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Transition To The Academy: The Influence Of Working-Class Culture For First-Generation Students, Ladonna L. Bridges

Graduate Doctoral Dissertations

This dissertation addresses the influence of working class culture on transition to college for first-generation, low-income students. Transition to the dominant culture of college often leaves first-generation students living in two worlds, creating cultural dissonance and leading to lower retention and persistence. Through narrative inquiry, this study explores the lived experiences of students of color, including recent immigrants, at both private and public universities during the first semester of college. Focusing specifically on how habitus and social class shape academic and social experiences for this population, this qualitative study employs virtual go-alongs or walking interviews as a methodology to supplement …