ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a subset of findings from a qualitative study that explored how first-generation college students experienced their educational journey in a private 4-year institution of higher education. It addresses gaps in the literature by looking at how women who are first-generation college students talked about their path to college and their experiences at private 4-year institutions. Currently, access to higher education appears to be growing. Between 1989 and 1995, the total fall enrollment of undergraduates in higher education increased from 11.7 to 12.2 million. Many low-income and first-generation college students face tremendous barriers and obstacles as they pursue a path of upward mobility through education. The communities of cultural wealth model rejects the use of deficit frameworks, particularly as they are connected to cultural capital.
