This dissertation focuses on the factors affecting the integration of first-generation, first-term college students from Ohio Appalachia. The literature is expanding on the college going process of first-generation students; however, research focused on Appalachian student success is still limited. In order for faculty and staff to better serve and meet the needs of this population, an investigation into the influences affecting their success is needed.
The purpose of the study is to understand the experiences of first-generation college students from Ohio Appalachia as they navigate entry into college. The research is guided by the following questions: (1) what are the barriers to admittance and successful integration into college and (2) what influences and factors assist students in the admissions and integration process?
Through the basic interpretive qualitative approach this research attempted to "understand how people make sense of their lives and their experiences" (Merriam, p. 38). The data type for this interpretive study was narrative, obtained through interviews with students. Factors identified as either positively or negatively affecting integration were examined in the context of the students' academic, social, and interpersonal environments.
The results of this study are not generalizeable to the traditional student population; however, they reveal important aspects of the college-going process for first-generation, first-term students from Ohio Appalachia. Barriers and strengths are examined from two perspectives: relationships and adjustment to college. Relationships encompass family, friends, and faculty members. The adjustment to college examines the following aspects of integration: developing a sense of belonging; achieving academic success; maintaining satisfactory living arrangements; developing a stable financial situation; and balancing other responsibilities.
First-generation students from Ohio Appalachia negotiate many aspects of the college-going process on their own, without the assistance of a knowledgeable guide. They are not, however, without support. For most of the participants, a mutual sense of responsibility with their families serves as an anchor that keeps them grounded. Also vital to student success is the importance of faculty who present themselves as accessible and approachable, without whom several of the participants would likely have found excessive challenge.