“I Definitely Wouldn’t Have Been Able to Make it Through College Without My Dad’s Money”: American College Students’ Reflections Regarding Caregiver Financial Support

Abstract

American college students ( N = 49) participated in semi-structured qualitative interviews focused on the manner in which their caregivers did (or did not) provide financial support related to their college-enrollment. Transcript data were coded and analyzed using a cross-case, variable-oriented approach. Students described variability in their perceptions of (a) the extent of caregiver financial resources and (b) caregiver representations of financial contributions to college education as a source of support or a source of control. Placement with respect to these two dimensions yielded groups of students that varied in meaningful ways in terms of feelings of obligation to share school-related information with caregivers and attitudes toward caregivers’ support. Findings have implications for informing the manner in which researchers, parents, and campus professionals understand the nature of financial support and the importance of considering the emotional climate within which it is provided.