Money Talks, Dreams Walk: For Black Women, Finance Overrides Preference in College Choice

• In Event: Black Women's Post Secondary Educational Futures: Imagining New Possibilities Through A Living Digital Archive

Abstract

Through a semi-structured Zoom interviews with Black women from diverse educational backgrounds—including 2- and 4-year colleges, HBCUs, for-profit institutions, single-gender schools, plus re-entry, justice-involved, and adult learners—between December 2022 and July 2024, findings reveal that Black women strategically navigate multiple financial pathways to achieve higher education, despite systemic barriers (AAUW, 2018, 2019). Participants consistently pursued merit-based scholarships and need-based grants to minimize debt, with many choosing institutions based primarily on financial aid packages rather than preference, as one participant noted choosing a PWI over an HBCU due to better funding opportunities. State and federal programs like New York's Tuition Assistance Program and the Educational Opportunity Program proved crucial for college access, while participants also leveraged institutional aid, external scholarships through organizations like the Emma Bowen Foundation, and employment opportunities including Work-Study programs to cover expenses. However, the research highlights that financial navigation becomes more challenging at the graduate level, where participants faced greater loan burdens and less guidance, demonstrating that while Black women successfully employ diverse strategies to access undergraduate education, systemic gaps in support persist at advanced degree levels.

Author

• Joselyn Parker, The Ohio State University