| Providing low-income students with access to higher education is a critical priority, particularly with increasing costs associated with attending college. Recently, a variety of institutions have implemented new initiatives designed to improve access for this population, including the creation of complete, non-repayable financial aid packages; however, it is unclear if these financial aid packages positively influence students' persistence. Moreover, the majority of research studies regarding the importance and potential benefits of financial aid programs for low-income students have been limited to issues related to access.;This qualitative study examined the experience of low-income students who received complete, non-repayable financial aid packages, with an emphasis on factors that promote or detract from students' success and persistence. Eleven low-income, first-time, full-time students who received a combination of financial aid resources that covered all direct costs associated with higher education participated in one in-depth personal interview, and their experiences were analyzed according to a phenomenological method. The students were encouraged to share reflections and experiences with particular emphases on life stories, college expectations, and overall collegiate experiences. Two sets of themes emerged with regard to factors that promote or inhibit persistence at the institution: Factors that promoted persistence were perceived institutional familiarity, broad support systems, and a successful institutional match, whereas factors that negatively influenced students' success were familial instability, academic distractions, and profound socio-cultural discomfort and assimilation issues. The findings better inform policymakers, higher education administrators, financial aid officers, and student affairs professionals of the most ideal methods for distributing financial resources for the benefit of low-income students as well as the support and resources most necessary to the success of low-income students who receive complete non-repayable financial aid packages. |
