To determine if first-generation status, living in an LLC, and campus club involvement affect students' sense of belonging in their first semester of college, the researchers surveyed first-year college students enrolled at a large, public research institution during their first semester. Multiple regression analyses found campus club involvement…

As the number of rural, first-generation college students continue to rise, there was a gap in the literature regarding post-secondary enrollment and the self-efficacy of these students who participated in asynchronous credit recovery in high school to complete a high school diploma. In this qualitative, narrative study, I examined how completion…

Retention and student success are priorities for many universities. At Midwest Public University (MPU), a pseudonym for four-year, urban, public, first-time, first-year students have been retained at lower rates than the national average for four-year public institutions. However, MPU students with declared majors have been retained at higher…

First-generation students comprise nearly half of the college going population, but are also disproportionately more likely to drop out of college before their third year (RTI International, 2019). Scholars tend to argue that first-generation college students lack the social capital, or access to resource rich networks that can provide information…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to determine how protective factors, specifically sense of belonging and self-efficacy, impacted persistence of low-income first-generation college students from rural communities (LIFGRS). Furthermore, analysis from these data were compared to previous research studies to examine how institutional…

Despite the documented rise in stress and mental health concerns in college students, few educational studies explore how different types of stress (e.g., life events, chronic stress) affect psychological and academic outcomes (Cox et al., 2016; Smyth et al., 2008; Towbes & Cohen, 1996). This mixed-methods study tested the stress process model…

The purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions and lived experiences of some low-income and first-generation students of color who participated in and graduated from the UB program. This qualitative study utilized the narrative inquiry research method to understand the lived experiences of seven former Upward Bound students. Program…

The COVID-19 pandemic forced nursing education programs to change traditional face-to-face teaching to virtual education and simulated experiences. Therefore, research is needed to determine how this change affected nursing students' academic performance and their performance on standardized exams. The purpose of this three-part study, guided by…

The effect poverty has on a child's education is tragic. Without the necessary life-sustaining resources, many of our nation's children struggle to concentrate on anything other than their immediate dire circumstances. This article tells the story of how one migrant farm worker overcame her struggles living in abject poverty to become a first…

High school students from low-income backgrounds experience academic under-preparedness, financial distress, and socialization challenges when entering college. For these students, challenges may begin in the K-12 setting, where this population is more likely to face limitations in college counseling, lack highly qualified teachers, and have…

High-performing first-generation and economically disadvantaged students are more likely to attend colleges and universities that are less competitive than their academic qualifications allow, which makes them less likely to graduate. EMERGE is a multiyear, personalized college advising program that aims to address this problem by preparing…

Current measures of student success fall short in capturing the nuanced and multiplicitous ways that underrepresented and misrepresented students (e.g., Latinx, first-generation college students) who are navigating the intersection of multiple contexts important to their identities (e.g., home communities and university), define and understand…

Many factors contribute to students' academic success, and some, including first-generation (FG) college student status and academic preparation, are especially relevant in physiology programs. The purpose of this qualitative study was to examine FG college students' perceptions of academic preparedness and intended success strategies with the…

There is limited research on the experiences of first-generation students who have completed their second year and enrolled for a third year in order to continue their studies even though this population of students are the most likely to drop out of college in their second year. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand how current…

Often without guidance in completing college-related tasks, first-generation students face unique challenges during the summer before college. This case study investigates this critical time period by studying a cohort of 33 newly graduated students from the same urban, public high school. Guided by social capital, college readiness, and…