Was college really worth it? A multiple case study exploring the role of student loan debt on the decision-making processes of female first-generation college students in the United States after graduation.
| dc.contributor.advisor | Guerra, Jennifer J. | |
| dc.creator | Loyd, Amy L., 1977- | |
| dc.creator.orcid | 0009-0002-1834-9326 | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2024-07-30T12:45:33Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2024-07-30T12:45:33Z | |
| dc.date.created | 2023-12 | |
| dc.date.issued | 2023-12 | |
| dc.date.submitted | December 2023 | |
| dc.date.updated | 2024-07-30T12:45:33Z | |
| dc.description.abstract | In the United States, 44.7 million individuals carry student loan debt (Bustamante, 2020). Female students borrow money at higher rates than males (Qian & Fan, 2021). First-generation students borrow more than students whose parents attended college (Redford & Hoyer, 2017). Therefore, female first-generation students carry the highest level of student loans post-graduation. This multiple case study examined female first-generation borrowers’ experiences during the student loan payback process. Three questions guided this research: How do female first-generation college students describe the influence of their student loan debt when making major life decisions after graduation?, How do female first-generation college students describe support programs and family as influences on their decision to finance their education with student loans?, and How do female first-generation college graduates describe the benefits that they received and the sacrifices they made to obtain a college degree after financing their education with student loans? I used snowball sampling to identify potential participants and then used purposeful criterion-based sampling to select three participants whose experiences with student loans represented maximum variation within the sample. Three rounds of data collection took place. First, participants engaged in a structured interview. Second, participants shared their experiences in a focus group discussion. Finally, participants participated in a semi-structured interview. Six themes emerged from the findings. First, student loan debt influences female first-generation borrowers’ decisions relating to their careers. Second, student loan debt influences female first-generation borrowers’ decisions relating to their living arrangements. Third, student loan debt influences female first-generation borrowers’ decisions relating to marriage. Fourth, family and support programs provide students with valuable information about college and hinder students from making the most optimal financial choices. Fifth, the benefits of getting a college degree positively impact the graduate’s professional and personal livelihood. Sixth, student loan debt results in long-term sacrifices. This study provided insight that can aid first-generation students, educators, and policymakers in their quest to improve the accessibility of support for this population. | |
| dc.format.mimetype | application/pdf | |
| dc.identifier.uri | ||
| dc.identifier.uri | https://hdl.handle.net/2104/12905 | |
| dc.language.iso | English | |
| dc.rights.accessrights | Worldwide access | |
| dc.title | Was college really worth it? A multiple case study exploring the role of student loan debt on the decision-making processes of female first-generation college students in the United States after graduation. | |
| dc.type | Thesis | |
| dc.type.material | text | |
| thesis.degree.department | Baylor University. Dept. of Curriculum & Instruction. | |
| thesis.degree.grantor | Baylor University | |
| thesis.degree.name | Ed.D. | |
| thesis.degree.program | Learning & Organizational Change | |
| thesis.degree.school | Baylor University |
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