-year-old female student, attended three institutions prior to returning to college through the TN Reconnect:

John College was a private Catholic college and they’ll take anybody as long as they’re willing to pay money for it. So, I was accepted, and first semester failed, so hard. I had no idea what I wanted to do. And then after my first year at John, I was on academic probation, and my parents told me either I had to pay for my own tuition, or I had to come down to live with them and go to college there.

Garden re-enrolled at a public, 4-year institution near her parents before experiencing a traumatic incident within her department:

Well, I was prehistoric anthropology, I only wanted to work with bones and shards. That was it. That did not work out—if you were an anthropology major you had to do a capstone [involving cadavers]. So, whenever somebody passes away, you go pick them up, and then you bring them to [the department]. We were driving at four o’clock in the morning [to get a cadaver], and I looked down and I saw that there was nail polish on her fingers. And I just lost it. I completely just went full like, ‘oh my god, this is a person. Nope, can’t do this anymore.’ [I gamed] for two or three weeks and quit school all-together for about two years.

Many participants indicated they were first-generation college students with limited financial resources to pay for college earlier in life. The allure of working full-time and earning money was much greater than the alternative of spending money on college expenses. Some students chose to work full-time rather than continuing to pursue a degree. Participant “Wind,” a 34-year-old female student, shared her experience trying to balance full-time work and college:

I had gotten a secretary position and it was full-time with benefits. I was 19, I had to pay rent. I tried a little bit to do school while working . . . it was just too hard for me. I got to the point where I was worn out, so that’s when I dropped.

Participant “Cat,” a 51-year-old female student, also reflected on not prioritizing college initially as a first-generation student:

So, growing up in the 70s and 80s, my parents didn’t really encourage college. My dad went to college and didn’t finish, you know, because of life, and starting a family. Back then college wasn’t as important as it is now.

Cat’s life circumstances when she was younger allowed for her to work full-time without a college degree. However, when she decided to try to return to college later in life, she faced other barriers to enrolling:

But I’ve always had a desire to go to college. But you know, it really wasn’t required and I just wanted to make money. I started my family and wanted to go back; I had a strong desire to go back. And I kept getting roadblocks, because financial aid would say, “You make too much money.” And I was like, “No, really, I don’t.” So that was the roadblock. I wanted to do better. I feel like I have so much to offer to the world. And it was very frustrating to me as an adult in my late 20s, 30s, and 40s, to, you know, just to not be able to go. So that was very, very frustrating because I had goals for myself, I just didn’t want to settle for what I’m currently doing for the rest of my life.

Students also dropped out of college earlier in life due to unexpected hardships and responsibilities. Family illness, children, and work commitments often impeded their ability to continue or complete their education. Participant “Jen,” a 37-year-old female student, reflected on how she attempted college twice prior to using the TN Reconnect. The first time she went to college, she was caring for her two children and working full-time. After her first semester, her family had to take in a child that was not their own. The commitments became too much to continue, as she noted, “it was a lot, you know. I was working full-time, three kids at home, it was just [homework] at midnight during the work week. It was just too much.” She did not enroll for classes following her first semester, but she did re-enroll a few years later. Later she dropped out to recover from a car accident and to homeschool her son.

Theory-based themes: Lack of resources and context

Students often dropped out of college because of limited access to resources, including financial and relational resources and self-esteem. As their context and personal circumstances were not ideal for the typical life of a college student, they faced various challenges early on. Whether they planned on returning or not, the challenges were substantial enough to cause them to leave postsecondary education.

Enrolling With the TN Reconnect

Emergent themes: Decreased financial barriers and an opportunity to improve

Students received incentives to re-enroll in postsecondary education because of the promise of tuition-free college. Therefore, their individual circumstances changed with a decrease in barriers, such as financial constraints. In addition, the TN Reconnect was an opportunity to improve their lives and the lives of their families. It was an opportunity for a fresh start. Furthermore, participants were on average 40 years old, and many indicated their children were either out of the house or self-sufficient. Many indicated that the time commitment to pursuing a degree, which may have previously posed a problem, was no longer a barrier.

Examples of experiences enrolling with TN reconnect

Garden, who was working as a bartender and stand-up comedian before returning to college, explained to us how she learned about the TN Reconnect and decided to re-enroll in college:

I kind of acted like I was better than community college. I was driving home from the bar, and I was angry and I was tired and my feet hurt and I didn’t know what I was going to do. And then at a stoplight, I looked up and it was on a freakin’ billboard. I felt like it was a sign from God. And I was like fuck it and just literally, while I was in the car driving home checked it on my phone.

Garden said her career prospects as a bartender and stand-up comedian were limited because “in the entertainment business, I’m already nearly past my prime.” The TN Reconnect was her chance to get a degree and “make 50 grand a year, get everything that I need to get health insurance and be able to buy a house and be really happy.”

Participant “Nana,” a 50-year-old female student, was unemployed after quitting her job in a school system to take care of her injured husband. She reflected on her decision to return to college with the TN Reconnect:

And then when I was working in the school system, I noticed that even when I tried to move laterally, I wasn’t getting anywhere. So, then my husband had an accident, and I had to quit my job to take care of him. And then as he started to get better, I thought, well I’m not going to go back to the same job I spent 12 years spinning my wheels. So, when I heard about TN Reconnect, I thought, okay, you know, I can do this, I could take care of him, and I can go to school, and I wouldn’t have to pay for tuition.

Nana was at a point in her life when her career prospects were limited by not having a degree, while her other commitments were minimal. The TN Reconnect removed the financial burden of returning to college and gave her the opportunity to improve her career prospects. Similarly, Jay believed TN Reconnect was an opportunity to improve his career and life:

I have pretty much peaked in in my chosen profession. Right now, I’m a local fleet manager for a small trucking company. But to move above that is not really going to be possible. Every time I’ve looked for a higher up job, the very first question is what degree did you have. Of course, I don’t have one, so that pretty much closed the door before I even got my foot into it.

Theory-based themes: Unexpected transition, ideal context, and minimal negative impact

As Schlossberg’s (1981) early transition model indicates, the type of transition experienced, the context or relationship had with the experience, and the impact of the transition on daily life are factors that influence adult transitions. The TN Reconnect represented an unexpected transition opportunity for study participants (type). Many expressed a desire to improve their careers, yet found that without a degree, their prospects were limited (context). The TN Reconnect allowed them to re-enroll in college and earn a degree with little to no financial commitment (impact). Participants in our study were at a point in their lives where although TN Reconnect was an unexpected transition, their lives (context) allowed for them to re-enroll in college with minimal negative impact.

Transition to College: First Semester as a Student

Emergent themes: Driven to succeed despite barriers and learning curves

Although participants had common experiences prior to re-enrolling in college with the TN Reconnect, their experiences of transitioning to college and becoming a student varied. While students often experienced barriers and learning curves when re-entering postsecondary education, including barriers such as technology and a lack of student support services for adult learners, some struggled more than others. This section explores the findings related to the participants’ complex realities and how their perception of the situation, self, support, and strategies influenced their transition.

Examples of experiences transitioning to first semester in college

Situation

Participants’ perceptions of their situation influenced how they coped with the transition to becoming a student. Garden reflected on her transition and how her assessment of her career factored into her decision to return to college:

I kind of looked at stand-up, and I realized I was not going to get that out of stand-up. Unless I moved to like LA or something like that. And even then, I know so many people that are some of the funniest, most just amazing stand-up comedians in the entire world. And they will never get past comedy clubs. They’ll never get to the point where they have a spot on a TV show. They’re not going to make more than 30-grand a year. And that’s not enough. Just this day and age. It’s just flat out not.

Garden accepted the fact that she may not make it as a stand-up comedian. Instead of viewing her situation negatively, she embraced her new role as an adult learner.

Participant “Jackie,” a 47-year-old woman, dropped out of her program after one semester. Jackie reflected on her situation during her interview:

Well, I wasn’t exactly sure what I want it to go back for. And at this age, I really should know. But I just, I just wasn’t sure. I just knew I wanted to take advantage of this opportunity. Because you never know how long it’s going to stick around. [But] my youngest daughter broke her ankle playing soccer, and I didn’t really want to use that as a cop out. I did try to study and all that. But she had so many appointments. It was hard to stay on top of things. And I thought, well, I better jump out early so that maybe they’ll, you know, forgive me, if I want to try this again. I didn’t want to hang on to something I knew I was going to let go of. And so yeah, so I decided to drop.

Jackie had recently lost her long-term job in information technology. Her daughter was using the TN Reconnect, and she decided to enroll as well. However, beyond getting a college degree, Jackie did not have a clear purpose for returning to college. In addition, her daughter’s injury added stress to her life, and this eventually led to her dropping out again.

Self

Participants’ understanding of the self, the “characteristics that are particularly relevant for individuals as they cope with change” (Anderson et al., 2011, p. 71), influenced their transitions to become students. Wind, for example, worked as an emergency medical technician (EMT) for 12 years before deciding to re-enroll with the TN Reconnect:

I don’t want to be in my 50s working on an ambulance cause it’s hard on your body. You know, working on an ambulance, I’ve already got arthritis. So, it’s kind of like thinking about those things like keeping that in mind. So, I decided to go back to school and try to get my RN and become a nurse. I actually had no plans on ever going to college. I didn’t think I would enjoy school because I was actually going to go into the military after high school. But after doing like the EMT and paramedic school and like these couple semesters, I’ve gone I actually enjoyed going to school. I enjoy learning new things, like it’s fun now whereas in high school, I was always like just get me out of here.

Wind perceived her career as one she should not continue as she aged. Her understanding of certain aspects of her self, including her health and age, allowed her to embrace the transition to becoming a college student.

Support

Support from family, friends, communities, and institutions is vital to coping with transition (Anderson et al., 2011). Participant “Kayla,” a 32-year-old female student, attended college in her early 20s. During Kayla’s first experience in college, her ex-husband was unsupportive of her educational goals, and her mother suffered from declining health. The lack of support from her ex-husband compounded by her mother’s health led to Kayla dropping out of school. After dropping out of college, she moved with her ex-husband to another state so he could attend graduate school. She said she “was basically there to pay for him to be there.” Kayla further reflected on what helped her transition to college as an adult learner:

I currently have a boyfriend that is actually supportive and not leaning on me to support him. Work is absolutely great about it too. Whenever we have exams or something I’ll ask for like a longer lunch, and they’re absolutely cool with it . . . they are aware that I read my chapters at work whenever I have time. And they’re fine with that. My parents obviously are very supportive. And even whenever I get down on myself, like I had made a bad grade one time and I wasn’t feeling great about it . . . they encouraged me, that I was I was still doing a good job. Just verbal encouragement, actually, because I do have low confidence though, having somebody to have confidence for me is great.

Kayla’s support system helped her thrive as an adult learner, especially when she questioned her ability. After enrolling in college with the TN Reconnect, she transitioned from someone who was “kind of dreading” college to someone who “likes learning . . . [and] likes homework for the most part.” Many other participants shared how the support of family and friends made the transition back to college easier.

Garden also reflected on how various supports within her institution and academic community helped her during her transition to becoming a college student again:

When I first started that first semester, my first class was at 9 a.m., Monday morning, college algebra, and I was pissed. And I was annoyed, and I didn’t want to be there. And I didn’t want to be surrounded by a bunch of freaking kids. And it was not that at all, there was three other people that were my age. There’s a lot of young kids, but there’s a shit-ton of non-traditional students like me. And it’s not all like stay at home moms finally getting it together. There’s a good deal of millennials that, you know, are kind of trying to figure it out.

Garden said she felt supported by being surrounded by students she identified with, who were from similar backgrounds and close to her in age. She also spoke about how a professor supported her when she was questioning her transition:

And really, it was that math class that made me decide to stay at Village Community College. She [the professor] had mandatory two hours a week tutoring. So, if I was confused on something, I could immediately find my professor. All the homework was online. So, I never had to worry about just being bent over book in the middle of the night. It was mobile friendly. So, I could do my homework on my phone, which was great. And she would send out personal emails, and she always responded. One time it was four o’clock in the morning and I could not figure out this problem. I was ripping my hair out freaking out and I just sent her an email. Didn’t think that she was going to respond to the next day. Two minutes later. Boom, right there responded to my question took care of me.

Other study participants shared similar stories about how specific faculty and staff members or students supported them during their transition. However, some expressed feeling a lack of support from their institution.

Nana felt that she “learned on my own about all the things that the college has to offer that they don’t tell you about in orientation.” During her transition, she attended college full-time, and therefore had time to explore the college’s various student services. She felt that other adult learners who “don’t want to go ask for help” struggled because the goal of the grant was to just “get students in the door.” Nana felt that specific advising and mentoring for adult learners could help them feel supported by their college:

If they want the program to work and be successful, yeah. On the TN Reconnect page, there are people who you can call. But when it came to time for me to say, well, I need help getting a book, I need help with this, I need help with that, really [they were] no help. They need that kind of stuff to help adult learners.

Several other students, especially those taking online courses, echoed the sentiment that institutions provided little support for adult learners. Some felt that student services, such as advising and orientation, were not appropriately structured to support adult learners.

Strategies

Strategies—which refers to coping strategies that modify a situation, control the meaning of the problem, and aid in managing stress—also effected the transition process for adult learners using the TN Reconnect (Anderson et al., 2011). Garden reflected on how she approaches college differently as an adult learner:

I treat [school] like a new job. Every semester is a new job, and all of my professors are a manager. And [classes] are just a different varying part of the job that I do. It’s easy to succeed in a job, but it feels almost like it’s harder to succeed in school. Yeah. So, if you look at it like that just started working. It’s so much easier to keep that in mind, show up to work all the time, maintain a clean uniform, and do what you need to. It’s easier mentally to do that.

Although Garden previously struggled with the effort needed to succeed in college, her strategy for reframing college as a job allowed her to be more successful as an adult learner.

Nana discussed how she also approached college like a job, and how her routine keeps her focused, even when she struggles with course content:

So, you know, I show up to biology. I take the notes, I do the homework and yeah, I may bomb on a test here or there. But you know, you do the homework, you show up, you know, make the college effort. Every morning, I get up at 6:30, I take a shower, I get dressed, I anticipate traffic, I anticipate road conditions, all the things that you would do if you had a job, if you had to go to work every day. So, when I treated school like a job, even though I wasn’t getting paid for it, still treated it like a job. And that’s what helped me get through it.

Nana, who returned to college after 25 years, was able to endure the struggles of college by making “the college effort” and treating school as a job.

Theory-based themes: resources imperative for transitions

These findings reflect Schlossberg’s (1981, 1984) theory and her belief that “different individuals react differently to the same type of transition and . . . the same person reacts differently at different times” (Anderson et al., 2011, p. 63). Adult learners, no matter how similar their backgrounds may seem, are individuals with “complex realities . . . that influence the ability of the individual to cope during a transition” (Anderson et al., 2011, p. 61). Students experienced their transition to becoming a student differently based on their access to potential resources; those who transitioned effectively often reflected on access to resources that helped them in the process of becoming a student.

Discussion

Findings from this study are consistent with prior research concerning the experiences of adult learners re-enrolling in community colleges. Miller-Adams and Smith (2018) asserted that implementing tuition-free initiatives can increase a community’s overall postsecondary aspirations and promote a college-going culture. Participants in our study reported both an interest and an increase in postsecondary education aspirations following access to TN Reconnect. Specifically, their stories revealed that the opportunity enhanced their belief in their ability to succeed in postsecondary education—inclusive of college-related expectations, attitudes, and aspirations—a relatively new finding among adult learners but consistently identified among other college-going populations (Luedke et al., 2019; Perna, 2006). Study participants also indicated that going back to college improved their family’s college-going culture.

Findings from this study also supported Ritt’s (2008) claim that personal, professional, and financial resources associated with work and family responsibilities impede adult learners’ ability to pursue postsecondary education. Participants in our study often left college during their first or second attempt due to financial hardships and family responsibilities. The TN Reconnect removed one of the largest financial barriers college students face. These findings align with Gallacher et al.’s (2002) assertions that providing adult learners with incentives to enroll in college is a “means of support that might enable them to proceed and become more fully engaged” (p. 504).

Results from this study also supported Ausburn’s (2011) finding that adult learners preferred alternative delivery methods such as hybrid or online delivery for coursework. However, while these hybrid or online courses may better fit adult learners’ schedules, our study participants said they faced steep learning curves associated with the technology and delivery methods used in alternatively structured courses. Furthermore, returning to college as adult learners often includes “feelings of loss and dislocation” (Christie et al., 2008, p. 567). The learning curves and independence associated with online coursework may enhance feelings of isolation.

Finally, our findings support the notion that last-dollar promise programs may not be structured effectively to serve groups that traditionally face significant barriers to postsecondary education (Bell, 2020; Davidson et al., 2020). Some study participants struggled to adapt to college life because of a lack of connection with advisors and faculty. Many adult learners in this study reported wanting more of a connection or community with other TN Reconnect recipients but were limited by finances and work and family commitments. Promise programs are heralded as progressive educational reforms which will fix the financial issues that plague postsecondary education in the United States; yet, promise programs are often structured to appease target populations with political sway rather than groups of potential students with greater need but less political capital (Bell, 2020). We join the scholars who question the effectiveness of last-dollar promise programs (Bell, 2020; Davidson et al., 2020; Jones & Berger, 2018), and our findings underscore the need for further research exploring whether or not promise programs as currently structured are effective or equitable.

Suggestions for Future Research

As policymakers in Tennessee and other states continue to adopt tuition-free initiatives like the TN Reconnect, researchers need to conduct additional studies to identify the experiences of participants and the evidence-based practices that best serve nontraditional adult learners. Based on our research and the literature about tuition-free programs, we recommend three areas for additional research on the TN Reconnect.

Conduct a needs and gap analysis

Conduct an analysis of the TN Reconnect to determine the ongoing needs and gaps in services for adult learners. This analysis should incorporate the use of multiple methods, including quantitative data, review of student records, surveys, individual interviews, and focus groups with TN Reconnect recipients and college administrators.

Research evidence-based practices

Expand this study to include additional interviews with TN Reconnect recipients, Tennessee Board of Trustees faculty and staff, and TN Reconnect advisors and staff. From those interactions, create, and distribute a series of informative case studies to TN Reconnect communities and campuses.

Determine program effectiveness

Conduct research to determine program effectiveness, as outlined by Davidson et al. (2020), and the effect on:

A. Tennessee’s Drive to 55 goals,

B. Education outcomes (e.g., retention, completion, graduation, and transfer rates),

C. Cost and benefit analysis,

D. The impact on state economic and workforce development.

During conversations with TN Reconnect recipients and through our analyses, we developed five recommendations for both policy and practice. The following recommendations address issues outlined in our research findings:

Develop a specific TN reconnect orientation and/or adult student first-year seminars

The unique needs and challenges of adult learners, many of whom are returning after an extended period, demonstrate the need for specialized orientation and/or FYS. Many adult learners return to campus and experience a feeling of being marginalized because of their age, unfamiliarity with technology, and support services geared toward traditionally aged students. Tennessee policymakers should engage stakeholders to assess current programs and develop a specialized program for this population. Stakeholders include higher education experts, adult learners, first-year seminar, and orientation programming departments, faculty, and academic, and TN Reconnect community advisors.

Assess and improve advising models for adult students at TN reconnect participating colleges

Given the needs and unique schedules of adult learners, higher education institutions should assess and improve their advising models for TN Reconnect students. The assessment should include but is not limited to examination of the following:

A. Implementation of a proactive advising model, through which academic advisors intentionally interact with advisees through face-to-face and electronic means (e.g., text messaging software like Signal Vine),

B. Office hours and the availability of academic advisors outside of “normal” business hours to meet the availability needs of students who may work full-time,

C. Cross-training for advisors about issues related to TN Reconnect recipients.

Implement a cohort model and/or learning community model

Connecting students is vital to promoting engagement and a sense of belonging, which are fundamental to student success (Mayhew et al., 2016). To accomplish this, administrators should use either a more formal in-person approach with campus-based student groups, or a less formal approach via social media, such as a Facebook group. In addition, administrators could seek to create sections of courses designed specifically for TN Reconnect students.

Implement an adult student mentor program

Connect incoming adult students with a returning adult student mentor. This mentor could provide incoming students with resources about the college and guidance from personal experience. These mentoring relationships help to mitigate feelings of marginality and isolation among this vulnerable population.

Evaluate the last-dollar nature and covered costs of the TN reconnect

Policymakers designed the majority of statewide tuition-free initiatives, like the TN Reconnect, as a last-dollar grant that covers the remaining cost of tuition and mandatory fees after all other gift-aid (e.g., Pell Grants, scholarships, and other need-based grants). This model may leave the neediest of students without eligibility for the TN Reconnect since their tuition costs are often covered through Pell Grants. These tuition-free grant programs do not take into consideration the full cost of attendance as defined by the U.S. Department of Education, which includes “housing, food, utilities, transportation, books, and supplies” (Bell, 2020; Davidson et al., 2020; Jones & Berger, 2018; Perna & Leigh, 2018). These other expenses could remain as barriers for students looking to pursue a postsecondary degree or credential; therefore, it is important to understand the effects of this policy decision on issues of access, affordability, and indebtedness of adult learners. Our findings highlight the need for further rigorous research exploring whether or not promise programs as currently structured are equitable, and whether the model can effectively be adopted at the federal policy level.

Footnotes

Appendix A

Table A2.

Cohort Student Demographic Information.

Pseudonym	Race/ethnicity	Sex	Age	Years since last attended college	Primary caregiver?	Marital status
Ashley	White	Female	27	1	Yes	Single
Becky	White	Female	35	14	Yes	Married
Diamond	Black	Female	32	5	Yes	Single
Greg	White	Male	44	21	Yes	Married
Gretta	White	Female	24	N/A	No	Single
Jackie	White	Female	47	15	Yes	Divorced
Jay	White	Male	49	N/A	No	Divorced
Jen	N/A	Female	37	5	Yes	Married
Jessica	White	Female	36	5	Yes	Divorced
Kay	Black	Female	54	10	Yes	Married
Kayla	White	Female	32	11	No	Married
Morgan	Black	Female	61	N/A	No	Divorced
Nana	Hispanic	Female	50	25	No	Married
Mac	White	Female	40	14	Yes	Married
Rida	Black	Female	28	3	Yes	Single
Rikki	White	Female	41	7	No	Single
Rose	Black	Female	32	1	Yes	Married
Strawberry	Black	Female	57	N/A	Yes	Married
Wind	White	Female	34	N/A	No	Divorced
Zoe	White	Female	38	10	No	Married
Deb	White	Female	40	N/A	Yes	Married
Garden	White	Female	29	4	No	Single
Kris	White	Female	51	32	Yes	Married

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

ORCID iD

Gresham D. Collom

Author Biographies

Gresham D. Collom is a Postdoctoral Research Associate for the Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research examines public policy, equity in postsecondary education, and student success.

J. Patrick Biddix is a Professor and Associate Director of the Postsecondary Education Research Center (PERC) at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. His research and teaching focus on research design and assessment, student engagement and involvement, and postsecondary outcomes.

Britta L. Svoboda is a doctoral candidate in the department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

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