An Exploration of Parental Support in the Retention of Rural First-Generation College Students

Abstract

Rural first-generation college students (FGCSs) encounter complications in college that are often the result of a lack of college readiness, difficulty adjusting to new communities, and the absence of a support network. This study explored the parental support that promoted retention of rural FGCSs attending a small, private university, where withdrawal rates of this population are higher than that of continuing-generation students. A case study design facilitated the exploration of 12 rural FGCSs’ perceptions of their parental support. Data collection consisted of semistructured individual interviews. The emergent themes included in this article are (a) parental support, (b) extended family support, and (c) community support. The results revealed that parental support reflected a spectrum of types, and the social capital provided by parents, family, and community support systems made possible rural FGCS retention.