ABSTRACT
This chapter argues that children from low-income families experience college in very challenging ways because of a variety of factors that lead to higher discontinuation rates. While participation in college for students from poor families greatly increased in number at the end of the twentieth century, the overall percentage did not increase significantly. Affluent students still outnumber poor students in high school graduation, college attendance, and college graduation rates. Additionally, low-income students disproportionately attend community colleges rather than going straight into four-year colleges. Students from low-income families discontinue their studies in much larger numbers both in high school and then later in college. The personal issues are those that often involve the individual human development and growth that is typical of college students, but perhaps more extreme in low-income students who carry the weight of additional stressors. Finally, the larger socio-political structure has a direct impact on poor students through society's various systems, including higher education.
