Abstract
Brief Literature Review Relevant literature outlines the challenges first-generation, low-income students face to attain bachelor’s degrees and participate in the white-collar American workforce. The literature then transitions to the nonmonetary benefits of higher education. First-generation, low-income students who are encouraged to attend college are often told that college will bring them both “personal and material success” (Greatorex-Voith, 2008, p. 5). This creates an expectation from students who pursue and complete a degree that they will find gainful employment and a higher quality of life after graduation. However, roughly half of all recent college graduates are either unemployed or work a low-wage job that does not require a college degree (Vedder, 2013). Statement of Purpose This thesis sought to explore first-generation, low-income students’ nonmonetary higher education expectations and outcomes to find out whether this student population is receiving the quality of education they deserve to live freely and happily. This study was concerned with three research questions: 1) What do first-generation, low-income students expect from their higher education before entering college? 2) What challenges do first-generation, low-income students face in order to attain a bachelor’s degree? 3) What nonmonetary outcomes do first-generation, low-income students experience from their higher education after they graduate with a bachelor’s degree? Methodology The study used Creswell’s (2012) qualitative research design and employed coding analysis and processes. The study utilized a case study format. Four in-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted. Data were utilized to develop narratives from the case studies and themes were identified in the narratives to answer each research question. Conclusions and Recommendations First-generation, low-income students want to be able to gather social and cultural capital that can be translated into a higher quality of life. They often fulfill that goal. However, they face many systemic barriers along the way, primarily financial, but also cultural and educational. Recommendations include increasing grant-based financial aid, increasing college outreach, and utilizing wealthy citizens to increase the tax base in order to fund all public primary and secondary schools comparably to the wealthiest public primary and secondary schools and ensure a more equitable education for all students despite their socioeconomic status.