Rural students' college attendance rates continue to lag behind their non-rural counterparts (Ardoin, 2018; Barr, 2018; Byun et al., 2012; Byun et al., 2015; Byun et al., 2017; Friesen & Purc-Stephenson, 2016; Hlinka et al., 2018; Longhurst, 2014; McDonough et al., 2010; Morton et al., 2018; Tieken, 2016). While the body of research…

First-generation college students (i.e., those whose parents do not hold a bachelor's degree or higher), enter college without the same resources, skills, and knowledge as their non-first-generation counterparts which may lead to disadvantage regarding their chosen field of study in college (Prospero and Vohra-Gupta 2007; Roksa and Levey 2010;…

This correlational research study examined simultaneously the following, with regards to the outcome variable of whether students fulfilled their educational expectations 8 years after graduating high school across a nationally representative sample of participants: (1) the extent to which parents' academic expectations predict students'…

Upward transfer is the process by which students begin their higher education at a Community College or other two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution to complete their bachelor degree. Community Colleges enroll 45% of all undergraduates in the United States, or approximately 7.7 million students (AACC, 2015). From their…

This study will investigate the relationship between Black males' self-efficacy, college aspirations, and college attendance. Researchers have examined self-efficacy among racial groups and gender (Richardson et al., 2013). Yet, the researcher is interested in examining factors that relate to Black males aspiring to and attending college and the…

The purpose of this study is to identify factors that motivate English Learners to pursue a college education. Through connections with college graduates that came from abroad, I was able to understand the barriers that English Learners experience, and what motivated them to pursue a college career goal.?The study was conducted from an…

Many students who do not complete high school perceive their home and family lives as troublesome (Kearney & Levine, 2014). Academic, interpersonal and intrapersonal challenges threaten the future of these Non-completers (Bowers & Sprott, 2013; Hawkins et al., 2013), however available supports can aid students toward positive educational…

Determining how female Marines currently pursuing a degree in higher education perceive their journey and experiences can provide valuable information for those contemplating pursuing higher education. Additionally, these perceptions can inform the need for modifications to policies at supporting organizations and educational institutions that are…

This research applies the community cultural wealth model to explore how Black and Latinx students experience financial barriers in college from an appreciative lens. The purpose of this study was to increase understanding of how Black and Latinx students use aspirational, familial, social, navigational, resistant, and linguistic capital to…

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…

Mixtecos are Indigenous people that originate from the states of Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Puebla, in Mexico. This community is unique in that it speaks an unwritten language with different variations based on locations north or south of Oaxaca, Guerrero, and Puebla. California and other agricultural states have been the major relocation areas for…

The COVID-19 pandemic has laid bare the gender inequities of unpaid household and childcare labor, especially for Black and Latina mothers who are also breadwinners. Notwithstanding, higher educational attainment has been found to be an important predictor of earnings and reentry into the labor market although disparities of earnings for women of…

Attainment of advanced (graduate and professional) degrees provides benefits for individuals including higher earnings, access to high status occupations, and social standing, all factors in social mobility. These benefits are in addition to those from attainment of the bachelor's degree. Over time, advanced degree holders have been increasing…

The purpose of the study was to explore the experiences of women over 50 pursuing a college degree in Taiwan. Specifically, this study explored the motivations, barriers, support, strategies, and benefits of these women upon attending college in Taiwan. Women's development and learning theories, socialist feminism, and the concept of productive…

This qualitative case study explored working class individuals' perceptions of social mobility in a changing the community. The explored community was traditionally a working class community. It was near a metropolitan area that was growing more prosperous. Many residents commuted to the metropolitan area and the community started turning into a…