ABSTRACT Low-income, first-generation (LIFG) students complete college at disproportionately low rates. This qualitative study examines this gap from the perspective of university actors who directly support LIFG students in two student support programs at one public university. Drawing on in-depth interviews and observations, this study investigates how these actors conceptualize the problems that LIFG students face, the solutions that will yield success, and their work in relation to the wider goals of the university. The researcher finds that program staff and mid-level administrators have a deep understanding of the barriers that LIFG students face in mastering the rules of the academic field and the high costs when they fail. While both programs identify six common barriers to success, three structural and three individual, the programs work to mitigate only individual barriers. This one-sided solution reflects the staff and administrators’ own position within the academic social field; they do not have enough social, economic, or symbolic capital to enact structural changes within the university and feel largely powerless to change the inequitable rules of the game. This paper concludes with recommendations for future research and institutional efforts to support the success of LIFG students.

中文翻译：

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更好地教授规则而不是改变规则：两个低收入第一代学生支持计划中的大学参与者

摘要 低收入的第一代 (LIFG) 学生以极低的比例完成大学学业。这项定性研究从直接支持 LIFG 学生在一所公立大学的两个学生支持计划中的大学参与者的角度来研究这一差距。通过深入访谈和观察，本研究调查了这些参与者如何概念化 LIFG 学生面临的问题、取得成功的解决方案以及他们与大学更广泛目标相关的工作。研究人员发现，项目人员和中层管理人员对LIFG学生在掌握学术领域规则方面面临的障碍以及失败时的高昂成本有着深刻的理解。虽然这两个项目都确定了成功的六个常见障碍，三个结构性和三个个人，该方案仅致力于减轻个别障碍。这种片面的解决方案反映了教职员工和管理人员自身在学术社会领域的地位；他们没有足够的社会、经济或象征资本来实施大学内部的结构变革，并且在很大程度上感到无力改变不公平的游戏规则。本文最后提出了对未来研究和机构努力的建议，以支持 LIFG 学生的成功。