Area Colleges Give Former Students a Second Chance

Among those headed back to school this week are adults going back to college, to make themselves more marketable in a tight economy.

KYW's Pat Loeb reports that universities have made it easier for former students to return for a degree after dropping out.

Peter Jones (right), Temple University's senior vice provost, says about 100 students a year there do so poorly academically that they face dismissal.  But he doesn't believe that should keep them from completing their degree:

"There are all sorts of issues that preclude a student from reaching their potential when they first come to university."

So, Jones says, Temple allows them to come back after five years, as any transfer student would, with their grade point average reset to zero -- so they can keep the credits they earned but still start with a clean slate:

"I think it's important to give them the opportunity to not be held back by that original set of grades."

And Temple is not alone. With returning adults making up an estimated 20 percent of college enrollment, many colleges and universities have adopted similar policies.

(File photos)