ABSTRACT

This study examines the early departure pathways of first-time freshmen university students to better understand the intersection of financial and time-related constraints that affect first-generation and low-income Black and Latinx students. Data from 50 interviews with students who experienced an early departure from a four-year university suggest that students’ financial barriers are heightened as they matriculate because they are unsuspecting of the hidden costs of college. In turn, the financial- and time-related barriers operate as a double disadvantage that consequently pushes students out of higher education. The student’s financial commitments and responsibilities become unmanageable and this is exacerbated by precarious family contexts, processes, and haphazard timing associated with limited financial resources. This study contributes to current research by expanding sociological theory related to the factors that contribute to persistent educational attainment inequalities along ethnoracial and socioeconomic lines, as well as informing policies and practices across higher education.

摘要

本研究考察了首次入读大学新生的早期离开途径，以更好地了解影响第一代和低收入黑人和拉丁裔学生的财务和时间相关限制的交叉点。对提前离开四年制大学的学生进行的 50 次采访的数据表明，学生的经济障碍随着他们的入学而增加，因为他们没有意识到大学的隐性成本。反过来，与财务和时间相关的障碍成为双重劣势，从而将学生赶出高等教育。学生的财务承诺和责任变得难以管理，而不稳定的家庭环境、流程和与有限的财务资源相关的随意时间加剧了这种情况。