According to the Network's work—based on decades of U.S. Census data, 500 in-depth interviews with a geographically and socioeconomically diverse group of young people, and a survey of 1,400 18- to 89-year-olds—many young people do not complete the transition to adulthood these days until their late 20s or even early 30s. The Network's July 2003 report, "Between Adolescence and Adulthood: Expectations About the Timing of Adulthood," describes various transitions to adulthood, including "the completion of school, entry into the labor force, and exit from the parental household, followed by marriage and parenthood" and "the acquisition of the skills and attitudes needed to perform adult roles." By either measure, the timetable of earlier generations is out of sync with the reality. In addition, the previous generation has now agreed that middle-class status is necessary to be an adult. "To enter the middle class," the report states, "it is almost imperative to make an educational commitment that spans the early 20s, and often longer. … Young people now often linger in a state of 'semi-autonomy' during their 20s, combining support from their families with whatever they can make in the labor market and borrow."

And now, as the trappings of middle-class society have become harder to attain, "collectively we have pushed the age of adulthood back," Schelhas-Miller says. Is it any wonder, then, that parents have challenged the "drop them off and wave goodbye" scenario of past generations?
Campus administrators see great irony in this cultural development. They cite the seeming hypocrisy of Boomer parents who protested and went to great lengths to be treated as adults in the 1970s, bringing about the demise of in loco parentis and ushering in the era of the Family Education Right to Privacy Act, also known as the Buckley Amendment, which protects the privacy of student education records even from parents who might be paying the bills. (Students need to sign a release to allow their parents access to such records as grades, finances, and judiciary proceedings.) They are dumbfounded when these parents now question FERPA when it applies to their own children. Perhaps it's not the Boomers who have changed their tune, but society as a whole.

"Social scientists are beginning to recognize a new stage of life, which, for lack of a better phrase, we call early adulthood," the Network report states. "This new stage is not merely an extension of adolescence as has been claimed in the mass media. Nor is it simply a refusal to accept adult responsibilities. Young adults are physically mature and often have formidable intellectual, social, and psychological skills. Most are actively involved in work and/or school, and are developing romantic relationships."

Implications for education
So although there might not be such a thing as "a little bit pregnant," it seems there is such a thing as "a little bit adult." Consequently, from recruitment onward, institution leaders find themselves navigating complex paths with these emerging adults and their parents, paths that have both programmatic and legal implications.

Many institution leaders now see the value in marketing their campuses to parents and prospective students as "co-purchasers" of the education their institutions deliver. "This means that direct marketing to parents is essential and comes earlier in the process than [it did] five years ago," says Jerry Cramer, senior development officer at Taylor University. Parents want more than just factual information, he says. They want an emotional connection, which will influence their satisfaction, support, and commitment. Institution leaders and marketing consultants describe parents as brand-conscious and savvy about their potential return on investment. This consumer mentality, however, can be one of the factors that complicates a student's autonomy. "The willingness of parents to negotiate financial aid is a major issue," says George Dehne, president of GDA Integrated Services. "If the college negotiates its financial aid offer downward, parents can think everything at the college is negotiable, including housing and grades."

CONTINUED: Marjorie Savage, parent program director