Factors Influencing First-Generation Students' Higher Education Persistence & Degree Completion at an Appalachian Institution

Autor/in	VanDevender, Gary J.
Titel	Factors Influencing First-Generation Students' Higher Education Persistence & Degree Completion at an Appalachian Institution
Quelle	(2023), (214 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit Ed.D. Dissertation, Wilmington University (Delaware)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Monographie
ISBN	979-8-3794-4283-5
Schlagwörter	Hochschulschrift; Dissertation; First Generation College Students; Academic Persistence; Graduation; Undergraduate Students; Social Integration; Classification; Barriers; Rural Areas + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Thesis; Dissertations; Academic thesis; Abschluss; Graduierung; Soziale Integration; Classification system; Klassifikation; Klassifikationssystem; Rural area; Ländlicher Raum
Abstract	First-generation college students face internal and external obstacles impacting their persistence and degree completion. This study examined what positive and negative factors and to what degree these factors impact first-generation college students' persistence and degree completion at the Appalachian institution based on academic classification (first-year, sophomore, junior, senior). The study also examined if first-generation college students would participate in support programming and their preferred program modality. Utilizing a mixed methods design, 251 first-generation college students completed an online questionnaire, and 18 first-generation college students participated in at least one of two focus groups. Overall, the results suggest that financial aid hindered, while motivation aided, the Appalachian institution first-generation college students' persistence and degree completion. Varying factors were barriers to different academic classifications. Negative factors by academic category include social integration (first-year students) and motivation (sophomore, junior, and senior students). Positive factors by academic classification include family support (first-year students), financial aid (sophomores and seniors), and student-instructor relationships (juniors). The results suggest that the institution should develop support programming based on overall and academic classification of positive and negative factors to assist first-generation college students' persistence and degree completion at an Appalachian institution. [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://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.] (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01