Research shows that undergraduate students' achievement emotions are critical in determining motivation and success in higher education. This article reports on the results of a pilot study using the Achievement Emotions Questionnaire involving 10 (n = 10) mostly ethnic minority undergraduates at an urban 4-year university. In general, findings…

The purpose of this quantitative study is to evaluate the learning outcomes of academic advising, particularly for low income, minority, and first-generation students, as well as how those outcomes relate to persistence. The learning outcomes tool is designed for broad use; it was designed through the same rigorous process as health outcomes…

First-generation college students often encounter challenges when applying to post-secondary education. They may also come from households where some family members have also attended college, earned a college degree, or alternatively did not attend college at all. This research study aimed to explore resources that first-generation students and…

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to understand how I--and many other students--became first-generation college students (FGCSs) by exploring the rise and retraction of TRIO. Originally, TRIO was a set of three college access and retention programs created in the 1960s to address the needs of a population designated as academically and…

This qualitative study examined factors which led to the success of 14 non-traditional age female, Hispanic early childhood educators enrolled in an Early Childhood Bachelor of Applied Science program as first- generation college students at an HSI in the southeast. Data analysis utilized constant comparative analysis and analytic induction.…

This study probed the predictive effects of accelerated college credits over and above the predictive effects of FAFSA EFC index number, sex, and first-generation status on baccalaureate outcomes on first-time college students. A hierarchical multiple regression on 2,817 students who graduated from a private university in central Arkansas was…

This study examines whether self-efficacy predicted academic success (via self-regulation) for first-generation and continuing-generation college students (Model 1) and among various racial/ethnic groups (Model 2). The 3,316 ethnically diverse incoming freshmen from a large, urban, public university (53% first-generation) participated in this…

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…