The traditional college student—young, full-time and financially supported by parents—is no longer the norm. Today’s “new majority” of students brings diverse life experiences, responsibilities and needs to campus, according to The New Majority Learner Report 2025 by GENIO, an edtech company that creates tools to support nontraditional learners and improve student success.
To keep up with this shift, colleges must adapt and meet their students’ evolving needs.
The new majority of students are more diverse than ever before. They are not problems to be solved—they are the future of higher education, the report emphasizes.
Understanding today’s students’ key challenges
To effectively serve the new majority, colleges must first recognize the challenges these learners face:
- “Time-poor” learners often struggle to meet traditional academic expectations. These students may be working multiple jobs, caring for dependents or commuting long distances to campus.
- “Underprepared learners” may enter college without strong foundations in critical reading, writing or math skills. These gaps grow even wider when colleges fail to offer effective development support.
- “Learners with barriers” may face financial hardship, health issues or unreliable technology—all of which can disrupt academic progress.
Who makes up the new majority in higher education?
In addition to academic challenges, the new majority is shaped by their lived experiences and identities. These include working full-time, being first-generation students and managing disabilities—often while navigating college systems not designed for them.
- Working students: Nearly 70% of undergraduates work while attending school and 40% work full time, according to the report. Work often dictates course schedules and limits extracurricular involvement.
- Economic hardship: Learners are missing opportunities to access higher education due to the required financial investment.
- First-generation students: Roughly 30% of today’s college students are the first in their families to pursue higher education, according to the report. Many lack guidance to access campus resources and are more likely to stop out of college.
- ESL and immigrant students: Linguistic and cultural barriers affect many learners. The report notes that these students “may not feel fully included in campus life and may face implicit bias in academic settings.”
- Disability and neurodiversity: Nearly 20% of college students identify as having a disability or being neurodiverse, yet many colleges still lack support resources, the report explains. As a result, many neurodivergent students—those with ADHD, autism or dyslexia—often experience isolation and stigma when colleges don’t provide adequate assistance.
How can institutions most effectively support students?
To meet the evolving needs of the new majority, colleges are encouraged to steer away from a one-size-fits-all model and adopt systems intentionally designed to support the new majority, the report states.
Practical solutions colleges can implement include offering flexible course formats, embedding mental health and career services into academic programs, streamlining financial aid processes, adding study skills courses and assistive technology, as well as adopting inclusive pedagogical practices. Departments can also play a key role by rethinking advising models, allowing space for exploratory learning and incorporating culturally responsive curricula.
Ultimately, the report urges higher education leaders to respond to today’s diverse student population with empathy, innovation and intentional action.
