Ready but restricted: an examination of the challenges of college access and financial aid for college-ready undocumented immigrant students in the U.S.

UnrestrictedUsing the methodologies of individual interviews and participant observation, this dissertation examines the experiences of 10 college-ready undocumented students who aimed to pursue higher education. A social capital framework is used to shed light on the various challenges to college access and financial aid that low-income, first generation undocumented students encounter along the path to college. Given the dearth of literature that focuses on the experiences of undocumented students, this study aimed to provide new insight into the practical, procedural, and policy-related difficulties faced by college-ready undocumented students as they prepare for, apply to, seek funding for, and make decisions about where to attend college.; Previous research that looks at the role of social capital as it relates to college access for low-income first generation college-goers provides a lens through which to view the experiences of undocumented students. By showing how the college-related information, support, and guidance students do or do not have access to at home and at school shapes their access to higher education, this literature demonstrates the significant role of students' social networks in providing college-related social capital. For undocumented students who often believe that college is inaccessible due to residency-related issues and limited financial means, timely and accurate information about their postsecondary options is especially important