A Qualitative Study on the Undergraduate College Journeys of Students With Experience in Foster Care

• In Event: College Journeys of Unique Student Populations

Abstract

Undergraduate college students with lived experience in foster care are less likely to graduate from college than any other student group. Only 3-10% of undergraduate students with a background in foster care successfully earn a college degree, with a large majority graduating with an associate degree (Avant et al., 2021; Jackson et al., 2019). This study used a qualitative approach to learn about the college journeys of students entering college with a background in foster care. The study revealed that while to some extent, most college students initially struggle with the transition to college, these participants with lived experience in foster care, described their transition as deeply lonely, scary, and uncomfortable.

Author

• Evelyn Anderson, West Chester University of Pennsylvania