Date Approved
6-9-2026
Embargo Period
6-9-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Ed.D. Educational Leadership
Department
Educational Leadership
College
College of Education
Advisor
MaryBeth Walpole, Ph.D.
Committee Member 1
Ane Turner Johnson, Ph.D.
Committee Member 2
Stephanie Lezotte, Ph.D.
Keywords
Generic Qualitative Inquiry;Graduate School;Graduate School Applications;Higher Education;Low-Income Students;Socioeconomic Status
Disciplines
Education | Higher Education
Abstract
At a time when most economic advantages are inherited from prior generations, higher education should offer pathways through which disadvantaged students can rise above their origins. Unfortunately, low-income students are underrepresented across academia. Challenges faced by low-income high school students applying to college have been widely studied, but there is a relative lack of research exploring the experiences of low-income graduate school applicants. Prior studies show that low-income students can increase their financial well-being through advanced education. However, interactions of cost, funding, and habiti complicate their pathways to graduate school. The purpose of this generic qualitative study was to explore the graduate school application experiences of low-income students attending Mid-Atlantic Public College (pseudonym) in search of recurring challenges and shared successes. Research participants reflected on their educational experiences and graduate school applications through two semi-structured interviews and a graphic elicitation activity. Theory and pattern coding techniques were used to uncover three key themes: experiences and networks cultivated by low-income college students; perceptions and analyses of costs and benefits across degree levels; and challenges and available solutions for low-income graduate applicants. These themes offered interesting intersections with prior research and actionable implications for future higher education practice, policy, and research.
Recommended Citation
Tomkiel, Stephen Richard, "THE JOURNEY FROM PELL RECIPIENT TO GRADUATE PROGRAM CANDIDATE: A GENERIC QUALITATIVE INQUIRY" (2026). Theses and Dissertations. 3530.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/3530
