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Call Nagle & Associates to Get the Money You Deserve After a Truck Accident
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Former Insurance AdjusterOVER $700,000,000 IN SETTLEMENTS FOR CLIENTS

Truck Accident Injury Attorneys in Kitty Hawk, NC

Our boutique injury law firm only handles roadway crash cases, with particular focus on collision cases involving tractor-trailers and commercial trucks. Crashes involving large trucks often result in serious or catastrophic injuries. Carl Nagle is a former insurance adjuster, with experience handling trucking claims for a large, national insurance carrier. He also worked as an insurance defense lawyer in Atlanta before moving to North Carolina. During those years, he was retained by trucking insurance companies to defend careless truck drivers. He knows exactly how truck insurance adjusters and insurance defense lawyers work to avoid or minimize valid injury claims.

We are North Carolina's only pure motor vehicle accident injury law firm. We only handle roadway accident cases, and refuse to handle any other legal matter. This focus and experience helps us maximize the money we collect in every case. We have collected over $700 million for NC crash victims, and we have handled many multi-million dollar truck and commercial vehicle accident cases. We also offer a reduced legal fee of 25% for settlements (and most cases settle), and 33% for litigation and trial. With our firm, you keep a larger share of the money we collect when your case closes. We also make the legal process easy for you – once we are involved, you work with doctors to restore your health and we take care of everything else.

Truck Crash Cases

Things To Know About Truck Crash Cases

More often than not, commercial truck drivers operate their vehicles with care and concern for other motorists. However, due to the large number of trucks and delivery vehicles that share our roadways, commercial truck accidents are quite common throughout NC.

According to research from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the number of truck and bus crashes in the State of North Carolina has hovered between 7,250 to 7,500. Commercial vehicle and truck accidents cause more than 2,500 injuries in The Tar Heel State every year. With large interstate corridors including Interstate 95 along the Eastern Seaboard, Interstate 85 and Interstate 40 running from Wilmington, NC all the way to Santa Monica, CA, it's no wonder that North Carolina sees thousands of truck accidents on a yearly basis.

If you or a family member has been injured in a collision involving a truck, bus, or another commercial vehicle on a North Carolina road, you might be eligible for substantial compensation. Commercial drivers are typically covered by large insurance policies.  However, with large amounts of money involved, these insurers employ the best, highest-paid adjsuters who work to minimize your injury claims and settlement money.The experienced team at Nagle & Associates is prepared to assist you in pursuing justice and securing a generous settlement that provides the necessary funds for your recovery and to support your loved ones.

Meet the Truck Accident Injury Attorneys in Kitty Hawk, NC-Dedicated Exclusively to Auto Accidents

Trucking accidents in North Carolina are almost never “black and white.” They often involve application of all North Carolina traffic laws alongside a body of complex federal regulations. Victims must be prepared to offer evidence to prove all violations of state laws and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations that govern truck drivers and other commercial vehicle operators. That's why it's so crucial to have legal representation from a lawyer with substantial experience in commercial vehicle accident cases. An aggressive, experienced truck accident lawyer has your best interests at heart and can help you avoid common pitfalls after your truck wreck happens.

And make no mistake, wrecks involving trucks can happen in the blink of an eye. You chose a finer dining option like highest-rated fine dining Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar in Kitty Hawk, NC. Before you can get to your exit, a fatigued tractor-trailer driver crashes into your car and changes your life forever. It sounds hyperbolic, but these traumatic accidents do happen, and usually when you least expect them to.

In the event of a crash caused by a tractor-trailer driver or any other commercial vehicle operator, it's important NOT to collaborate with the driver's legal team or trust insurance adjusters who are working against your interests. Former claims adjuster Carl Nagle warns you to “remember that the insurance adjuster is being paid to oppose your claims, and you should not cooperate with their effort to avoid or minimize your injury claim payments”. Instead, seek representation from a seasoned North Carolina truck accident attorney who has a proven track record of success.

We represent victims, just like you, who have been injured by commercial trucks, including:

  • 18-Wheelers
  • Dump Trucks
  • Tanker Trucks
  • Refrigerator Trucks
  • Freightliners
  • Cargo Trucks
  • Package Delivery Trucks
  • Box Trucks
  • Flatbed Trucks
  • Tow Trucks
  • More
Truck-Accident

Have you been in a recent accident, and you're trying to figure out what to do next? Are you unsure whether you've been hit by a commercial vehicle or some other type of automobile? Contact Nagle & Associates today. During your free consultation, we'll help answer your questions and provide clarity during this admittedly confusing time.

Associates Difference

What Our Clients Say

The Nagle & Associates Difference

Nagle & Associates is a law firm that focuses exclusively in roadway accident cases. Carl Nagle and our legal team have collected millions of dollars in tax-free compensation for NC truck accident victims. With extensive experience in handling these intricate, high-value cases, we know how to motivate the claims adjuster to offer the highest settlement in every case.  And if the adjuster refuses to offer fair compensation, we will take your case to trial before a jury of your neighbors in the Superior Court of county in Kitty Hawk, NC. Here are just a few ways that our NC truck accident law firm differentiates itself from others and helps you obtain maximum compensation when your case concludes.

Associates-lawyer
Accident Victims

Nagle & Associates isn't like other truck accident law firms, and that's by design. We don't advertise on the radio, over the phone, or on billboards. Instead, we focus those resources on benefitting our clients by providing caring yet highly effective legal services for every truck accident victim we represent. We also have a better fee structure than most other law firms focusing on commercial vehicle crashes.

Our lawyers operate on a contingency fee basis, meaning we don't get paid until the case is settled or your trial is complete. We are paid only IF AND WHEN you are paid. Most cases settle without the need for lawsuit filings or court involvement. This fee structure motivates us to push hard to collect the highest possible value for your injury claims. The more we collect for you, the higher the fee. Our goal is to increase the amount we collect for you so that you end up with far more money in hand when the case closes, even after the legal fee is deducted. The contingency fee is win/win for the lawyer and client. We handle everything and work to pay our own fee AND improve what you collect.

Whether your case is settled, or we go to court, you can also rely on a lower fee overall. Most personal injury law firms charge 1/3 of the settlement (33.3%) and 40-44% of any amount collected after a suit is filed. Our firm charges 1/4 of the settlement (25%) and 1/3 (33.3%) of any amount collected after a suit is filed. We only file suit in cases where the insurer refuses fair payment, knowing that litigation will increase the amount of money our client receives.

insurance adjuster

Carl has extensive experience in the insurance industry, having worked as an insurance adjuster and insurance defense lawyer in Atlanta, Georgia. He worked for several large commercial insurance carriers, and was paid to defend truck drivers, trucking companies, business owners, and their insurance carriers. Carl built on that experience and, for the last 30 years, has been a truck accident attorney in Kitty Hawk, NC, dedicated to accident victims and their families. He focuses on serious injury cases arising from roadway accidents. As a niche practice with a particular focus on trucking accident cases, Carl and his team know exactly how to gain full control of your legal case and collect the highest possible payment for your truck accident claims.

pay injury claims

Trucking companies and businesses employing professional drivers carry high-limit liability insurance, often with a million dollars or more to pay injury claims. Federal law requires high coverage. Many truckers and trucking companies carry large, multi-million dollar excess policies that pay additional money to truck crash victims. They do so because injuries arising from commercial truck crashes are often far more severe than other type of auto injuries. Tractor trailers, dump trucks, cement mixers, and cargo trucks weigh 10-20 times more than typical cars, which increases the risk of severe, permanent injuries. It's not uncommon for truck accident victims to spend days, weeks, or months as they recover in Spring Arbor of Outer Banks in Kitty Hawk, NC.

Due to the serious nature of injuries in these crashes and the substantial insurance policies involved, commercial insurance companies hire skilled and experienced adjusters to handle truck accident injury claims. These adjusters are highly trained and receive higher compensation than other adjusters in the insurance industry. Their sole objective is to avoid or minimize valid claims. As your local Kitty Hawk area truck accident lawyer, we take control of the adjuster and all insurance company communications so you don't get duped into admitting partial fault (which ends your case leaving you with zero compensation) or accepting a lowball offer.

However, if you do speak to an adjuster after your truck crash, remember that they'll be amicable and try to gain your trust while making every effort to settle for as little as possible. Never take legal advice from an insurance claims adjuster whose only job is to oppose your claim – no matter how nice and trustworthy they may seem. Diplomacy is their key to earning y our faith, so they can guide you into an unfair, irreversible settlement.

What are the Most Frequent Types of Trucking Accidents in North Carolina?

Even though heavy commercial trucks account for less than 5% of all registered vehicles nationwide, the FMCSA reports that over 13% of all fatal crashes on U.S. roads involved at least one large commercial truck or bus. Recent data published by the FMCSA indicates that there were over 273 million registered vehicles in the United States, including more than 13 million large commercial trucks like 18-wheelers. Of the people killed in commercial truck crashes, over 7 in 10 were occupants in other vehicles. While we rely on these multi-ton transporters to keep modern society moving, it's obvious that they can be very dangerous.

Keep reading to learn more about some of the most frequent tractor-trailer accidents we see at Nagle & Associates and why they happen.

Rear-End Truck Collisions

The size difference between commercial trucks and regular commuter cars is so massive that standard cars are often crushed in trucking accidents. That holds true for rear-end collisions. Unfortunately, because 18-wheelers take so much more time to slow down and come to a safe stop, truck drivers who are distracted or are speeding are often responsible for horrific injuries.

Rear-End Truck

Big Rig Rollovers

A truck rollover accident is one of the most devastating and frightening crashes that can occur. Unlike standard passenger cars, tractor-trailers and other large commercial trucks have a much higher center of gravity. That's why experienced truck drivers have to navigate tight turns and sudden swerves with extreme caution. If drivers attempt sudden turns or drive too fast for the conditions around them, the truck and trailer can flip over, causing the entire truck to roll onto its side. This creates a perilous and potentially fatal situation for everyone on the road. For example, an overloaded trailer leaving Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kitty Hawk, NC, may sway side-to-side as it takes a turn, and roll over onto a driver in the next lane. While this seems unlikely, rollover crashes occur frequently on North Carolina streets and highways.

Big Rig Rollovers

Jackknife Truck Wrecks

Jackknife crashes happen when large trucks with hinged connections between the front and rear parts make incorrect turns or braking moves, causing the trailer to swing out widely and resemble a folding jackknife. This type of accident is extremely dangerous due to the unpredictable behavior of a sliding trailer, which can hit nearby vehicles and drag them along as the truck plows through traffic.

Jackknife Truck Wrecks

Head-On Truck Collisions

When truck operators drive recklessly, negligently, or simply lose control of their vehicles, they may veer out of their lane and into oncoming traffic. Head-on collisions can also occur at intersections, such as red lights or stop signs, when drivers fail to yield the right-of-way properly. There are many reasons why a truck might collide head-on with another vehicle. For instance, the truck driver could become fatigued after long hours of trying to meet demanding quotas and may drift into opposing lanes as they nod off. Regardless of the reason, victims of such accidents should always contact a truck accident attorney in Kitty Hawk, NC, for guidance as they recover and seek compensation.

Head-On Truck

T-Bone Truck Accidents

T-bone accidents, also known as side-impact or broadside crashes, mostly happen at intersections. Big trucks going through intersections at right angles sometimes run red lights, ignore stop signs, or break the rules and end up crashing into the sides of other cars, making a “T” shape. These accidents can be especially traumatic for passengers who are sitting on the side of the car that the truck hits. Truck drivers who are speeding, not paying attention, tired, or drunk might run through intersections and cause T-bone accidents.

T-Bone Truck

What Types of Injuries Happen in North Carolina Trucking Accidents?

Auto accidents can happen to anyone, from locals commuting to their kid's soccer game to visitors traveling to the tourist attraction with the highest rating Fort Raleigh National Historic Site in Kitty Hawk, NC. When a large commercial truck is involved, the chances of getting injured are higher than they would be in a normal accident. Typical injuries that victims sustain in trucking-related wrecks include:

  • Traumatic Brain Injuries
  • Spinal Cord Injuries
  • Hip Injuries
  • Leg Injuries
  • Foot Injuries
  • Arm Injuries
  • Internal Injuries
  • Chest Injuries
  • Permanent Disfigurement
  • Neck Injuries

If you or someone you love is the victim of one or more of the accidents described above, call Nagle & Associates today. You need a reliable, proactive lawyer to fight for your rights when it seems like nobody has your back. Remember, though – time is of the essence. The truck driver's insurance company will begin working immediately to build defenses and minimize your compensation. With no up front cost, you can retain us to begin working on your behalf today.  Also, acting quickly ensures that your rights are not forfeited. North Carolina applies a statute of limitations for personal injury suits against truck drivers. If you fail to file suit before the dealine passes, you lose all rights to compensation for your truck accident injury case.

Injuries Happen in North

How to Choose a Top Truck Accident Injury Attorneys in Kitty Hawk, NC

If you're hurt from a truck accident, it makes sense that you'd want a capable, fearless lawyer by your side. But how are you supposed to know which law firms are worth your time?

Similarly, not every truck accident lawyer who graduates from law school is a top attorney. When you're in search of representation for a truck accident case, it's important to find an attorney with a specific combination of skills that are well-suited to effectively handle the intricacies of your case.

Specialized Knowledge

Specialized Knowledge

Truck accidents are quite different from regular car accidents, primarily because of the substantial size and weight of commercial trucks. These factors often lead to more serious injuries and damages. Moreover, truck accident cases can involve many different parties, such as the truck driver, the trucking company, the shippers who employed the trucking company, cargo handlers who load cargo, insurance companies, and possibly those who repair and maintain the truck or the manufacturers of defective truck parts. An experienced commercial vehicle crash lawyer will know how to identify all responsible parties and all applicable insurance policies. The laws and regulations governing commercial trucks are also more intricate, including complex Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and all state statutes and traffic laws that govern commercial drivers. Federal regulations govern driver qualification, driver training, truck inspections, equipment and weight limitations, driver conduct, driver fatigue and hours-in-service regulations, and driver crash response requirements. All of these factors should be considered in every commercial vehicle accident case.

Deep Understanding of State and Federal Trucking Regulations

As noted above, truck accident cases involve application of a mix of federal and state regulations. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) establishes rules that trucking companies and drivers must adhere to, including limits on driving hours and required rest periods. North Carolina also has its own set of laws concerning commercial trucks. An attorney who is well-versed in both federal and state regulations will be better able to pinpoint any violations that might have contributed to the accident. This can be a critical factor in proving liability and obtaining compensation for your injuries. A legal case arising from a crash caused by a commercial vehicle driver is entirely different than a typical car accident case. The claims adjuster who considers what to pay you will know if your lawyer has the experience necessary to win your case in court.

Deep Understanding

Reliable Network of Professionals and Resources

Overseeing a truck accident case requires accessibility to unique resources. Your lawyer should have connections to a team of experts who can offer valuable insights and testimony, including accident reconstruction experts, doctors/surgeons and other medical professionals, and trucking industry insiders. Having these connections can assist in determining the cause of the accident and the severity of your injuries, which is crucial for constructing a solid case. Great truck accident lawyers – like those from Nagle & Associates – will also be capable of conducting thorough investigations, gathering evidence, and successfully challenging large trucking companies and their insurance carriers.

Negotiation Talent

Negotiation Talent

Truck accident cases are typically resolved through out-of-court settlements by negotiating with insurance companies. That's why it's absolutely crucial to choose an attorney with a proven track record in tough negotiations. A skilled truck accident attorney in Kitty Hawk, NC, won't have any issue negotiating with stubborn insurance adjusters who want to minimize the compensation you need to recover. And if a fair settlement can't be reached, we stand ready to take your case to court and passionately enforce your rights in front of a judge and jury.

Compassionate Guidance

The aftermath of a truck accident can be extremely challenging and distressing. You need an attorney who not only has a strong grasp of the legal aspects of your case but also genuinely cares about your well-being. A dedicated attorney who is genuinely concerned about your recovery and future will work tirelessly to ensure that you receive the full and fair compensation you deserve. This includes compensation for:

  • Past & Future Medical Bills
  • Lost Wages & Future Lost Earning Capacity
  • Scarring, Disfigurement and Tax-Free Compensation for Pain and Suffering
  • Vehicle Damage
  • Other Types of Damages
Compassionate Guidance

Nagle & Associates: Holding Negligent Truck Drivers Responsible for Over 30 Years

When you want a quality meal in a stunning atmosphere, you don't go to your local fast-food joint. You chose a finer dining option like highest-rated fine dining Ocean Boulevard Bistro and Martini Bar in Kitty Hawk, NC. When you need a fearless advocate to fight for your rights after a trucking accident, you don't settle for a poorly rated law firm. You choose Nagle & Associates.

By identifying the root cause of your tractor-trailer accident, our dedicated attorneys can build a compelling case to hold all responsible parties accountable and get you the compensation you deserve. Whether it involves proving negligence, demonstrating violations of safety regulations, or confronting the adjusters and lawyers who oppose your case, we leverage our extensive experience to advocate on your behalf and help you obtain the compensation you need to move forward with your life. We also charge 25% less than other truck accident lawyers – we co this because we can. We have been very successful handling serious injury cases, and we are able to charge a lower percentage fee for the clients who choose us.  Keep more of your money, and know that we will fight for every dollar you deserve. Please contact our law offices today to schedule your free consultation and take the first step toward recovery.

Case Review

Latest News in Kitty Hawk, NC

Fox & Friends broadcasts live from Kitty Hawk

Summer Stevenshttps://www.thecoastlandtimes.com/2024/09/09/fox-friends-broadcasts-live-from-kitty-hawk/

Published 1:36 pm Monday, September 9, 2024Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones came to Sandtrap Tavern in Kitty Hawk on Friday, September 6, 2024 to talk to voters about critical issues in the upcoming presidential election.Jones broadcasted interviews with restaurant patrons live from Kitty Hawk to Fox & Friends, the most watched morning program on cable news. Co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, Brian Kilmeade and Jones joi...

Published 1:36 pm Monday, September 9, 2024

Fox & Friends co-host Lawrence Jones came to Sandtrap Tavern in Kitty Hawk on Friday, September 6, 2024 to talk to voters about critical issues in the upcoming presidential election.

Jones broadcasted interviews with restaurant patrons live from Kitty Hawk to Fox & Friends, the most watched morning program on cable news. Co-hosts Steve Doocy, Ainsley Earhardt, Brian Kilmeade and Jones join an estimated 1.3 million viewers every weekday morning live from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m.

In Fox & Friends’ signature “Breakfast with Friends” series, co-hosts travel to different parts of the country to hear directly from citizens on a variety of topics. Through a personal connection of the show’s producer, Tim Lauer, Sandtrap Tavern was chosen as a filming destination.

The invite to attend the event went out on Sandtrap’s social media accounts last Monday evening. The first 120 people to respond were put on a reservation list to be seated inside the restaurant, while dozens more waited outside for a table to come available.

It was a lively and packed house, with Jones moving throughout the room and outside on the deck and the lawn conducting in-person interviews and group polling.

Jones asked the crowd by show of hands who was doing early voting, and who was voting on November 5, with the majority opting to cast their ballots in person. Jones then asked which candidate citizens were voting for. The room was quiet for RFK; Kamala Harris drew a few hands and also some booing from the crowd; and with the mention of Donald Trump, the room erupted into cheers.

{Summer Stevens video}

It was an overwhelming pro-Trump crowd, with many restaurant patrons donning Trump t-shirts, hats, and even a life-size cardboard cutout of Donald Trump.

North Carolina is one of the most critical states in the election with 16 electoral college votes. It is considered a “toss-up” state, meaning it could go red or blue, along with Wisconsin, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Arizona and Georgia.

With absentee mail-in ballots going out in North Carolina soon, Jones interviewed Outer Banks voters in attendance Friday to find out how they were feeling about the country and the presidential candidates. Present in the room were Dare County commissioner Ervin Bateman, Currituck commissioner Owen Etheridge, and District Attorney Jeff Cruden, along with more than a hundred others.

When asked in a spontaneous interview about her concerns for the country, Wanda Bridgeman said her top issues are the economy and immigration.

“She told it like it was,” said Bridgeman’s daughter, Nancy Dod.

Jones asked 96-year-old Violet Kennedy, in a clip posted to Fox & Friends’ Facebook page, what she wanted to hear on the debate stage from the presidential candidates. Kennedy’s concerns were primarily economic:

“The national debt is out of sight. These kids coming out today are going to have to make that up somehow. And another thing, they’re spending more money on people coming across the border than on their own people,” Kennedy said, citing poor communities in Chicago.

For Bob Weeks, 79, of Kitty Hawk, a daily viewer of Fox & Friends, he came to the event “to be in the crowd” and to show his support.

“We’ve just got to do something to get Trump in there, that’s all. We’ve got to do something,” he said to The Coastland Times.

His son, Chad Weeks of Kill Devil Hills, said that it was a big deal to his father, a Vietnam vet, when President Biden pulled out of Afghanistan. “That really crushed him. He felt like that wouldn’t have happened if Trump was in there. We wouldn’t have gone through that embarrassment.”

Not everyone in the room was a Trump supporter. “I’m infiltrated!” said Robert Healy of Kitty Hawk good-naturedly. He and Andy Szakos attended the event to participate and see what the format would be. Healy said he’s open to what the other side has to say.

Regardless of what circle will be filled in on the ballot November 5, Outer Banks residents in attendance were enthusiastic about having breakfast with Fox & Friends’ Lawrence Jones and being highlighted on national cable news.

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Project Kitty Hawk is trying to reenroll students who left the UNC System. Is it working?

Kate Rixhttps://www.highereddive.com/news/project-kitty-hawk-reenroll-students-unc-system/725879/

Miyaka Mackie went straight to college after she graduated from high school. She started at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, but quit after a little more than a year.That was 28 years ago. Since then, Mackie married, had four daughters and finished her associate degree at Richmond Community College. In 2020, she enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke with the intention of finishing her bachelor’s degree, but health issues forced her to stop going.This fall, Mackie reenrolled at UNC Pembro...

Miyaka Mackie went straight to college after she graduated from high school. She started at Fayetteville State University in North Carolina, but quit after a little more than a year.

That was 28 years ago. Since then, Mackie married, had four daughters and finished her associate degree at Richmond Community College. In 2020, she enrolled at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke with the intention of finishing her bachelor’s degree, but health issues forced her to stop going.

This fall, Mackie reenrolled at UNC Pembroke as a junior. She has 13 more classes to take before she finishes her degree in sociology.

“I don’t care if I’ve got to take one class at a time,” she said. “I’m going to finish.”

Mackie, 46, is among almost 2,800 former University of North Carolina System students who have reenrolled after stopping out. A minister and full-time administrative assistant, Mackie attends classes online in the evenings after work.

“I want the degree as a personal accomplishment,” Mackie said. “I love my job, but I’ve spent half my life working on this degree.”

In 2021, the North Carolina General Assembly allocated $97 million to start Project Kitty Hawk, a nonprofit ed-tech startup that would contact students like Mackie. The initiative launched in May 2023, and, as of late August, Project Kitty Hawk had reenrolled almost 2,800 students who had started college at one of the network’s universities but left without finishing their credentials. Most of those students are from North Carolina counties that are considered underserved by higher education, according to Andrew Kelly, director of Project Kitty Hawk and former executive vice president for the UNC System.

The initiative came about after North Carolina officials realized the state needed more workers with college degrees, said Kelly. The UNC System has 17 separate institutions, including 16 universities and one high school.

The former students Project Kitty Hawk reaches out to are part of a growing nationwide population. In 2022, about 37 million working-age adults in the U.S. had some credit but no credential, up almost 3% from 2021.

Projects similar to Project Kitty Hawk are underway in other states, including California Reconnect, a coalition currently focused on re-enrolling students from 13 public colleges. Over the next two years, the initiative aims to broaden that scope to 30 higher education institutions in the state.

College officials nationwide have increasingly focused on enrolling stopped-out students as they brace for the demographic cliff, a decline in high school graduates expected to start in 2025 due to declining birth rates during the Great Recession.

“We can’t rely on students coming out of high school to earn degrees,” Kelly said. “What about these folks who already have some credit?”

Project Kitty Hawk partners with ReUp Education, one of several companies that work with colleges and universities to contact former students and coach them through re-enrollment. ReUp Education counselors reached out to 103,000 former students from ten universities in the UNC System. Of those students, 40% had stopped out within the past five years, 35% stopped out between six and nine years ago, and another 25% left college more than 10 years ago.

Reenrolled students brought in about $4.5 million in tuition for the system last year, Kelly said. That figure might be an underestimation, he added, because it doesn’t include some student fees.

Because many reenrolled students don’t need a lot more credits before they can graduate, UNC System officials expect to see another $5 million in tuition from the current population of reenrolled students over the course of their studies.

Most reenrolled students registered at UNC Pembroke, UNC Greensboro and Western Carolina University. The most common fields of study for returning students are business, health sciences, social sciences, interdisciplinary studies and computer sciences.

A new approach for reenrolled students

The UNC System hasn’t historically done a good job serving adult students, Kelly said. Part of Project Kitty Hawk includes adding more online courses, which appeal to reenrolled students who are older and may be working jobs or taking care of family members.

“This is all about providing individuals with an opportunity that enables them to experience greater labor market advancement,” Kelly said. “Some careers require a degree.”

It isn’t realistic to expect a reenrolled adult student to show up for in-person classes during the day, said Asher Haines, associate provost of UNC Charlotte’s professional studies school.

While most undergraduate students at UNC Charlotte are enrolled in primarily campus-based programs, older returning students are often drawn to fully online programs, he said. UNC Charlotte saw 286 students re-enroll last year. This year that number went up to 333. Of those returning students, 18% chose fully online programs, and those online students are, on average, 11 years older than the campus-based students, according to Haines. Only 2% of incoming first-year students enrolled in online courses last year, as compared with 25% of reenrolled students.

Over the summer, he said, the university hired 20 additional academic advisers in part to serve the growing number of reenrolled students. These advisers reach out to students to explain how to transfer credits from other colleges and military experience, change majors, manage their time and get academic support.

The university also offers an Adult Student Ambassador Program for returning undergraduates. Students ages 25 and older serve as mentors to help reenrolled students find the social and academic support they need to adjust to being in class and stay until graduation.

“These students are juggling other life priorities,” Haines said, “and often school isn’t number one.”

Mackie’s instructors have been flexible about extending deadlines when emergencies come up, she said. When her daughter had to go to the hospital on the day an assignment was due, Mackie’s instructor told her not to worry and to turn her work in when things were settled.

“They gave me the extra time that I needed,” she said. “That meant a lot.”

Many students who leave college before completing their credentials do so because they struggled to understand the institutional system, said Katy VanVliet, senior vice president of learner services for ReUp Education.

ReUp Education counselors text and email former students to see if they would like to consider reenrolling in college. What often ensues, VanVliet said, is a long series of conversations to coach students through the process.

“We ask them what got in the way of them finishing the first time and then what’s motivating them to reenroll,” VanVliet said. “The timing has to be right. It doesn’t do anyone any good to come back to school only to stop out again.”

It can take as many as 60 communications with a ReUp Education counselor before a former student reenrolls, VanVliet said. And it isn’t unusual for counselors to stay in close contact with reenrolled students all the way through graduation. Some have weekly check-ins with counselors.

Common questions students have had, VanVliet said, related to transferring credits from other schools, bringing up their GPA and dealing with financial holds blocking them from registering, which could be because of an old parking ticket or library fee.

“We aren’t academic advisers or financial planners,” she said, “but we do help bring the language of higher education to first-generation college students who don’t have an understanding of how the system works.”

Some feedback from reenrolled students is important for universities to hear, VanVliet said. Many universities, for example, provide scant information online for students considering reenrolling.

“People don’t feel welcome back if there’s no place for them to click,” she said.

Clarification: This story has been updated to clarify student interest in online courses and online programs.

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