This exploratory study examined four student characteristics and their effect on successful online course completion for a large population of adult students. The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of age, gender, ethnicity, and financial aid eligibility on successful completion rates for nontraditional adults participating in online technical college courses. The participants in the study were 89,473 students enrolled in online technical college courses offered through the Georgia Virtual Technical College (GVTC), part of the Georgia Department of Technical and Adult Education. Data for these students were analyzed using quantitative methods in order to determine whether age, gender, ethnicity, or financial aid eligibility were significant predictors of successful course completion. The study found that age, ethnicity, and financial aid eligibility were significant predictors of online course completion. Older students, white students, and students not eligible for Pell grants were more likely to successfully complete online courses.
