Obtaining a college degree has long been considered the key to achieving the American Dream, yet for many it has become increasingly difficult to afford college, as funding for federal financial aid has failed to keep pace with rising tuition costs. Prior research in this area has relied heavily on quantitative data analysis, with limited access to disaggregated financial aid data. Qualitative research in this topic is necessary to reveal how students describe hardship, and to further understand the political and social contexts around financial hardship and its causes. A traditional, convergent, mixed-methods study was conducted with the 2013 undergraduate cohort at one California State University campus. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and cross-tabulations were performed on data spanning 6 years for that cohort's enrollment, financial aid, and student accounts receivables. Qualitative document analysis was also performed on tuition appeals for the 2017-2018 and 2018-2019 academic years. Associations were found between term balance and enrollment, which differed based on the student's Pell eligibility, status as a person of color, and at times, gender. In particular, Pell-eligible students were less likely to carry term balances while enrolled, and over 40% of students who did not return after their first semester carried past due balances. Qualitative findings revealed themes including mental health challenges, withdrawal for financial reasons, intergenerational cycles of poverty, concerns about debt, and negative self-talk or self-image. Recommendations for increased federal and state funding as well as reforms of institutional policy and practice are discussed. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]