Early Financial Aid Literacy Among First-Year Community College Students: The Relationship Between a Financial Aid Orientation Workshop and Reduced Drops and Retention

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karla Gonzalez
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
Financial Aid ◽  
First Year ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals California DREAM: The Impact of Financial Aid for Undocumented Community College Students

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (1) ◽  
pp. 5-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Federick Ngo ◽  
Samantha Astudillo
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
Financial Aid ◽  
Undocumented Students ◽  
Access To Higher Education ◽  
12Th Grade ◽  
Financial Need ◽  
Hispanic Male ◽  
The Impact

Ineligibility for state financial aid has traditionally limited undocumented students’ access to higher education. Since 2013, the California Development, Relief, and Education for Alien Minors Act (CA-DREAM) has made state-supported aid available to undocumented college students with demonstrated financial need. We use a difference-in-difference strategy and administrative data to examine the impact of the policy on undocumented community college students’ enrollment behaviors and postsecondary outcomes. The availability of CA-DREAM aid for these students, in the form of enrollment fee waivers, drew in undocumented Hispanic male students, students with lower average incoming high school GPAs, and those who increased their 11th to 12th grade achievement. Receiving DREAM aid significantly increased the average number of units attempted and completed and, in some cases, improved persistence and attainment outcomes. Undocumented students receiving aid achieved at similar levels as U.S. citizen peers receiving aid and better than their undocumented peers not receiving aid.

Exploring Sources and Infuences of Social Capital on Community College Students’ First-Year Success: Does Age Make a Difference?

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (10) ◽  
pp. 1-46
Author(s):  
Xueli Wang ◽  
Kelly Wickersham ◽  
Yen Lee ◽  
Hsun-Yu Chan
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Community College ◽  
Social Capital ◽  
Student Success ◽  
Community College Students ◽  
College Success ◽  
Community College Student ◽  
First Year ◽  
College Student Success ◽  
Different Sources

Background/Context Although numerous studies have emerged shedding light on community college student success, the enduring role of social capital is often overlooked. Furthermore, when conceptualizing social capital in the community college context and its diverse student population, age represents a unique form of diversity in these institutions that warrants further exploration. Purpose This research identifies the sources of social capital and the relationships between different sources of social capital and community college success, taking into account how the identified sources and relationships may vary based on age through the following questions: First, what are the major sources of social capital among first-year community college students, and how do sources of social capital vary based on age of students? Second, how do different sources of social capital influence first-year community college success? Third, how do influences of social capital on first-year community college success vary based on the age of students? Research Design Our study drew on Coleman's conceptualization of social capital, along with survey, administrative, and transcript data from three 2-year colleges in a midwestern state. We performed factor analysis with invariance tests to investigate the sources of social capital among community college students and how the identified factor structure may vary by age. We further conducted a logistic regression to examine the relationship between social capital and community college student success across age. Findings Our findings indicate that social capital needs to be conceptualized differently for community college students across age because they indeed drew on multiple forms of social capital differently, and the sources of social capital that emerged in turn were related to student success in varied ways. Students under the age of 24 relied on institutional agents and academic interaction as dominant forms of social capital, whereas those over the age of 24 relied on significant other's support. Students under the age of 24 were more likely to succeed if they frequently visited advisors for academic reasons. A low or high level of support for schoolwork was related to a higher chance of success for students between 24 and 29 years of age. For the students who were over 30 years old, a moderate level of engagement in their learning network and discussions with academic advisors was related to the lowest level of dropping out. Conclusions This study extends the social capital model by illuminating the varying types of social capital that students of different age groups engage with, particularly in the community college context, and pushes the boundaries of the knowledge base on how social capital functions in relation to student success in postsecondary education. The findings also elucidate new directions for research, policy, and practice in regard to cultivating and maximizing networks and information for community college students of all ages.

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