Examining the Associations Between Financial Conditions and Study Abroad in Diverse, Low-income College Students

The study examines ascribed, financial, and college factors to predict study abroad participation among a national sample of students from financially disadvantaged backgrounds. Based on a longitudinal sample of 398 fourth-year participants of a national scholarship program (consisting of more than 50% students of color and 50% first-generation college goers), results show that despite higher study abroad participation among this group compared to national averages, finances remain a predominant impediment. The results provide a counter-narrative that study abroad participation is for the privileged. Findings also indicate that grant aid and prior exposure to financial adversity in the form of severe poverty are associated with an increased likelihood of study abroad participation, and that these relationships tend not to be moderated by gender or ethnoracial identity. Exploratory information on student motivations for study abroad is also reported. Given the importance of study abroad to learning outcomes, this study points to the importance of attracting to study abroad those for whom the college experience marks a significant break from the adverse conditions of their youth and may inform how study abroad, academic, and financial aid advisors can work with students to find funding sources to make an international experience a reality

Examining Sex and Ethnoracial Differences in Graduate School Enrollment

The study examines enrollment disparities in graduate education enrollment among students of differing sex and ethnoracial identities. In doing so, we analyze a national sample of students who successfully completed their undergraduate education to understand the individual and institutional factors that influence their likelihood of enrolling in graduate school within the first few years of finishing college. Results from our general model emphasized the importance of educational aspirations, academics, college involvement, and institutional metrics in understanding the propensity to enroll in graduate school. The results across sex and ethnoracial identity reveal the complexity of the graduate enrollment process, and the importance of understanding how individual and institutional factors operate across these demographic classifications