military veterans that use the GI Bill. The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) defines nontraditional students as anyone who satisfies at least one of the following: Delays enrollment (does not enter postsecondary education in the same calendar year as finishing high school) Attends part-time for at least part of the academic year Works full-time (35 hours or more per week) while enrolled Is considered financially independent for purposes of determining eligibility for financial aid Has dependents other than a spouse (usually children, but may also be caregivers of sick or elderly family members) Is a single parent (either not married or married but separated and has dependents) Does not have a high school diploma (completed high school with a GED or other high school completion certificate or did not finish high school) Foreign students Foreign students have been a growing part of US higher education. However, competition from other countries, changing immigration policies, and tensions between faculty and students have reduced the appeal for studying in the US. Choosing a college or university Those who attend US colleges and universities choose particular institutions based on several factors, including price, prestige and selectivity of the school, course offerings and college majors, location, campus culture, and job opportunities following graduation. High school students aspiring to be selected to the best colleges start the college-choice process earlier and make decisions earlier. Financial aid is an important factor in students' college choice process. Rising college prices and the increased need to rely on loans constrain the college choice process for low-income students. Latinos are more likely than white or African-American students to begin postsecondary study at community colleges than at four-year institutions. As a result of these decisions, Latinos are "converting existing colleges and institutions into HSIs (Historically Serving Institutions)." African-Americans have chosen historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs) because of geography, religion, the college's academic reputation, and relatives' desires. The top three reasons for choosing predominantly white institutions has been athletic recruitment, proximity, and the college's academic reputation. College preparedness and remediation According to the Hechinger Report, public colleges report enrolling more than half a million of students who are unprepared for college. Most schools place students in remedial math or English courses before they can take a full load of college-level, credit-bearing courses. This remediation costs an estimated $7 billion a year. Rankings of tertiary institutions Universitas 21 ranked the country