First Advisor

Lindsey Wilkinson

Term of Graduation

Summer 2022

Date of Publication

7-28-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (M.S.) in Sociology

Department

Sociology

Language

English

Subjects

College dropouts -- Psychology, Urban universities and colleges -- Administration, College dropouts -- Prevention

DOI

10.15760/etd.7980

Physical Description

1 online resource (ii, 50 pages)

Abstract

This thesis seeks to understand how students who leave college without a degree, or non-completers, experience broad access institutions in an effort to shift our thinking from the student characteristics that predict college dropout to how broad access institutions can better serve students and improve graduation rates. To answer this question, I conducted interviews with former students who had recently attended a broad access institution and left without a degree. Results show that participants expressed internalized views of the traditional college student archetype, which was reinforced through their college experience. Further, participants encountered significant bureaucratic challenges and barriers, and expressed a tension between their lived experience and the messages and signals they received from the institution. Drawing on concepts of sense of belonging, stereotype threat, and Universal Design, this study emphasizes the need for broad access institutions to redesign current processes and practices to support the needs of contemporary undergraduate students.

Rights

In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).

Persistent Identifier

https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/38428

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