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An Exploration of Factors Influencing First-Generation College Students' Ability to Graduate College: A Delphi Study

Gray Benson, Ashley C.
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-0495-9927
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1583844741630778

Abstract Details

2020, Ph.D., Antioch University, Leadership and Change.
This dissertation serves as a counter-narrative to the standard deficiency model in published research that characterizes most first-generation college students as feeble and unequipped when it comes to thriving in, persisting in, and graduating from college. This is one of the few studies that examines the success of first-generation college students from the students’ perspective. First-generation college students who graduated from college participated in a Delphi study that addressed this question: What factors influence first-generation college students' ability to graduate college? Three rounds of data collection resulted in ten themes, roughly in order of importance based on feedback from study participants: Self Starter, Financial Support, Finding a Passion, Social Network, Self-Development, Cultural/Identity Development, Family, Campus Resources and Programs, Work, and Service. The dissertation concludes with three sets of recommendations for improving outcomes of first-generation college students, aimed respectively at secondary school personnel, college officials, and first-generation college students themselves. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA: Antioch University Repository and Archive, http://aura.antioch.edu/ and OhioLINK ETD Center, https://etd.ohiolink.edu/etd.
Jon Wergin , Ph.D. (Committee Chair)
Elizabeth Holloway, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
Michael Stebleton, Ph.D. (Committee Member)
216 p.
Education; Higher Education
Higher Education; persistence; educational opportunity; community cultural wealth; psychological safety; retention; positive psychology; college students; TRIO

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Gray Benson, A. C. (2020). An Exploration of Factors Influencing First-Generation College Students' Ability to Graduate College: A Delphi Study [Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1583844741630778

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Gray Benson, Ashley. An Exploration of Factors Influencing First-Generation College Students' Ability to Graduate College: A Delphi Study. 2020. Antioch University, Doctoral dissertation. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1583844741630778.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Gray Benson, Ashley. "An Exploration of Factors Influencing First-Generation College Students' Ability to Graduate College: A Delphi Study." Doctoral dissertation, Antioch University, 2020. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=antioch1583844741630778

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

antioch1583844741630778
608
© 2020, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by Antioch University and OhioLINK.