What are challenges faced
by low-income students and how do those challenges differ within the two
sectors described of low-income students?
Corrigan, Melanie E. "Beyond Access:
Persistence Challenges and the Diversity of Low-Income Students." New
Directions for Higher Education 2003.121 (2003): 25-34. Wiley
Periodicals. Web. 26 Feb. 2016.
Corrigan begins the article by
stating the difference between the different sectors in low-income students.
Her chapter examines two sectors: students that are dependent low-income
students and students who are independent low-income students. Dependent
students are just what it sounds—those who typically rely on their parents.
Independent students are usually older, married, veterans, or have children
where the income comes from the student or the spouse. She states that due to
public policy, access to higher education for low-income students has
increased. Her main argument is that low-income students face increasingly more
challenges on their journey to obtain a degree. The challenges she highlights are academic
background, family circumstances, institutional choice, attendance patterns,
and hours worked while enrolled. She
uses statistics to back her thought process. In regards to academic background
she notes that with many low-income dependent students, their parents didn’t
attend college giving them a disadvantage in experience and lack of personal
resources on information regarding higher education. Many low-income
independent students earned an alternative credential for their secondary
education degree. In regards to family circumstances she notes that low-income
students are more likely to be supporting a family, whether dependent or
independent. Due to the diverse sectors within the low-income population,
Corrigan notes that a homogeneous approach to the issue wouldn’t be effective.
In regards to institutional choice, she notes that many independent low-income
people choose short termed and lower priced programs, as many are eager to begin
their pathway to obtain economic rewards from their education. In regards to
attendance patterns, independent low-income students are more likely to solely
attend school part time where as dependent low-income students resemble middle
and upper income students in that they regularly attend school due to the
campus services offered. In regards to work, low-income independent students
were more likely to support a family and attend classes. She noted that since
low-income students worked longer hours, they were less likely to attain their
degrees after three years.
When
choosing to write about this topic I didn’t really think of low income in
different sectors, I just thought of it as a whole thing to analyze. What are
the different influences that each sector of low-income students has? There
must be more than two sectors within the topic. This source altered my
thinking, offering the idea of the open endedness of the term “low income
students.” She mentions in the text, “this diversity among the low income
population suggests that a homogeneous approach to support persistence of low
income students will not be effective.” I disagree with this point; yes not one
approach will benefit every single aspect of every single sector. However,
there are some risk factors that they have in common. The U.S. Department of
Education’s National Center for Education Statistics noted risk factors that
are associated with reduced likelihood of degree attainment: being independent,
attending part-time, working full time when enrolled, having dependents, being
a single parent, delaying entry to college, and not having a traditional high
school diploma. From these statistics, I began to disagree with her point, I
think that low income students share so many of these risks, it is possible to
create a plan to effectively combat some risk factors associated with low
income. This article answered my research question and showed not only where
these sectors differ but also where they intertwine.
This source
has led me to question the differences between independent low-income students
and middle and upper income students and dependent low-income students and
middle and upper income students. Do these risk factors affect acceptance into
higher education institutions or does it affect academic retention? It would be
interesting to find more information entailing acceptance and low-income
students. I think it also would be interesting to find in which sector is low
income more impactful, meaning where do the risk factors more closely affect
the opportunities to receive an education?
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