Factors contributing to the success of first generation college s

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville ScholarWorks@UARK Theses and Dissertations 8-2017 Factors Contributing to the Success of First- Generation College Students at a Research University Mary Margaret Hui University of Arkansas, Fayetteville Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.edu/etd Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Hui, Mary Margaret, "Factors Contributing to the Success of First-Generation College Students at a Research University" (2017). Theses and Dissertations.edu/etd/2420 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@UARK. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@UARK. For more information, please contact scholar@uark.edu, ccmiddle@uark.

Factors Contributing to the Success of First-Generation College Students at a Research University A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Higher Education by Mary Margaret Hui University of Arkansas Bachelor of Arts in Drama and History, 2009 University of Arkansas Master of Arts in History, 2011 August 2017 University of Arkansas This dissertation is approved for recommendation to the Graduate Council. Miller Dissertation Director Dr. Robinson II Committee Member Committee Member Abstract First-generation college students are students whose parents do not have a college degree, and they face numerous barriers in college. Yet, several first-generation college students (FGCS) are successful and are on-track to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in four years.

Their success is important because education is associated with increased income, quality of life, and social mobility, making educational attainment even more significant in Arkansas, which has both low educational attainment and high poverty. Little is known about what can be done to close the achievement gap. It is important to analyze what helped FGCS succeed so that higher education administrators, faculty, and staff can help other FGCS succeed. The study used explanatory sequential mixed methodology to analyze the factors first- generation college students identified as contributing toward being on-track to graduate in four years.

Data for the study were collected at the University of Arkansas, an Arkansas land-grant institution. Descriptive statistics and Pearson’s chi-square of independence test were used to analyze first-generation students. Focus groups of FGCS were conducted to understand the factors that contributed to being on-track and strategies for success. The study’s results indicated that ethnicity and changing the major college of degree program are not related to being on-track to graduate, but other demographic factors like age, residency, and ACT score are significant.

FGCS faced multiple barriers like unpreparedness, financial obligations, and relating to their family members, but they were motivated to succeed by many factors, primarily believing that a college degree was necessary for a better life. They used a few strategies to succeed, such as active involvement in planning their course of study to maximize efficiency. Recommendations for both future research and future practice were made to help first-generation college students succeed. Acknowledgements I could not have completed this project without the love and support of my family and want to thank them beginning with my paternal grandparents, Mr.

Tung-Sing Hui. Although they passed before my birth, I have known and loved them through my father’s character and values. Thank you to my maternal grandparents, Mr. My Poppy and Grandmom always supported my education and I hope that as they watch over me they are still proud of their “spunky girl.” I want to acknowledge my parents, Dr.

Anthony and Susan Hui. They offered immense support throughout my time in my doctoral program from “buck-up” speeches to the fellowship of our many Saturday night dinners. Thank you to my aunt, Sandra “Sissy,” who broadened my view of the public education sector and is my best travel buddy. I also want to thank my three sisters: Jennifer, Alexandra, and Victoria.

They made me laugh when I needed to most and never questioned my dreams. Thank you to my two brothers- in-law, Micah and Joseph, and soon-to-be brother-in-law, Thomas. I also want to thank my niece, Mary-Micah, and my nephew, Joseph, Jr., for adding so much joy to my life. I was inspired to work on this project as I imagined them as the next generation of college students.

A special thank you to the man closest to my heart, Trase Cunningham. He cheered me on throughout every step of this journey. Thank you for never doubting my potential and always believing in me. I am also grateful for the companionship of my chihuahua, Miley Ray Chihuahua.

She offered unconditional love throughout my graduate education and sat by my side as I typed every page of this work. I am grateful for many others, especially Dr. Calvin White, Jr. He mentored me throughout my time at the U of A, guiding me through multiple degrees and providing invaluable life lessons (and multiple cups of coffee) along the way.

I would not be who I am today without him and could not have achieved this work without his support. I was inspired to pursue a career in higher education because of the impact he had on my life. I also want to thank Dr. James Gigantino II for his mentorship throughout my graduate studies.

A special thank you to the community of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church and the St. Paul’s Choir for providing a spiritual community throughout my studies. I want to thank all of those who have made this project possible, beginning with my dissertation advisor, Dr.

I am so grateful for his guidance on this work. Thank you to my committee members, Dr. Charles Robinson II and Dr. They supported me throughout the research process and offered mentorship throughout my time as a graduate student.

A special thanks to the University of Arkansas Office of Graduation and Retention for sponsoring pizzas for the focus groups. Thank you to Quinn Ramsey who selflessly helped me with the statistics portion of this project. Finally, I want to thank the project’s participants. Without their success and willingness to participate, this project would not be complete.

Dedication This project is dedicated to a set of successful first-generation students: my parents, Dr. Anthony and Susan Hui. Your love and support enabled me to achieve my dreams. Table of Contents INTRODUCTION.

1 Context of the Problem. 1 Statement of the Problem. 2 Purpose of the Study. 3 Definition of Terms.

3 Limitations and Delimitations of the Study. 5 Current Literature Gaps. 7 Significance of Study. 11 Literature Review Search Process.

11 Education and Social Mobility. 12 Student Success in College. 14 First-Generation College Students. 21 Persistence and Attrition.

25 Lack of Support. 35 Selection of the Research Design. 37 Research Question 1: What was the profile of first-generation students on-track to graduate in four years?. 37 Research Question 2: To what extent was there a relationship between the following factors and being on-track to graduate in first-generation students: ACT score, ethnicity, gender, the number of AP tests taken, age at enrollment, in-state residency, and initial college of enrollment?.

37 Research Question 3: What factors did first-generation students on-track to graduate in four years perceive as barriers to their success?. 38 Research Question 4: What factors did first-generation students on-track to graduate in four years perceive as impetuses to their success?. 41 Research Question 5: What did first-generation students on-track to graduate in four years identify as strategies for success?. 41 Role of the Researcher.

44 Summary of the Study. 49 Research Question 1: What was the profile of first-generation students on-track to graduate in four years?. 49 Research Question 2: To what extent was there a relationship between the following factors and being on-track to graduate in first-generation students: ACT score, ethnicity, gender, the number of AP tests taken, age at enrollment, in-state residency, and initial college of enrollment?. 51 Research Question 3: What factors did first-generation students on-track to graduate in four years perceive as barriers to their success?.

52 Research Question 4: What factors did first-generation students on-track to graduate in four years perceive as impetuses to their success?. 59 Research Question 5: What did first-generation students on-track to graduate in four years identify as strategies for success?. 65 CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATIONS, AND DISCUSSION. 67 Introduction to the Chapter.

67 Summary of the Study. 70 Recommendations for Further Research. 73 Recommendations for Practice. 75 Recommendations for Higher Education Institution Administrators and Faculty.

75 Recommendations for First-Generation College Students. 85 Appendix A Institutional Review Board Approval Letter. 92 Appendix B Emails to Target Population. 93 Appendix C Focus Group Protocol and Guided Questions.

98 Appendix D Consent Form. 101 Appendix E Original IRB Approval. 103 List of Tables 1. Enrollment Report Summary by Percentage of Total, Fall Semesters 2010-2014.

Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences Undergraduate Enrollment. Profile of First-Generation Students On-Track to Graduate in Four-Years from the College of Arts and Sciences. Results of Pearson’s Chi-Square Test of Independence to Being On-Track to Graduate 52 5. Profile of Focus Group Participants.

53 CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Context of the Problem In the United States, higher education is the traditional gateway to a career and contributing to society. A college degree benefits graduates and their families in many ways, primarily through increased job opportunities; most jobs that offer a comfortable salary require a at least a bachelor’s degree. Bachelor’s degree recipients earn an average of 66% more for full- time, year-round workers in lifetime earnings than those with only a high school diploma (Perna & Finney, 2014). The children of college graduates benefit from their parents’ education because they often grow up with the expectation that they will also graduate from college.

Furthermore, they receive advice on how to succeed in college and, with higher average incomes, their families are more prepared to handle the financial burden of college tuition. But what about those students whose parents did not go to college? How do they prepare for the uncharted territory of college without a family member to guide them? Students whose parents do not have a college degree are commonly referred to as first- generation college students (FGCS), indicating their position as the first person in their family to earn a college degree. First-generation students comprise roughly 15-20% of students in American universities (Harackiewicz et al. These students face numerous barriers to their success, as one of the biggest predictors of college success is whether a student’s parent attained a college degree.

First-generation students lack the social capital, and often the economic capital, of their continuing-generation peers. And yet, several first-generation students succeed, breaking the lack of educational attainment cycle in their family. When first-generation students graduate from college, they have the potential to change the trajectory of their life and future generations, 1 exponentially increasing degree attainment. Since educational attainment and income levels are strongly related, reducing achievement gaps can also reduce income gaps.

Therefore, it is important to understand what factors contribute to first-generation students’ success so that educational attainment can be increased. Statement of the Problem Higher education administrators and staff are familiar with several factors that prohibit student success; it is easy to identify the many barriers first-generation students face. There is a greater number who fail than succeed and it is seemingly easier to question why those who did not make it failed, rather than examine those who succeeded. Without existing research on how first-generation students succeed, higher education administrators, faculty, and staff cannot duplicate this success.

For a state with both low education attainment and high poverty, such as Arkansas, it is imperative to understand what can be done to close the achievement gap by examining first-generation students who graduate from a four-year institution. Therefore, the question “What helps first-generation students to succeed and how can we duplicate this success?” propelled this research.