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Federal loan borrowing in community colleges: examining the decision making processes of non‐traditional community college students
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Federal loan borrowing in community colleges: examining the decision making processes of non‐traditional community college students
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Running Head: FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 1
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES: EXAMINING THE
DECISION MAKING PROCESSES OF NON-TRADITIONAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
STUDENTS
by
Jacqueline Quinn-Piper
A Dissertation Presented to the
FACULTY OF THE USC ROSSIER SCHOOL OF EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
In Partial Fulfillment of the
Requirements for the Degree
DOCTOR OF EDUCATION
May 2018
Copyright 2018 Jacqueline Quinn-Piper
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 2
Acknowledgements
I would like to first thank my best friend and husband, Justin, for being my biggest
cheerleader and serving as my rock through this whole process. Thank you for going on this
journey with me and supporting me every step of the way. I cannot express how much that
means to me. Thank you to my mom and dad who both exemplify what it means to work hard
and to always keep moving forward. You have always supported me in every endeavor I have
chosen to take on and I thank you for that. Thank you to my brother Mark, for being an
inspiration in patience and an inspiration all around. To my CalCPA Glendale office family, who
gave me so much support and understanding throughout these past years. I am eternally grateful
to have such wonderful colleagues and dear friends. I am especially grateful to my wonderful
committee that has helped me in my doctoral experience. My sincere thanks to Dr. Tambascia,
Dr. Hoffman and Dr. Hinga. You are all extremely inspirational strong women, and I admire and
feel very privileged to have been able to have your guidance and support. Thank you, Tracy, for
helping me work through this process and allowing me to find my way. Thank you to the
participants of this study, all hardworking and so admirable in their determination, despite the
setbacks they may have faced. Finally, I would like to acknowledge a group of individuals who
will not know they are being thanked in this manner, but will continue to show me the same love,
affection and support as they always have. My darling Basil, Ollie and dear Thomas.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 3
Table of Contents
Acknowledgements 2
List of Tables 5
List of Figures 6
Abstract 7
Chapter One: Overview of the Study 8
Statement of the Problem 9
Purpose of the Study 11
Research Questions 12
Significance of the Study 12
Limitations and Assumptions 13
Definitions 14
Conclusion 15
Chapter Two: Review of the Literature 16
Non-Traditional Students 17
Community College 19
Community Colleges as Gatekeepers 21
History of Financial Aid 23
The G.I. Bill 24
National Defense Education Act 24
Higher Education Act 25
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) 26
Financial Aid in Community College 27
Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver 27
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 28
CalWORKS 28
Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) 29
Pell Grants 29
Cal Grants 30
Financial Literacy 30
TRIO Programs 33
Type of Student Loans 33
Loan Limits 35
Federal Perkins Loan 36
Student Loan Debt 36
Defaulting on Loans 39
Theoretical Framework 41
Bourdieu’s Forms of Capital 41
Cultural Capital 42
Conclusion 44
Chapter Three: Methodology 46
Research Questions 46
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 4
Research Design and Methods 46
Site Selection 47
Programs 48
Population and Sample 48
Sample 49
Instrumentation/Source of Evidence 50
Data Collection 52
Data Analysis 53
Validity 54
Role of Researcher 55
Conclusion 56
Chapter Four: Presentation of Data and Findings 57
Summary of Participants 57
Participant Profiles 62
Emerging Themes 64
Theme 1: Lack of Loan Knowledge 66
Theme 2: Loans Utilized to Cover Living Expenses 68
Theme 3: Loans Necessary to Complete Educational Goals 69
Theme 4: Education is Important 70
Summary 72
Chapter Five: Discussion and Implications 74
Discussion of Findings 74
Cultural Capital 75
Social Capital 78
Recommendations 80
Recommendation 1 80
Recommendation 2 81
Recommendation 3 82
Recommendation 4 83
Implications 84
Conclusion 85
References 86
Appendix A: Institutional Review Board Info Sheet Template 100
Appendix B: Solicitation Email 102
Appendix C: Pre-survey Questions 103
Appendix D: Interview Protocol 106
Appendix E: Post Interview Reflection 108
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 5
List of Tables
Table 1: Participant Overview 58
Table 2: Participant Responses 61
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 6
List of Figures
Figure 1: Source: higheredchronicle.com 40
Figure 2: Conceptual Framework. 44
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 7
Abstract
This qualitative study examines the issues and conditions that influence current and
former non-traditional community college students that borrow federal loans and to understand
what their loan borrowing process was like and what loans were used for. The goal of this study
is to determine how to best serve non-traditional community college students, given their unique
circumstances, limited social and cultural capital and to understand the financial barriers that are
faced while pursuing a post-secondary degree. Non-traditional students hold experiences that are
unique to their demographic. Few studies have explored their experiences regarding federal loan
borrowing. Understanding the unique experiences of non-traditional community college students
provides insightful information to student affairs professionals and administrators by helping
them develop effective strategies to assist students on their campus to successfully understand
the costs and benefits of utilizing loans. Social and cultural capital served as the theoretical
framework that helped guide the study. Using data collected from 10 current and former non-
traditional community college students, findings resulted in the following themes: (1) lack of
loan knowledge (2) loans utilized to cover living expenses (3) loans necessary to complete
educational goals (4) education is important.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 8
CHAPTER ONE: OVERVIEW OF THE STUDY
Federal and state funding for higher education has decreased in the past decade, resulting
in increased tuition and fees (Staroben, Hagedorn, Purnamasari, & Chen , 2013). In the 2011-12
fiscal year, total state funding declined by 7.6%, which was 4% lower than the fiscal year of
2007 (Staroben et al, 2013). College costs continue to grow faster than the average income
(Menges & Leonhard, 2016; U.S. Census Bureau, 2012). Because of decreased funding and the
rising cost of higher education institutions, more students are inclined to utilize loans and
accumulate student debt. In 2012, the National Center for Educational Statistics estimated that
fifty-five percent of vocational and college students received some form of financial aid (Fuller,
2014). Data from the 2015-16 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:16) showed a
recent increase with a reported seventy two percent of all undergraduates having received some
type of financial aid (Radwin, Conzelmann, Nunnery, Lacy, Wu, Lew, Wine & Siegel, 2018).
Students may seek out community college as a more cost-effective option with the
possibility to transfer to a four-year institution. However, more and more community college
students have utilized federal loans to help finance their education (Baum, Little & Pavea, 2011;
Menges & Leonhard, 2016; Steel & Baum, 2009). The Pew Charitable Trusts (2016) reported
that 27% of community college students took out student loans in 2012, compared to 15% in
2000 (Quinton, 2016).
This qualitative study sought to understand the issues and conditions that influenced
current and former non-traditional community college students to borrow federal loans, and to
understand what assistance, if any, they received related to the loan process. This study also
sought to understand their decision-making process. Findings from this study have identified
ways to improve outreach and guidance to help students manage their loans and navigate their
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 9
way through higher education. This chapter presents the statement of the problem, purpose of the
study, research questions, significance of the study, limitations and assumptions, and definitions.
Statement of the Problem
Borrowing has become a necessary means for many community college students to help
finance their education (Dowd & Coury, 2006; McKinney et al, 2015). Federal loans may
contribute to academic success for community college students making higher education
obtainable (McKinney et al, 2015). However, students may not fully understand the process of
loan borrowing and have misconceptions about loan debt repayment. Previous literature
indicated that college students with little or no financial knowledge are more likely to have
issues with debt and may engage in behaviors that can affect their academic life, such as
accruing credit card fees and bills (Lusardi & Tufano, 2009; Staroben et al; 2013). Lack of social
or cultural capital may also affect a student’s knowledge base about financing for higher
education, with students not having the specific relationship resources that they may look to for
guidance (Patton, Renn, Guido, Quaye, Forney, & Evans, 2016).
McKinney et al (2015) found that loan borrowing in community college offers
both risks and benefits for the borrower. Taking out a loan may represent financial risk for a
student who may have a high probability of leaving before degree completion (Gladieux &
Perna, 2005; McKinney et al, 2015). However, federal loans offer accessibility and not having
them available could result in students turning to riskier options, such as credit cards or private
loans, to pay for college (Project on Student Debt, 2009).
While community college students pay lower tuition costs than students who attend four-
year institutions (The Institute of College Access and Success, 2009), their debt-to-income ratio
may be equal to or even lower than the ratios of students who pursue four year degrees (Menges
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 10
& Leonhard, 2016). As a result, loan debt may pose a threat to community college students,
particularly non-traditional students. Non-traditional students may attend college part-time, hold
jobs, support dependents or may have difficulty adjusting to life as a student (Anderson, Alfonso
& Sun, 2006; Canche, 2014; Dougherty, 1994).
Community college students may take a longer time to graduate, requiring them to take
out more loans than four-year students (Canche, 2014). Understanding how to manage loans can
be a challenge. McKinney et al (2015) sent a survey to 107 community college financial aid
counselors in Florida, Texas and California. The study found that 47% of the counselors did not
believe that their students fully understood the commitment related to taking out loans. Students
who have a low sense of ability to manage their money may have higher overall stress and lower
self-esteem (Lange & Byrd, 1998; McKinney et al, 2015).
Many community colleges have a low number of counselors for the number of students
attending, at a ratio of 1,000:1, thus making it more difficult to provide each student with the
guidance or support they need in regard to borrowing (McKinney et al, 2013; McKinney et al,
2015).
Quinton (2016) stated that student loans can create a negative financial effect on
community college borrowers. If students are unable to pay their debt, that leads to defaulting on
their loans, leading to high fees from loan servicers, damaged credit scores and eventually
garnishment of wages or government benefits. Quinton also noted that in some states, people
may lose their professional licenses or driver’s licenses as a result of defaulting on their student
loans. If students have not completed their education, it becomes difficult for them to procure a
job that would allow them to pay off their student loan debt. Students who drop out do not
experience the financial payoff of acquiring a higher credential (Quinton, 2016; Dynarski, 2015).
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 11
Approximately 36% of students who start at a community college graduate with a degree
or certificate within six years (Melguizo et al, 2017). Community colleges carry the burden of
educating students, with fewer resources than four-year institutions; many of these students come
from low-income families whose success rates are lower than that of the average rate for all
students (Melguizo et al, 2017).
Many community colleges are funded in part through outcome based formulas that
incentivize productivity by rewarding community colleges for the number of graduates, retention
and completion rate improvements and the graduation rates of low income or minority students
(Melguizo et al, 2017; National Conference of State Legislators, 2015).
Purpose of the Study
This is a qualitative study of current and former non-traditional, community college
students who have utilized federal student loans at Valley Community College (VCC), which is a
pseudonym that has been given to a real community college located seventy miles from a large,
urban area in California. The purpose of this study is to understand the financial factors, life
experiences and social and cultural capital factors that contributed to the decision-making
process of utilizing federal loans and the resources that may have contributed to this process.
This study examined the characteristics and unique life experiences of non-traditional
students, such as limited social and cultural capital, which may have contributed to students
needing to borrow to help finance tuition, living expenses, fees and other costs. VCC served as
the location for this study because of its high percentage of students who utilize federal student
loans in comparison to other California community colleges. VCC has 11% or approximately
1,600 students that have been awarded federal student loans for the 2014-2015 school year
(NCES, 2017).
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 12
The goal of this study is to determine how to best serve non-traditional community college
students, given their unique circumstances, limited social and cultural capital and to understand
the financial barriers that are faced while pursuing a post-secondary degree.
Research Questions
This qualitative study provides an understanding of the college going experiences of non-
traditional community college students who borrow from federal loans while attending VCC.
This study looked specifically at their experiences with social and cultural capital, the thought
process, financial background and life circumstances. The following research questions were
used to direct this study.
1. What level of knowledge do non-traditional community college students have about
federal loan borrowing?
a. Has the community college helped with federal loan borrowing information? If yes,
how?
2. What factors influences a non-traditional community college student to borrow federal
loans?
Significance of the Study
The unique experiences and motivation of current and former non-traditional community
college students that utilize federal loans have not yet been explored. Much of the research on
community college students have been quantitative methods that look at transfer or graduation
rates. This qualitative study contributes to existing literature by exploring the experiences
specifically of non-traditional community college students that have utilized federal loans, taking
into consideration the need for loan borrowing and the financial barriers that result in this.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 13
While there are offices for financial aid and counseling at community colleges, students
may not be receiving adequate enough information or may not be receiving or seeking the proper
amount of guidance. Only five universities in the country offer full-service financial counseling
to students (Staroben et al, 2013; Tetreault, 2012). To understand a student’s thought process and
experience of loan borrowing, their experiences need to be closely examined. Understanding
their needs and unique circumstances can help support and better assist this population.
This study may provide insightful information to student affairs professionals and
administrators by helping them develop effective strategies to assist students on their campus to
successfully understand the costs and benefits of utilizing loans. They will also be given a better
understanding of these students and the unique challenges that they face financially that may
hinder their progress. The study will also help policy makers and researchers to better understand
this demographic and the financial barriers and situations these students face when addressing
specific issues regarding costs of education and loan borrowing.
Limitations and Assumptions
This study is limited in its focus on one community college in California. There are no
other community colleges with a large population of students who borrow federal loans. Because
of the small sample of students, participants may not have provided an all-encompassing
perspective. Assumptions that I held prior to conducting research come from my own
experience of taking out loans during my time as a student and as a professional in my place of
employment, which promotes financial literacy to students of all educational levels. From these
experiences I have developed my own set of opinions towards loan borrowing and financial
literacy.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 14
Definitions
The following terns will be used in this study:
1. Cultural capital. Cultural knowledge that can improve their position in society (Bourdieu,
1986; Joppke, 1986; Patton et al, 2016). How capital is accessed is based on what has
been acquired by the individual and their social class.
2. FAFSA. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is required for
students to qualify for federal, state or institutional financial aid (Castleman & Page,
2015; Long, 2012).
3. Federal loans. The U.S. Department of Education offers two federal loan programs: the
William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program is the largest federal loan
program, with the U.S. Department of Education as the lender. Direct PLUS loans are
intended for graduate or professional students and the parents of dependent
undergraduate students to help pay for education costs that are not covered by other
financial aid. (U.S. Department of Education, 2017).
4. Financial aid. Funding that is given via grants, scholarship, loan or paid employment to
help students meet their college expenses. Amount of aid awarded to the student depends
of the student’s family size, number of family members in college, income and the
student’s college costs, including enrollment fees, room and board, books and supplies,
and transportation (I can afford college, n.d.).
5. Financial literacy. An individual’s ability to utilize knowledge and skills to effectively
manage financial resources “effectively for a lifetime of financial wellbeing” (Staroben et
al, 2013; President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy, 2008, p. 9)
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 15
6. Non-traditional students – Individuals who are 24 years or older, attend college part-time,
financially independent, do not receive support from parents, or may have dependents
such as children or spouses (NCES, 1996; Prins et al, 2015).
7. Social capital. May take on the form of sharing information and networks including
values and social norms. Social capital consists of the resources individuals possess to
form and maintain networks or participate and build relationships as members of a given
social group (Bourdieu, 1986; Rowan-Kenyon et al, 2008).
Conclusion
This chapter presents the purpose, significance and research questions of the study.
Chapter Two presents a review of the literature and past research related to community college
students and student loan borrowing with specific attention to social and cultural capital. Chapter
Three will describe the procedures and methodology used to collect data regarding the effects
loan borrowing has on the non-traditional community college student. The findings will be
presented in Chapter Four, and a summary and recommendations will be covered in Chapter
Five.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 16
CHAPTER TWO: REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
This chapter presents a context to the study of areas important to understanding federal
loan borrowing in community college and why current and former non-traditional community
college students borrow or borrowed, with an emphasis on their knowledge and decision-making
process. First, an overview of the non-traditional community college student is given to highlight
the challenges they face that are unique to them. Second, a background of the community college
purpose and history is explained followed by the history of financial aid. Third, the application
of financial literacy and the role it plays will be examined followed by a review of federal loan
programs and the process of student loan borrowing. Finally, the theoretical framework is
presented describing how social and cultural capital fits into the knowledge base of borrowing
federal loans for a non-traditional community college student.
Data from the 2015-16 National Postsecondary Student Aid Study (NPSAS:16) reported
that seventy two percent of all college undergraduates have received some type of financial aid
(Radwin et al, 2018). There are state and federally based aid programs to support low income
students to help improve college affordability (Castleman & Page, 2015, Perna & Steele, 2011).
In 2014-15, $238.9 billion in aid was given from sources such as federal and state governments,
colleges, universities, foundations and other organizations (The College Board, 2015).
Research has shown that many students that defaulted on loans never completed a degree
(Fain, 2015). Nearly 31% of community college students default within 15 years of entering
repayment (Field & Brainard, 2010; McKinney et al, 2015).
This study sought to understand why students borrow, understand their financial
background, amount of debt incurred, career or vocational goals and guidance and the use or lack
of cultural and social capital.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 17
1. What level of knowledge do non-traditional community college students have about
federal loan borrowing?
a. Has the community college helped with federal loan borrowing information? If yes,
how?
2. What factors influences a non-traditional community college student to borrow federal
loans?
Non-Traditional Students
To understand the unique situations and circumstances that are specific to non-traditional
students, it is important to review their profile and background. Non-traditional students, or adult
learners, are usually defined as being 24 years or older and most likely have delayed post-
secondary enrollment after completing high school. (Prins et al, 2015). Non-traditional students
may also attend part-time for at least part of the academic year, and work 35 or more hours
during the week. The borrowing habits of students that fall in this older age demographic may be
different than the borrowing habits of traditional-aged students (McKinney et al, 2015). They are
financially independent and generally do not receive support from parents; they are considered
financially independent when determining eligibility for financial aid. Non-traditional students
may have dependents such as children or may be married. Nearly 25% of students are parents
(NCES, 2008) and half of those students identified as a single parent. They also may not have a
high school diploma, holding a GED or high school completion certificate instead (NCES, 2008).
While it is commonplace to picture a typical undergraduate student as being in the age
range of 18-24, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) reported that in 2011, 42%
of undergraduate students were age 25 or older. The adult student enrollment rate in college had
increased by 42% from year 2000 to 2010. Students in the traditional age range have increased
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 18
by 34%. These numbers demonstrate a greater number of non-traditional students entering
postsecondary education and are expected to continue to grow by 20% through 2020 (NCES,
2012; Prins et al, 2015).
Non-traditional students in community colleges face many challenges that differentiate
them from traditional students. Past qualitative data have shown that their economic situations,
life circumstances, and adjustment to the student roles require different forms of support and
understanding (Brown, 2013; Prins, 2015). These community college students who utilized loans
would be expected to have greater loan amounts than traditional four year students as they are in
school longer, a consequence of not being able to attend full time (Canche, 2014). Researchers
Chen and Carroll conducted a study on part-time community college students who began their
studies in 1995-96. By 2000-01, only 15 percent had completed a two year degree or certificate,
but none had earned a bachelor’s degree; 27 percent had persisted by continuing to be enrolled,
surpassing the six year mark (Chen & Carroll, 2007).
Some of these students may be displaced workers, having gone into the work force and
experienced a layoff or job change. Community College Week (2009) reported that the
community college enrollment total increased at an estimated average of eight to ten percent in
2009. Adults enrolling in a community college after many years in the workforce may be
unfamiliar with the technology that has been implemented into classroom instruction, registration
for classes or even applying for financial aid. As these students are older, they may not be
equipped with specific knowledge of certain technology. As higher education systems are
moving towards online platforms to access assignments, upload homework or communicate
course information, students may struggle in keeping up with course content (Brown 2013;
Jesnick, 2012). Owning a computer may be an additional challenge as well, due to the cost.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 19
Community College
Community colleges are known as open access enrollment institutions with minimal
enrollment requirements and low tuition (Bragg, 2001; Dowd, 2007). Curriculum offered
includes certification programs for specific vocations, general education credits towards an
Associate’s degree and towards transfer to a four-year institution. Community colleges also offer
developmental or remedial education, English language instruction and courses for business
training, leisure or self-improvement (Dowd, 2007; Bragg, 2001; Dougherty, 2002).
Students who enroll in community colleges tend to come from low income backgrounds
(Dowd, 2007; Menges, 2016; Santiago & Stettner, 2013), thus making community college an
appealing choice as it offers accessibility and lower tuition compared to four-year universities.
National data reports that on average, 42% of students who enroll in community college start
with developmental or basic skills courses (Dowd, 2007; Parsad & Lewis, 2003).
Community college was created with the purpose of providing transfer education towards
a four- year college as well as offering vocational programs and certificates (Townsend, 2001).
Students were expected to begin their postsecondary education at community college and then
transfer to a four-year university to complete their Bachelor’s degree (Townsend, 2001). Duggan
and Jurgens (2007) stated that the Industrial Revolution contributed to the creation of community
colleges. During this time, the introduction of power driven machinery lead to the creation of
factories, which offered poor working conditions. The distressing environment lead to the
development of vocational guidance and created the educated craftsman (Duggan & Jurgens,
2007; Jurgens, 2010). In the mid-1800s, proposals were made to create a junior college so that
the responsibility of universities to provide general education to qualified high school graduates
could be lessened (Jurgens, 2010). Lower division preparation in universities were viewed as a
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 20
burden; as a result, community college would help lessen this burden (Cohen & Brawer, 1996;
Jurgens, 2010; Kintzer & Bryant, 1998).
William Rainey Harper at the University of Chicago, David Starr Jordan of Stanford, and
Edmund James of the University of Illinois, advocated for modifying the higher education
system in the United States to reflect the European model, which held universities responsible
for higher education and scholarship, with junior colleges focusing on vocational and technical
training and education (Jurgens, 2010; Kintzer & Bryant, 1998; Witt & Wattenburger; 1994).
Community colleges in the early stages focused mainly on liberal arts education. Enrollment was
low, with generally 150-200 students (American Association of Community Colleges, 2006;
Baker, 1994; Cohen & Brawer, 2003; Jurgens, 2010; Phillippe & Patton, 2000; U.S. Department
of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002/2003).
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, a trend toward job training took root. In order
to reduce widespread unemployment, community colleges began to provide job training
programs. Job training focus continued through the 1940s and 1950s (Jurgens, 2010; U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002/2003). In 1947, the Truman Commission
report, also known as the “higher education for an American Democracy” report, set the stage for
greater efforts to establish junior colleges as genuine academic institutions (Kintzer, 1996). The
report called for the establishment of a network of public community colleges, which would
combine vocational and technical education with the more conventional junior college education.
The purpose was to open higher education for little or no tuition to a diverse group of students,
including women and ethnic minorities, while serving community needs (Baker, 1994; Cohen &
Brawer, 2003; Jurgens, 2010; Milliron et al., 2003). A total of 300 community colleges were
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 21
founded in the US by 1950 (American Association of Community Colleges, 2006; Jurgens,
2010).
In 1960, the number of community colleges grew and increased to 457. By 1970,
enrollment increased from 1 million to about 2.2 million students (Jurgens, 2010; U.S.
Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2002/2003). Student enrollment continued and
by 1980, 4.3 million students were enrolled in community colleges (Baker, 1994; Cohen &
Brawer, 2003; Jurgens, 2010; Phillippe & Patton, 2000; U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of
Labor Statistics, 2002/2003). In the1970s and 1980s, community colleges embraced a variety of
entrepreneurial expansions and workforce development.
Community Colleges as Gatekeepers
Dowd (2007) noted that community colleges serve as gateways and gatekeepers of
American higher education. Community colleges serve as gateways in that they offer open
access, minimal enrollment requirements and low tuition. The curriculum offered to students
includes certification programs towards specific vocations, general education credits towards
completion of an associate’s degree, which may also be used towards transferring to a four-year
institution (Bragg, 2001; Dougherty, 2002).
Community colleges have provided access to students that have been traditionally
underrepresented in four-year universities (Dowd, 2007). Dowd (2007) further explained that as
gatekeepers, they have in turn reduced pressure on four-year institutions to be more accessible to
larger numbers of students (Dowd, 2007; Turner, 2004). As a result, this has produced
stratification in student access, where four-year institutions have become more focused on
increasing selectivity (Dowd, 2007). While many of these students who enroll in community
college tend to take remedial courses or basic skills courses, on a national basis, only one in four
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 22
of these students graduate (Attewell et al, 2006; Dowd, 2007). Dowd (2007) argued that a
student’s success is based on their racial/ethnic and socioeconomic background. The mission of
transferring to a four-year university may be more successful for White, middle class or affluent
students while funneling out Black, Latino and poor students (Dowd, 2007). Past research has
shown minority students have lower rates of transfer and community college completion
(Rendon & Mathews, 1989).
Cofer and Somers (2001) conducted a study on the persistence of two-year community
college students in their first year, from fall to spring semester. The model they used for the
study was the National Postsecondary Student Aid Surveys of 1995-96 (NPSAS: 96) and 1992-
92 (NPSAS: 93). The model was composed of specific factors; background, aspiration, college
experiences, current year price and subsidies and debt load. Results showed that students who
were financially dependent were less likely to persist than students who were financially
independent. The researchers found that aspiration played a large role in persistence; students
who aspired to a higher degree were more likely to continue. They also found that college
experience was significant, as second year students were more likely to persist than first year
students and students who had a low-grade point average were less likely to persist. Students
who had worked full-time also were less likely to persist (Cofer & Somers, 2001). In looking at
financial variables for the students in the 1996 sample, debt was significant and negatively
associated to persistence at a low debt level, but was significant and positively associated to
higher levels of debt. Students who attended full-time were more likely to incur debt as they saw
completion in their near future. However, for African American students, any amount of debt
was enough to discourage persistence. The 1996 sample was different from the 1993 sample,
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 23
which showed that only high levels of debt were significant having a negative effect on
persistence (Cofer & Somers, 2001).
History of Financial Aid
Financial aid has become an important source for obtaining college access and choice
(Perna & Steele, 2011; Long, 2008). Researchers have noted that financial aid promotes college
access directly by eliminating financial barriers at the time of entering college. Financial aid also
indirectly encourages students to engage in other college-related behaviors, simply in knowing
that financial aid will be available and accessible (Fitzgerald, 2006; Paulsen & St. John, 2002;
Perna & Steel, 2011).
There has been a long history of philanthropy in higher education in the United States,
mainly to serve the elite or wealthy. This began in 1639 with Minister John Harvard. Colonists
with wealth played a philanthropic role as sponsors and patrons of grade schools and institutions
of higher learning in the colonies (Fuller, 2014). Lady Anne Radcliffe Mowlson gave the first
endowed scholarship to Harvard in 1643. The funds were meant to go to poor students who
needed funding towards their education. In following her example, other elites began to make
giving to universities their philanthropic priority. Soon, scholarships were established at
universities, including Cambridge, Yale, Princeton and the University of Pennsylvania (Fuller,
2014; Thelin, 2011). Harvard was the first university to develop a system of financial aid that
grew throughout the nation’s universities and eventually into the federal government.
Efforts of philanthropists were soon turned towards military efforts as a result of the
Revolutionary War. A result of the Revolution was westward expansion which developed
colleges operating in former colonial territories (Fuller, 2014; Wilkinson, 2005). In funding this
expansion, colleges had to maintain costs that were reasonable with some form of tuition aid to
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 24
attract students. In this new country, citizens began to favor the idea of an educated general
population (Fuller, 2014; Wilkinson, 2005). Harvard established a private lending agency in
1838, known as the Harvard Loan Program. Funding for this program came from wealthy alumni
and benefactors.
The G.I. Bill
In 1944, the development of the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act, or the G.I. Bill, grew
enrollment in American higher education from 1.15 million students to 2.45 million (Fuller,
2014; Snyder, 1993). This bill placed the federal government in the role as a financier for higher
education for many Americans (Fuller, 2014). The primary purpose of this bill was to ease
veterans’ transition into postwar society (Serow, 2004). The G.I. Bill was used by 2.2 million
veterans for college or graduate education. Veterans soon accounted for half of the college
admissions in America (Fuller, 2014; U.S. Department of Veterans’ Affairs, 2012, Serow, 2004).
As a result of the G.I. Bill, there was financial support for servicemen. The bill offered low-
interest, no payment housing loans, which laid the precedent for low interest student loans
(Fuller, 2014). It also served in supporting higher education through students as opposed to
institutions (Fuller, 2014). The Bill was reauthorized in 1952 in preparation for Korean War
veterans and became the Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act. As a result of the era and the
climate of the times, institutions had to suddenly accommodate more students from social classes
who previously did not have access to education. In this manner, the G.I. Bill changed financing
for higher education (Fuller, 2014).
National Defense Education Act
The National Defense Education Act of 1958 (NDEA) was implemented to improve and
strengthen the American school system and to encourage students to pursue post-secondary
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 25
education. The act was signed into law and passed by Congress in 1958 by President
Eisenhower. Provisions of the act included scholarships and loans to students attending college.
This act soon established the National Defense Student Loan System, later named the National
Direct Loan System which eventually became the Perkins Loan Program. The Perkins Loans
program came directly from the federal government on a basis of financial need. The Loans were
awarded to students who were civilians, military graduates and undergraduate students that
served in areas that supported national defense (Fuller, 2014). Many of the loans were awarded
to students in military sciences, engineering, science, math and education regardless of financial
need (Fleming, 1960; Fuller, 2014). States were directed to deposit $405 million into loan
accounts, allowing future students to benefit after the NDEA concluded. The loans ranged from
$1,000 to $5,000 individually and were to be repaid after graduation through a ten-year term
with a 3% interest rate (Fuller, 2014). The loan system also created a loan forgiveness clause. A
15% reduction in loan payments was given to pre-service teaching students to support growth in
education jobs. Both the G.I. Bill and the NDEA have aided in increasing the percentage of
students attending college.
In 1960, the number of students enrolling in college increased by 30%, or four million
enrolled students (Fuller, 2014; Fleming, 160; Synder, 1993). This also marked the start of the
federal government’s role in cultivating the students who entered and graduated from colleges
and universities, creating the start of a priority-based agenda of aid to students with a focus on
economic growth and national security through financial aid policy (Fuller, 2014).
Higher Education Act
The Higher Education Act of 1965 was one of President Lyndon Johnson’s legislative
accomplishments (Cohen & Kisker, 2009; Fuller, 2014; Thelin, 2011). The act established the
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 26
federal government’s involvement in higher education and made higher education a national
priority. The Act required that institutions accepting Title IV funds through students adhere to
accreditation standards and report data on institutional quality and operations. Title IV of the
Higher Education Act of 1965 provided a guaranteed loan program by backing the loans between
student and private lenders with full faith of the federal government.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
In 1954 the College Board’s College Scholarship Service opened with the intent to
provide low income and minority students with funds to use towards higher education (College
Board, 2012; Fuller, 2014). Students applying for aid could complete a form indicating their
financial profile. Staff at the College Scholarship Service would provide information to colleges
looking for specific candidates. This served as a precursor to the present Free Application for
Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is often required for students who wish to qualify for
federal, state or institutional financial aid (Castleman & Page, 2015; Long, 2012). The FAFSA
collects information on family income and assets to determine the Expected Family Contribution
(EFC) (Long, 2012). This represents a measure of the family’s current financial ability to pay
college tuition (Kelchen & Jones, 2017). The EFC is determined by looking at the size of the
student’s family, the number of family members in college and the age of the oldest parent. The
student’s earnings and assets also are taken into consideration along with parent’s income (Long,
2012). The EFC calculation differs slightly regarding independent or non-traditional students. In
determining a student’s financial need, the EFC is subtracted from the total cost of attendance of
the university. The cost of attendance is pro-rated based on part–time or full-time enrollment.
Costs include tuition, fees, living costs and other costs at the institution (Long, 2012). The EFC
will also indicate what type of funding students will receive.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 27
Financial Aid in Community College
Community college students may be eligible for and apply for financial aid. The state of
California currently provides more than one million students with financial aid, totaling more
than $2.1 billion in the 2014-15 academic year (I can afford college, 2017).
Students must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen working towards a degree,
certificate, or working toward a transfer to a four-year institution. Students must not owe a
refund on a federal grant or be in default on a federal education loan. Students must be a high
school graduate or have the equivalent to a high school diploma, and not have been convicted of
drug possession (I can afford college, 2017). The amount of aid awarded depends on the
student’s family size, number of family members in college, income and the student’s college
costs, including enrollment fees, room and board, books and supplies, and transportation (I can
afford college, 2017).
Board of Governors (BOG) Fee Waiver
California community colleges offer a Board of Governors (BOG) fee waiver to students.
The waiver will pay for per unit enrollment fee at any community college throughout the state
for eligible students. The current per unit enrollment fee is $46 (CCC apply, 2017). For the 2013-
14 academic year, the BOG waiver was awarded to more than one million California community
college students, totaling more than $803 million in financial aid (I can afford college, 2017).
Once students qualify for the waiver, they must maintain a cumulative G.P.A of a 2.0 and
complete at least 50% of their cumulative number of units in two consecutive primary terms.
To qualify for this waiver, students must be a student at a California community college,
have been determined to be a resident or be exempt from non-resident fees under AB 540.
Students must demonstrate financial need based on a financial aid office review of the FAFSA or
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 28
are receiving TANF, CalWORKs, SSI/SSP or general assistance or meet specific income
standards.
Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) is administered through the Office of
Family Assistance of the US Department of Health and Human Services. States receive grants to
design and operate programs that can accomplish one of the four purposes of the program. The
four purposes are to (1) provide assistance to families in need so that children may be cared for
in their own homes (2) Reduce dependency of needy parents by promoting job preparation, work
and marriage (3) Prevent and reduce the incidence of out-of-wedlock pregnancies (4) encourage
the formation and maintenance of two-parent families (U.S. Department of Health & Human
Services, n.d.).
CalWORKS
CalWORKS (California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids) is a public
assistance program that serves all 58 counties in the state of California, operated locally by
county welfare departments. The program provides financial aid and services to families that
have children in the household. Families that are eligible have little or no cash and are in need of
housing, food, utilities, clothing or medical care. Families may apply for short-term help and
ongoing assistance in which they receive money each month to help pay for these expenses. The
amount the family receives is determined by the number of people eligible in the family and the
special needs they may have. Income is also considered. Eligibility requirements include an
individual’s age, income, citizenship, resources and assets. Services are generally provided to
families with children in the home who have been deprived of parental support or care due to the
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 29
absence, disability or death of a parent, if both parents are in the home but are unemployed, or if
the applicant is a caretaker of a foster child (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.).
Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP)
SSI (Supplemental Security Income/State Supplementary Payment) is a federally funded
program. The program provides income support to individuals aged 65 or older, blind or
disabled. Qualified blind or disabled children are also eligible to receive SSI benefits. Benefits
are given in the form or cash assistance (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, n.d.).
Pell Grants
The Pell Grant is the primary federally funded, need-based grant program. Pell Grants are
funded by the U.S. Department of Education and exist as a “fluid sum” (Rubin, 2011). For the
school year of 2004-2005, the maximum Pell Grant award was $4,050 (Rubin, 2011). Only an
average of 32% of tuition fees at four-year colleges and universities were covered by the
maximum Pell Grant in 2007-2008. This is down from 50% in 1987-1988 (College Board, 2008;
Perna & Steele, 2011). In 2003-2004, about 27% of dependent undergraduates with family
incomes below $40,000 received aid from the state, compared with only 7% of dependent
undergraduates with family incomes above $100,000 (Berkner & Wei, 2006; Perna & Steele,
2011). The funding is appropriated every year by Congress and is not guaranteed.
Pell eligibility is determined in two ways. Eligibility may be achieved based on the EFC
as earlier mentioned by filling out the FAFSA. The EFC must be lower than the student’s
qualified expenses (Long, 2008; Rubin, 2011). The student is also eligible for the Pell Grant
based on institution-specific requirements developed by The College Board (Rubin, 2011).
Financial aid officers exercise professional judgment based on institution specific criteria when
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 30
unusual situations warrant. This may commonly occur based on a school’s desire for a student
that has special needs or a disability (Rubin, 2011).
Cal Grants
Cal Grants are available to California community college students who meet academic
and financial eligibility requirements (I can afford college, 2017). In 1993-1994, the amount of
Cal Grants given averaged a little less than $30,000 for 75,000 students (Balderston, 1997). The
Cal Grant program has three parts. Cal Grant A requires that students are enrolled in a four year
or two year degree program and meet a minimum high school grade point average (Cellini, 2010;
I can afford college, 2017). Community college students would not receive funds until they
transfer to an eligible college or university. To be eligible for Cal Grant B, students may enroll in
any kind of vocational or academic coursework for at least one year (Cellini, 2010). Eligible
students must be in their first year and qualify as low-income. Grants cover book and living
expenses up to $1,670 plus an additional $600 for students that attend full time at a community
college (Cellini, 2010; I can afford college, 2017). Cal Grant C is geared towards occupational,
technical or vocational programs and helps pay for tuition and training costs. To qualify, students
must enroll in a program that is at least four months long at a California community college,
career technical school or private college. They may receive funding for up to two years
depending on the length of the program (Cellini, 2010; I can afford college, 2017).
Financial Literacy
To understand how community college students experienced the loan borrowing process,
it is important to review what resources or mechanisms have been applied to assist students with
understanding the process of financing their higher education. Previous studies have indicated
the importance of being able to afford college in predicting college success (Menges &
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 31
Leonhard, 2016; Cofer & Somers, 2000; Dowd & Coury, 2006; Paulsen & St. John, 2002; St.
John, 1991). Staroben et al (2013) found from their studies that students who view and
understand their financial investment in college are more likely to finish or transfer. Overall
financial education is a significant aspect in college success (Kezar & Yang, 2010; Reams-
Johnson & Delker; 2016).
The President’s Advisory Council on Financial Literacy defined financial literacy as an
individual’s ability to utilize knowledge and skills to effectively manage financial resources
“effectively for a lifetime of financial wellbeing” (Staroben et al, 2013; President’s Advisory
Council on Financial Literacy, 2008, p. 9). Financial education is described as the “process” by
which individuals “improve their understanding of financial products, services, and concepts”
(Staroben et al, 2013; Kezar & Yang, 2010, p. 15).
The type of college a student chooses to attend may be influenced by the amount of
financial awareness a student has. They are also more likely to be more consistent with their
financial decisions (Staroben et al, 2013; Paulsen & St. John). While in college, students
typically take their first financial actions independently, such as applying for loans, choosing a
financial lender, understanding interest rates and budgeting for living expenses and tuition
(Kezar & Yang, 2010).
Previous literature indicates that college students with little or no financial knowledge are
more likely to have issues with debt and may engage in behaviors that can affect their academic
life such as racking up credit card fees and bills (Lusardi & Tufano, 2009; Staroben et al; 2013).
These situations may force a student to need to spend more time working to pay off bills instead
of focusing on school. In some cases, financial debt may result in students dropping out of
college (Staroben et al, 2013).
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 32
The literature suggests that there is need for additional financial aid counseling,
especially for those students that attend low resource schools (Perna, 2008). While borrowing
money for student loans is commonplace, studies have shown that students have little knowledge
about student loan programs. While research has indicated that student loan borrowing is
influenced by culture, Menges and Leonhard (2016) indicate that student loan borrowing is
actually similar across demographic groups based off of their findings from three community
colleges. They indicate that financial literacy should be focused on the individual student and
their lifestyle (Menges & Leonhard, 2016). Their study involved an ethnically diverse group of
141 community college students at three Midwestern community colleges. The researchers used
the Stephenson Multi-Group Acculturation Scale (SMAS) to analyze acculturation, time
perspective and financial literacy and how it affects their willingness to borrow loans. They
found that there was no significant difference across groups in their willingness to borrow.
Overall, the students were only moderately willing to utilize student loans. Financial literacy
scores were low across all demographics. Their study found financial literacy to be low among
the community college population and support the idea that financial aid counselors should focus
on directing students in making prudent decisions in regards to financial aid to help plan for their
future (Menges & Leonhard, 2016).
Only five universities in the country offer full-service financial counseling to students
(Staroben et al, 2013; Tetreault, 2012). However, educational institutions have moved forward in
offering some type of financial literacy program (Reams-Johnson & Delker, 2016). Currently,
there is not a nationwide standard or widely available program for higher education institutions
(Reams-Johnson & Delker, 2016). Many colleges incorporate self-developed programs to
provide financial literacy to their students (Reams-Johnson & Delker, 2016). The Community
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 33
College of Baltimore County developed a financial literacy program, Money Matters, which they
incorporated into a required course, Academic Development (ACDV 101). They have seen a 5-
7% increase in student retention (Reams-Johnson & Delker, 2016).
McKinney et al (2015) conducted interviews with 12 community college students that
attended community college in Texas to understand how students measured the risks and rewards
of using federal loans for education. Findings indicated that loans had contributed to helping
them achieve academic success. However, the students interviewed had many misconceptions
about debt and loan management (McKinney et al, 2015).
TRIO Programs
The federally funded TRIO programs are an example of the type of programs that are
available to students and their families that offer college information to participants. TRIO
programs are federally funded to serve low-income individuals, first-generation college students
and students with disabilities (Department of Education n.d.). Recipients of TRIO programs are
institutions of higher education, public and private agencies and community-based organizations
that serve disadvantaged youth (Department of Education, n.d.). These programs offer phone
calls to parents to discuss student progress, advising sessions, newsletters, workshops and parent
advisory boards (Wartman & Savage, 2008). Kezar and Yang (2010) found that most TRIO
programs offer some sort of financial literacy education, normally offered to first-year college
students in the format of a workshop.
Type of Student Loans
To understand what is available for non-traditional community college students to
finance their education, a review of current federal loan programs is necessary. The U.S.
Department of Education offers two federal loan programs. The William D. Ford Federal Direct
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 34
Loan (Direct Loan) Program is the largest federal loan program, with the U.S. Department of
Education as the lender. There are four types of Direct Loans, also known as Stafford Loans,
within this program.
Direct subsidized loans are eligible to undergraduate students that demonstrate financial
need to assist in covering costs for post-secondary education at a college or career institution.
The Department of Education pays for the interest of this loan, provided that the student is in
school at least half time, for the first six months after the student leaves school and during the
time of loan deferment. The maximum annual award for this loan is $5,500. This is dependent on
grade level and dependency status.
Direct unsubsidized loans are eligible to undergraduate, graduate and professional
students. Students do not need to demonstrate financial need to utilize this loan. Students are
required to pay the interest during all periods of this loan. The maximum annual award is
$20,500 (less any subsidized amounts received for the same time period).
Direct PLUS loans are intended for graduate or professional students and the parents of
dependent undergraduate students to help pay for educational costs that are not covered by other
financial aid. The maximum annual amount for direct plus loans is the cost of attendance minus
any other financial aid that the student receives. Students are able to combine all eligible federal
student loans into a single loan with a single loan servicer under Direct Consolidation. (U.S.
Department of Education, 2017).
Direct Consolidation loans allow students to combine all eligible federal loans into a
single loan with a single loan servicer (U.S. Department of Education, 2017).
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 35
Loan Limits
The U.S. Department of Education’s financial aid website states that first time borrowers
on or after July 2, 2013 have a limit on the maximum period of time that they may receive Direct
Subsidized Loans, not allowing students to receive these loans for more than 150 percent of the
published length of the program. The maximum eligibility period is generally based on the
published length of the student’s current program. The time limit only applies to Direct
Subsidized loans. For students enrolled in a two-year program for an associate degree, the
maximum period for which they may receive Direct Subsidized Loans is three years. The
maximum eligibility period can change if the student changes to a program with a different
length of time. If the student received these loans for one program and then changed to another
program, the Direct Subsidized Loans they received for the earlier program will generally count
toward their new maximum eligibility period (U.S. Department of Education, 2017).
The student’s school determines the loan type and actual loan amount that they are
eligible to receive each academic year. There are annual loan limits on the amount for subsidized
and unsubsidized loans that they may be eligible to receive and there are aggregate loan limits on
the total amounts that they may borrow for undergraduate and graduate study. The limits on the
loan depend on the year they are in school and if they are a dependent or independent student.
Aggregate loan limits for Federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans are $57,500 for
undergraduates. However, no more than $23,000 of that amount may be in subsidized loans. For
graduate or professional students, the aggregate loan limit is $138,500, with no more than
$65,000 of the amount can be in subsidized loans. If the aggregate limit is reached, students are
not eligible to receive additional loans unless they make payments to bring the cost down. They
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 36
then are able to borrow the remaining amount of the aggregate limit (U.S. Department of
Education, 2017).
Federal Perkins Loan
The Federal Perkins Loan Program is a program for undergraduate and graduate students
with financial need. The school serves as the lender in this program. The maximum annual
award for undergraduate students is $5,500. Graduate and professional degree students may
borrow up to $8,000. The total lifetime limit may not exceed $27,500 for undergraduates and
$60,000 for graduate students. Amounts borrowed as an undergraduate student are included in
this amount for graduate students (U.S. Department of Education, 2017).
Student Loan Debt
Student loan debt is the most common form of increasing debt among Americans ages of
18-34 (Draut, 2009). There has been an increase in the need for students to take out loans due to
rising costs in education. The average comprehensive cost has increased by 4.4 percent each year
at a public four-year institution. In the last 25 years, annual national costs for full time tuition
including fees to attend a public two-year institution have gone up approximately 40% (Sullivan,
2010; U.S. Department of Education, National Center for Education Statistics, 2008).
Under the Stafford Loan program, a total of $35 billion has been borrowed by
undergraduates during the years of 2007-08 (The College Board, 2009; Wei and Scomsvold,
2011). A report by the U.S. Department of Education has shown that in 1989-90, 27% of
undergraduates had taken out a federal loan. In 2007-08, the number had risen to 46% (Wei &
Scomsvold, 2011). Between the years 2000 and 2010, the total borrowing amount for full time
undergraduate students increased by 56% (Wei & Horn, 2013). In 2000, 15% of first generation
college students in community college utilized loans. In 2012, the number of students increased
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 37
to 27% (Quinton, 2016). Two-year students who received an Associate’s degree that took out
student loans in 2008 increased by 11% from 2004. In the same year, (2008) there was only a
one percent increase of loans among students that graduated from a four-year institution with a
Bachelor’s degree (Canche, 2013; Steele & Baum, 2009).
Students in community college tend to be enrolled in college for a longer period of time.
Many nontraditional students attend as part time student as they are working or may have a
difficult time adjusting to the environment of being a student (Anderson, Alfonso & Sun, 2006;
Canche, 2014; Dougherty, 1994). Because of this, two-year students who have utilized loans
would be expected to have greater loan amounts than traditional four year students (Canche,
2014). Past studies have shown that students who enroll in for profit universities have the
highest rate of defaulting on student loans, while those students who attend two-year institutions
are close behind (Canche, 2013).
Forty percent of community college students have such low incomes that they do not
have the resources to pay for education (Menges & Leonhard, 2016). Of community college
students who earned their AA during the 2007-2008 year, 38% had taken on federal or private
student loan debt. Between 2003 -04 and 2007-08, median debt levels increased for students
earning an associate’s degree by 14%. Nationwide, 9% of community college students do not
have access to borrowing, as some community colleges have chosen to not make federal loans
available to protect students from future financial hardships (Menges & Leonhard, 2016;
McKinney et al, 2015).
While some community colleges may feel that they are protecting students by not giving
access to borrowing loans, there may also be unintended consequences. Students may be forced
to attend college part-time or work more than 20 hours per week in order to afford paying for
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 38
college (McKinney and Burridge, 2015; Project on Student Debt, 2009). Past studies suggest that
having to attend as a part-time student and log more hours of work may affect persistence and
the motivation to continue with their education (McKinney & Burridge, 2015; McKinney and
Novak 2013). Students may also be inclined to take out private loans or accumulate credit card
debt to pay for college. Both options are riskier with higher interest rates than federal student
loans (McKinney & Burridge, 2015). Reports by the Project on Student Debt (2008, 2009, 2011)
stated that community colleges that do not make federal loans available to their student’s puts
them at a disadvantage, hindering their chances for degree attainment (McKinney & Burridge,
2015). In response to this, the American Association of Community Colleges (2008) gave a
formal statement supporting an institution’s choice in not allowing access to federal loans,
stating that two-year institutions are structured so that borrowing should be a last resort and is
deemed unnecessary for most students (McKinney & Burridge, 2015).
Researchers McKinney and Burridge (2015) conducted a study to understand how federal
Stafford and the Perkins Loan programs impacted persistence among community college
students. The sample consisted of students who started at a two-year public institution during fall
of 2003. The study was a six-year investigation with findings that suggested that Hispanic
students were more averse to using loans than White or African American students. Pell Grant
recipients (those with qualified based on lower income) had a higher possibility of dropping out
after the third and sixth year, compared to students who did not receive a Pell Grant. The
researchers also found that students who enrolled part-time during the first year of school were
more likely to drop out than those students who attended full-time. Students who borrowed
federal loans during their first year of enrollment had a higher chance of eventually dropping out
than those who did not borrow (McKinney & Burridge, 2015).
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 39
Defaulting on Loans
Community college borrowers have become overrepresented among loan defaulters who
drop out of school without having earned a degree (Dynarski, 2015; Gladieux & Perna, 2005;
Menges & Leonhard, 2016). Only students who borrow to attend for profit institutions default on
loans at higher rates than community college students (McKinney et al, 2015; Nguyen, 2012).
The national default rate is 20.6 %, three years after community college students enter
repayment (Fain, 2015). Nearly 31% defaulted within 15 years of entering repayment (Field &
Brainard, 2010; McKinney et al, 2015).
A report by the Association of Community College Trustees written, by researchers
Campbell and Hillman, found that in looking at the 16 community colleges in Iowa, students
who borrow the least are the most likely to default (Campbell & Hillman, 2015; Fain, 2015). As
these students come from backgrounds of financial hardship, not being able to rely on family or
financial networks, a few thousand dollars can become a severe debt issue (McKinney et al,
2015). The report compared its findings to students who attend four-year universities. While
students at traditional four-year colleges take out more money, they also tend to find jobs after
graduation that allow them to earn more money. Student loan defaults fall upon those students
who did not complete their degree as a result of being in a two-year program and having to take
out a smaller amount of money. It is mainly students who take a small amount of debt, and fail to
complete a degree, who face a higher risk of defaulting (Fain, 2015).
The report indicated that nearly half of the defaulters in their sample had borrowed less
than $5,000. Most of the students in the study had borrowed less than $10,000, but it was
students who had taken out less than $5,000 that had a higher default rate of 32% compared to
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 40
27% who were in the $5,000 to $9,999 range of borrowing (Fain, 2015; Quinton, 2016). This is
shown in figure 1.
Figure 1. Source: higheredchronicle.com
The report also indicated that almost 90% of the students who had defaulted did not
complete a degree or certificate (Fain, 2015). A study compared the default rate at Old Dominion
University in southeast Virginia, a four university, to a nearby community college, Tidewater
Community College. The results indicated that the average graduate at Old Dominion University
left school owing around $23,900. Seven percent of those students defaulted on their federal
loans within three years. The average graduate at Tidewater Community College had around
$10,250 in loans and twice as many graduates defaulted in the same time span of three years
(Quinton, 2016). This same study found that student loans can create downward spiral effect on
community college borrowers. If students are unable to pay their debt, that leads to defaulting on
their loans, leading to incurring fees from loan servicers, damaged credit scores and eventually
garnishment of wages or government benefits. Quinton (2016) also noted that in some states,
people may lose their professional licenses or driver’s licenses because of defaulting on their
student loans.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 41
Many factors determine if an individual’s ability to repay their loans, particularly the type
of job they hold and the earnings that they receive from that job. If a student has not completed
her or his education and has not earned a degree, it makes it more difficult to procure a job that
would allow help pay off student loan debt. Students who drop out do not get to experience the
financial payoff of acquiring a higher credential (Quinton, 2016; Dynarski, 2015). At community
colleges, graduation rates are typically lower. According to the National Student Clearinghouse
Research Center, in 2009, 38% of students who entered public two-year institutions graduated, or
transferred to complete a four-year degree. This is lower than the 61% of students who began at a
four-year college and completed with a four year degree (Quinton, 2016).
Theoretical Framework
To understand the effects of borrowing on current and former non-traditional community
college students, a theoretical framework will be utilized to frame this study. Bourdieu’s (1986)
social and cultural capital theory will serve as the theoretical lens to interpret the impact and
implications of federal loan borrowing on student motivation. Many challenges faced by
students in community college may be a result of the student’s lack of cultural and social capital
(Brown, 2013; Wartman & Savage, 2008). Social and cultural capital theory will be used to
understand the impact of financial literacy programs and the non-traditional student background
to gain a better awareness of how institutions may better serve this population.
B ou r d ieu’s Forms of Capital
Pierre Bourdieu (1986) presented three types of capital: cultural, social and economic in
relating class and education (Kim & Kim, 2009). Each form is significant as they may increase
an individual’s status, wealth and power. Economic capital may be immediately and directly
convertible into money. Social and cultural capital stem from economic capital, which represents
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 42
resources that are directed towards currency (Bourdieu, 2002; Patton et al, 2016). An
individual’s social connections and experiences affect their place in the world (Patton et al,
2016). Education has been viewed as a form of class stratification (Dowd, 2007). Cultural and
social capital is used to explain the mechanisms and structure of the education experience of a
community college student needing to acquire loans to finance their education and navigate their
way towards completion or transfer.
Cultural Capital
Cultural capital includes three forms: the embodied state, which includes inherited and
acquired properties. It is acquired over time, part of the individual’s way of thinking. The
objectified state is the form of cultural goods such as books, machines, etc. The institutionalized
state can be comprised of an individual’s academic credentials or professional qualifications
(Bourdieu, 1986; Kim & Kim, 2009). Cultural capital is where the individual may have cultural
knowledge that can improve their position in society (Joppke, 1986; Patton et al, 2016). How
capital is accessed is based on what has been acquired by the individual and their social class.
This may shape their decision towards higher education, impacting a student’s choice to attend a
two-year community college as opposed to a four year university. Cultural capital is what was
accumulated from one’s experiences growing up and given to them by their parents (Perna,
2000). A lack of cultural capital may result in an individual to lower their educational aspirations
or select to not enroll in higher education as they do not know about particular culture norms.
They may also feel the need to over perform to compensate for what they believe they are
missing in cultural resources (Perna, 2000).
Many community college students identify as low income, first generation adult learners.
In 2012-12, 36% of dependent students were first generation students (NPSAS, 2014; Ma &
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 43
Baum, 2016). First generation college students tend to be at a disadvantage in regard to having
knowledge about higher education and the process for applying. Students are unfamiliar with the
process of applying, the internal processes and the challenges that are associated to the process of
registration, financial aid, and what courses to take for a specific degree or certificate program.
Social capital. Social capital may take on the form of sharing information and networks
including values and social norms. Social capital communicates the norms and social controls
that are needed for postsecondary education attainment (Rowan-Kenyon et al, 2008). While there
are administrative staff and faculty members at community colleges who assist students with
these procedures, students are still challenged and may lose their drive to stay in college (Brown,
2013).
In looking at characteristics for community college transfer students, Staroben et al
(2013) found that they were less likely to have social capital compared to students who enrolled
in four-year institutions right after high school, as they are more likely to be academically and
financially at risk.
Social capital consists of the resources individuals possess to form and maintain networks
or participate and build relationships as members of a given social group. Examples of social
capital include the family to which one belongs, or an affiliation with a particular school. The
value of social capital depends upon the reach of one’s network and the capacity of individuals to
use membership to accrue greater rewards and resources (Patton, 2016). In a collegiate setting,
networks might include legacy students who have a long generational line of family who
previously attended and Ivy League institution. Another network might be a sorority or fraternity
on campus that benefits from alumni giving. Social capital is determined by one’s level of
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 44
connection, “material or symbolic” with other and the amount of resources that can be accrued
through the relationship (Dika & Singh, 2002, p. 33; Patton, 2016; Sobel, 2002).
Figure 2. Conceptual Framework.
This qualitative study explored the decision making process of federal student loan
borrowing on current and former non-traditional community college students and why they
borrow. The study was conducted at a community college located in Southern California.
Interviews with non-traditional community college students that have utilized federal student
loans to finance their education will shed light on their educational process, perspective loan
borrowing experience.
Conclusion
The literature presented has shown the continuous rise of higher education costs and the
impact it has on students that attend community colleges. While community colleges promote
access, and offer a less expensive route for students, the full cost of attending a two-year
institution still stands as a financial burden. Most community college students tend to be at a
disadvantage in comparison to four-year university students in that they are from lower income
backgrounds, lack social and cultural capital, cannot attend school full time and may not have
direct access to career, educational or financial guidance (Menges & Leonhard, 2016). As a
•Financial
Background
•Life circumstance
Community
College Student
•Knowledge base
•Decison making
Social and
Cultural Capital
•Federal loans
•Financial Aid
Loan Borrowing
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 45
result, many students drop out before obtaining their degree or transferring to a four-year college
(Cofer & Somers, 2000; Dowd & Coury, 2006; Menges & Leonhard, 2016; Paulsen & St. John,
2002; St. John, 1991).
While there is a significant amount of literature in regard to student loan borrowing and
its impact on traditional four year university students, there was little found on two year
community college students that borrowed, particularly non-traditional students. This serves as a
unique group as they come from differing life experiences that result in a challenging higher
educational experience. Education perspective of the students themselves in respect to loan
borrowing will be analyzed in this study, with focus on why they borrow and the process they
went through to borrow. By looking at their unique characteristics, this study draws a compelling
reason as to why federal loan borrowing among these students must be examined. Chapter Three
will discuss the methodology used for this qualitative study.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 46
CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY
The purpose of this chapter is to understand the thought process towards deciding to take
out federal loans and student level of knowledge in the loan process. I will begin with the
research questions that frame the study and review the research and design methods including
qualitative methods of study, instrumentation and data collection process. Lastly, I will address
how the data will be analyzed and my role as the researcher.
Research Questions
Research questions serve to reflect the researcher’s thinking on the most important and
significant factors of the study (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016). The first question addresses the
knowledge level a non-traditional student may have towards the loan borrowing process and asks
what resources if any, were made available. The second question addresses the factors that may
have influences their decision to borrow, whether it be financial factors, or from information
given that may affect perspective towards loan borrowing.
1. What level of knowledge do non-traditional community college students have about
federal loan borrowing?
a. Has the community college helped with federal loan borrowing information? If yes,
how?
2. What factors influences a non-traditional community college student to borrow federal
loans?
Research Design and Methods
Many factors may influence a current and former non-traditional community college
students need to utilize federal loans to pay for tuition and how this affects their perception and
ability to succeed in higher education. As part of the scope to understanding these factors, this
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 47
qualitative case study is comprised of interviewing as the primary method. Using a qualitative
method of study allows the researcher to focus on specific situations and people (Maxwell,
2013). There is an emphasis on description that helps to understand the meaning of the
situations, events and experiences of the participants in the study (Maxwell, 2013). Qualitative
study lets the researcher see the meaning participants have constructed and how they make sense
of their world and experiences in it (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016). The process is inductive,
allowing the researcher to gather data and build theories, concepts and hypotheses (Merriam &
Tisdale, 2016).
Interviewing gives access to the perception and views of others (Weiss, 1994). In
interviewing and asking questions, the researcher is able to take on the role of the “other” so that
they may better understand the situation, event or problem from the participant’s perspective
(Corbin & Strauss, 2008). In using this form of research, we are able to better understand the
participant’s perspective (Patton, 2002).
Site Selection
The study was conducted at a community college in Southern California under the
pseudonym of Valley Community College (VCC). VCC was founded in 1929. The institution
prides itself in providing quality, education for a wide variety of students and is accredited by the
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges/Western Association of Schools of
Colleges (ACCJC/WASC) (Institutional Website, May 2016).
Enrollment at VCC grew after the end of World War II, in part due to the GI Bill that
provided veterans with opportunities to higher education. The growth in enrollment was also due
to the growth of the aircraft industry which is currently housed in the region of this institution.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 48
As a result, the college launched its first vocational programs, preparing students for jobs in the
aircraft industry (Institutional Website, May 2016).
The cost of attending VCC is $46 per unit, per semester. The estimated cost of college
expenses including enrollment fee, books, supplies, food, housing and transportation range from
$6,696 to $15,079 (NCES, 2017). The lower cost reflects a student living at home with parents,
while the $15,079 cost reflects independent student living costs.
Quinton (2016) reported that in 2016, 27% of community college students borrowed
federal loans nationwide. VCC holds one of the largest populations of students in California that
borrow federal loans, at 11%. Furthermore, 37% of students enrolled at VCC are non-traditional
students (NCES, 2017). These factors contributed to making VCC an ideal site for this study.
Programs
VCC offers an Associate Degrees for Transfer program to a California State University.
The program includes an Associate in Arts (AA-T) or an Associate in Science (AS-T) degree.
The degrees are meant to provide a pathway towards transferring to a California State
University.
Students may also enroll in the Law Scholars program which is designed to prepare
students for admission to a law school in California. The program offers financial aid counseling,
academic advising, LSAT prep and information about the legal profession (Institutional Website,
May 2016). Participating law schools are the University of Southern California, University of
San Francisco, UC David, UC Irvine, Santa Clara University and Loyola Marymount University.
Population and Sample
The total undergraduate enrollment for fall 2015 was 14,399. The number of students
who attended part-time was 10,328 while the number of students who attended full-time was
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 49
4,071. In the student population, 9,000 were traditionally aged, 18-24. The number of students 25
and older years was around 5,300. There was a large Latino/Hispanic population of 7,000
students, followed by approximately 3,000 White students, 2,500 Black/African American
students, 700 students who identified as two or more races and 400 Asian students.
For the 2014-15 school year, the overall number of full-time students who graduated
within the 150% of normal time completion is 4,100 students with the overall transfer rate of full
time students at 1,295 students (NCES, 2017). In the 2014-15 school year, 10,367 of full-time
students continued to the second year and 7,343 of part-time students continued. The number of
certificates awarded that fall below a bachelor’s degree was 725 and the total of Associate’s
degrees awarded was 1,468 for the 2014-15 school year (NCES, 2017).
VCC participates in Title IV federal financial aid programs. In 2015, 11,375 of students
received a grant or scholarship with the average amount of aid received at $3,000. The number of
students that received Pell grants was 7,400, and the average amount of aid received was $3,000.
The percentage of students utilizing Federal student loans was 1,584, with the average loan
amount at $4,000 (NCES, 2017).
Sample
The unit of analysis for this study was 10 participants at VCC who identified as a current
or former non-traditional community college student that utilizes/utilized federal student loans.
This qualitative study focused in depth on a smaller sample (Patton, 1990). Having in depth
information from a small sample served to deliver valuable information which is richer in
content (Patton, 1990).
In utilizing purposeful sampling, the researcher could understand and gain insight from a
sample from which the most may be learned (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016). In having a purposive
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 50
sample, a deeper understanding may be gained to offer a more personal point of view from the
participants. A smaller group of students serves as a reflection of the larger population of student
borrowers at this community college. Purposive sampling assisted in increasing validity
(Merriam & Tisdale, 2016; Patton, 2015). The criteria for selection included students that met
the characteristics of a current or former non-traditional student who has borrowed federal loans.
The criteria included being above the age of 24, attends as a part-time student, is financially
independent and have dependents such as a spouse or children. In having a broad set of criteria,
the study’s participants were of a demographically diverse background.
As the group of participants stemmed from a small population of students in community
colleges, I asked for assistance from the Financial Aid and Scholarship office as well as the
Information and Welcome Center at VCC. In having a specific point of contact, the researcher
could reach a broader range of participants. I reached out to offices via email communication to
ask for help in recruiting current and former non-traditional students who have borrowed federal
loans. The email introduced the researcher’s role in the study and provided details about the
study and the level of participation needed. The email included a link to a pre-survey to gather
demographic information about prospective participants and invited them to participate in an
interview. I also posted fliers, solicited assistance from faculty in announcing the study in their
classes, and asked participants to recommend other students or former students for the study
(snowball sampling) to increase participation in the study.
Instrumentation/Source of Evidence
Tools used to collect data included a pre- survey and interview. The pre-survey served to
determine eligibility for study participation as well as gather data. The pre-survey consisted of
questions that asked the participant to list how they identified as a non-traditional student.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 51
Participants were asked what their current goals were, if they planned on completing with a two-
year degree, certificate or intended to transfer to a four-year institution, or if they already had.
The questions then continued to ask how they were financing their education and to indicate any
loans that they utilized. Participants were asked to fill out the pre-survey prior to the interview.
Interviewing is a necessary process of data gathering when behavior, feelings, or how
people interpret their surroundings cannot be observed (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016; Weiss, 1994).
It allows the researcher to “enter into the other person’s perspective” (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016,
p.108). In conducting the interviews for this study, I used the standardized, open ended method
(Patton, 2002). Having a standardized set of questions in advance helped guide the structure of
the interview keeping the research questions in mind. Questions and the order they were asked
were determined ahead of time (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016). Interview questions were designed
around the research questions regarding the participant’s current or past experience with federal
loan borrowing. Participants were asked to reflect on their experiences and their current
perspectives of higher education. In allowing the questions to be open ended, this allowed the
participant to answer each question in a manner that let them speak freely and allow the
interviewer to pick up on specific probe or follow up questions. Interviews were conducted
person to person. Structuring the interview questions in this manner also served to make data
analysis easier as it is possible to locate each participant’s answer to the same question quickly
and helped to organize questions and answers that are similar (Patton, 2002). This is helpful in a
study as it supports novice interviewers and ensures that time allotted is used efficiently (Patton,
2002; Merriam, 2009).
Interviews were recorded on two devices, a cell phone recorder and a separate recording
device. This practice of recording ensured that everything that was said could be preserved for
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 52
analysis (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016). Notes were taken so that I could write down anything that
stood out and comment on later or during the interview. After the interviews were complete, the
recordings were transcribed verbatim. Use of a transcription service allowed me to spend more
time analyzing the data and less time transcribing. This also is recommended for novice
interviewers (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016).
Participants were asked to review their transcript from the interview and to confirm the
accuracy on answers given via a member checking email. They were given the opportunity to
reflect and offer any additional thoughts or comments on the findings (Creswell, 2014).
Data Collection
The interviews were conducted on a case-by-case basis that was most convenient for the
respondent. Some interviews were held on campus in a quiet space or via telephone if the
participant was not able to meet in person. Once IRB approval was received, I reached out to an
administrator at VCC to enlist help in sending out a pre-survey to VCC students. Fliers were
distributed on campus as well as the enlistment of faculty assistance in making announcements
during class. The pre-survey listed specific criteria for the study asking for participants who were
current or former non-traditional students. The pre-survey also indicated that participants chosen
for the study would be compensated for their time with a $20 Amazon.com gift card.
Once responses were received, I chose 10 participants using the following criteria: over
the age of 24, dependent and attends school part-time or full-time, may hold a full-time or part-
time job, and is financially independent and have utilized or are utilizing federal loans to pay for
their education or living expenses. I contacted them via email to set up a meeting time and
location. I completed this over a two-week period. Participants were given an interview protocol
that stated that all information would be held confidential and that participation was voluntary.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 53
At any time, the participant may stop the interview if they felt uncomfortable or chose to not
answer any of the questions. Also included in the protocol was brief information regarding my
role as the interviewer, the purpose of the study with research questions and a confidentially
clause. As I recorded the interview on two devices, a cell phone recorder and another portable
recording device, participants were asked for permission to be recorded and were asked to
confirm permission by verbal agreement and review of the Information Sheet.
Participant’s information has been kept confidential. Pseudonyms were used in place of
their real names. This will serve to protect the anonymity of the participant (Creswell, 2014).
Data from the interviews were kept secure by being stored in a personal file cabinet in my home
office where only I have access to. This included any notes that were written during the
interview process. The recording device was kept in the file cabinet as well. To access the
recording on my cell phone, a personal password must be used that only I have access to.
Data Analysis
Data analysis took place concurrently with the data collection and interviewing process.
In analyzing interview and observation data, it is important to analyze soon after the interview or
observation is completed (Creswell, 2014; Maxwell, 2013). This allowed me to listen and pick
up items that I may have missed or did not notice during the time of the interview (Maxwell,
2013). Simultaneous analysis helped to recognize if there was a question that needed to be
followed up on. Incorporating constant analysis helped focus or narrow the study (Merriam &
Tisdale, 2016).
Once interviews were complete, I sent them to be transcribed by a transcription service. I
also analyzed notes that were taken along with each recorded interview. Phenomenological
research incorporates the analysis of significant statements, which was used in creating and
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 54
naming categories (Creswell, 2014). I utilized the constant comparative method and used coding
to categorize topics or themes that emerged from the data that seemed most important (Lichtman,
2013; Maxwell, 2013; Merriam & Tisdale, 2016). The constant comparative method “consists of
categories, properties, and hypothesis” that link information together (Merriam & Tisdale, 2016,
p. 228).
The coding process began with open coding to develop categories and names (Corbin &
Strauss, 2007; Lichtman, 2013). The segments were labeled and grouped by category. The
categories were compared and examined (Maxwell, 2013). The second step was axial coding,
relating the initial codes to one another, moving from open codes and relating initial codes to one
another (Lichtman, 2013). Lastly, selective coding was applied, where specific codes were
chosen to represent the key concepts, telling a “story” from the categories (Creswell, 2014, p.
196; Lichtman. 2013).
Validity
In ensuring validity, it is important for the researcher to present data and findings that are
plausible, questioning if the data is believable and accurate (Lincoln & Guba, 1985). I utilized a
pre-survey and interview to collect data. For the purposes of member checking an email was sent
to each participant with the interview transcription. They were asked to respond with any
additional thoughts or changes. The pre-survey served to gather data as well as help in the
purposive sampling process. As multiple participants were chosen at random through the pre-
survey, I had a varying representation of sources to add validity to the study. I recorded the
interviews and took detailed notes during the interview. Following the interviews, I reflected on
the process to reduce any biases that I may have had going into the study.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 55
Member checking was utilized to determine the accuracy of findings in the data (Creswell,
2014). I solicited feedback from the participants interviewed; asking that they review the notes
from the interview to confirm that what was noted was their intention (Maxwell, 2013). This
procedure was completed by sending the participant the transcription from the interview via
email where they were be given three to five days to look over the data and confirm their
responses in the transcript (Creswell, 2014).
Role of Researcher
My role of the researcher is to understand the effects of federal loan borrowing on current
or former non-traditional community college students. This understanding was gained through
data collection of interviews of current and former students who met those criteria. I currently
work for an organization that promotes financial literacy and offers educational and financial
information such as student loan borrowing. However, this is a topic that I knew little about in
regard to community college students. I am learning about this topic through reading literature
and research on loan borrowing and the community college landscape.
Biases that I brought to the study is the feeling that community college loan borrowing
does not serve students well and hinders their chance of completion or transfer. From reading
past literature that indicates that even the smallest amount of loan borrowing may hurt a
student’s chances of successful completion of a degree or transfer to a four-year institution sits as
a strong bias. I understood that I must approach the research process in an unbiased manner and
constantly reflect on my findings and my thoughts to keep my biases in mind and to be aware of
them.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 56
Conclusion
This chapter presented the methodology process, describing the site for research, sample
and population, data collection and analysis for this qualitative study. In Chapter Four, I will
present the data that I have collected and discuss the findings for this study.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 57
CHAPTER FOUR: PRESENTATION OF DATA AND FINDINGS
This chapter presents the data results from interviews with current and former non-
traditional community college students that borrowed federal loans while attending Valley
Community College (VCC). A review of the study’s purpose and research questions will be
provided. A brief profile of each participant is presented, which provides information on the
participant’s experience and perception with loan borrowing and educational goals. This chapter
is then organized by the emerging themes from the data. The themes are: (1) lack of loan
knowledge (2) loans utilized to cover living expenses (3) loans necessary to complete
educational goals (4) education is important. The research questions that guided this study are:
1. What level of knowledge do non-traditional community college students have about
federal loan borrowing?
a. Has the community college helped with federal loan borrowing information? If yes,
how?
2. What factors influences a non-traditional community college student to borrow federal
loans?
Summary of Participants
Ten participants (six current students and four former students who graduated within the
past five years) participated in the study. To maintain confidentiality, participants were given
pseudonyms from the researcher: Jane, Sarah, Bob, Nancy, Stephanie, David, Betty, Amy,
Jenny, and Emily. Participants were selected based off the specific criteria of having to have
borrowed or are borrowing federal loans, while attended/attending VCC as a non-traditional
student. To meet the criteria of a non-traditional student, participants must have identified with
one or more of the following:
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 58
- Over the age of 24
- Have a dependent such as a spouse or child
- Work part-time or full-time
- Attend school part-time or full-time and is financially independent
As part of the study, participants were asked to complete an electronic pre-survey which was
emailed to them. The pre-survey captured data that ensured each participant’s eligibility to
participate in the study. Data capturing information on how the participant identified as a non-
traditional student, types of loans borrowed and amount if known, level of knowledge of loan
process, what loans are being used for, and comfort level of having to pay off loans were
collected prior to the initial interview. Table 1 reflects some of the data that was collected,
depicting how they identified as a non-traditional student and loan information.
Table 1
Participant Overview
Name Identify
as a non-
traditio-
nal
student
Financial
aid
options
applied
for
Type of loans
borrowed/
borrowing
Do you
know
how
much
you owe?
If yes,
how
much
What
were/
are
loans
used
for?
Education-
al goal
Jane Over the
age of 24,
have a
spouse
and child,
work full
time
Did not
apply
Direct subsidized and
Direct unsubsidized
loans
$60,000 Tuition Ma ster ’s
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 59
Table 1, continued
Name Identify
as a non-
traditio-
nal
student
Financial
aid
options
applied
for
Type of loans
borrowed/
borrowing
Do you
know
how
much
you owe?
If yes,
how
much
What
were/
are
loans
used
for?
Education-
al goal
Sarah Over the
age of 24,
work
part-time
Cal Grant,
BOG
waiver,
Pell Grant
Direct subsidized and
Direct un-subsidized
loans
$26,000 Tuition,
books
and
supplies,
living
costs
Obtain AA
degree and
transfer to
a university
Nancy Over the
age of 24,
work
part-time,
have
children
Cal Grant,
BOG
waiver,
Pell Grant
Direct un-subsidized
loans
$3,500 Tuition,
books,
supplies
Transfer to
a university
(PhD)
Stephanie Over the
age of 24,
have a
child,
work
part-time
Did not
apply
Direct subsidized
loans and Direct
unsubsidized loans
$15,000 Tuition Obtain AA
degree,
transfer to
a university
Betty Over the
age of 24,
have a
child,
work
part-time
Cal Grant,
BOG
waiver,
Pell
Grant,
Calworks,
TANF
Direct subsidized
loans and Direct
unsubsidized loans
$5,141 Books,
supplies,
living
expense
Transfer to
a university
Amy Over the
age of 24,
have a
spouse,
have a
child,
work
part-time
Cal Grant,
BOG
waiver,
Pell
Grant,
Calworks,
TANF
Did not indicate Do not
know
Living
expense
Transfer to
a university
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 60
Table 1, continued
Name Identify
as a non-
traditio-
nal
student
Financial
aid
options
applied
for
Type of loans
borrowed/
borrowing
Do you
know
how
much
you owe?
If yes,
how
much
What
were/
are
loans
used
for?
Education-
al goal
Jenny Over the
age of 24,
have a
spouse,
have a
child,
work
part-time
Pell Grant Direct subsidized
loans, Direct un-
subsidized loans,
Direct PLUS loans
$110,000 Tuition Second AA
degree,
Graduate
school
Emily Have a
child,
work
full-time
Cal Grant,
BOG
waiver,
Pell
Grant,
Calworks,
TANF
Direct subsidized
loans and Direct
unsubsidized loans
$30,000 Tuition Finish
ba c he lor ’s
and beyond
David Over the
age of 24,
have a
spouse,
have a
child,
work
full-time
Cal Grant,
BOG
Waiver,
Pell Grant
Direct subsidized
loans and Direct
unsubsidized loans
Do not
know
how
much is
owed
Tuition,
books
and
supplies
Transfer to
a
university,
Ma ster ’s
degree
Bob Over the
age of 24
BOG
Waiver
Direct subsidized
loans and Direct
unsubsidized loans
$100,000 Tuition,
living
expense
Ma ster ’s
degree
Table 2 depicts participant responses in regards to seeking loan knowledge, if they felt it
was helpful, how they felt about taking out loans, and if they felt loans are a worthwhile
investment.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 61
Table 2
Participant Responses
Name Have you ever met
with a financial
adviser/counselor?
If so,
was it
helpful?
Do you feel
you have a
good
understanding
of how the
loan process
works?
Do
you
feel
that
you
will be
able to
pay
off
your
loans?
Do you
feel
stressed
about
having
to use
loans?
Do you feel
that going
to college is
a
worthwhile
investment?
Jane Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Sarah Yes No Yes No Yes Yes
Nancy Yes Yes Yes Yes No Yes
Stephanie Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Betty No n/a No No Yes Yes
Amy No n/a Yes No Yes Yes
Jenny Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Emily No n/a Yes No Yes Yes
David Yes Yes Yes No Yes Yes
Bob No n/a Yes No Yes Yes
Once participants filled out the electronic survey, they were contacted to schedule a 45
minute to one hour in person or phone interview via email. Through the interviewing process,
commonalities were found among the participants. All participants expressed the need to take out
loans to help pay for education. All expressed that they came from lower socioeconomic
backgrounds with no financial assistance from family.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 62
Out of the ten participants, all but three identified as first-generation college students. All
participants also expressed a desire of completing with a Master’s degree or higher. Seven out of
the ten participants supported children. Of those seven, three are single parents. All participants
were over the age of 24. Two participants had served in the military before pursuing post-
secondary education at VCC, while the remaining eight had begun working immediately out of
high school before returning to school.
After completing the interview, participants were emailed the transcript asking that they
look over their answers. They were encouraged to reply with additional comments or to change
answers that they would not want reflected in the study. All participants replied with a quick
response stating that their transcripts were fine as they were, except for one participant who
corrected their grammar in a few responses.
Participant Profiles
Stephanie is a currently enrolled student at VCC. She is studying for her second
Associate’s degree in Nursing. Her goal is to go on to complete her Master’s degree. Her mother
has a Bachelor’s degree and has instilled the importance of higher education.
Sarah grew up in a household where education was an important goal even though neither
of her parents went to school beyond high school. Sarah had the grades to go directly to a four-
year institution out of high school, but due to life circumstances could not. After some time had
passed, she enrolled in community college at VCC. Sarah’s goal is to get a doctorate degree.
Sarah already has two Associate degrees from VCC and received a bachelor’s degree from
California State, Los Angeles. Like Stephanie, Sarah has come back to VCC for an additional
Associate’s degree feeling that it will help her be a better candidate for graduate programs. She is
currently studying Spanish. Her goal is to go into either medicine or education.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 63
Amy is a current student at VCC who is attending part-time and plans to transfer to a
four-year university in the fall of 2018. She previously worked at a fast food restaurant.
Realizing that she would not be able to move up motivated her to go back to school. She attends
class on campus and online.
David is one of two males that make up the ten participants. He is an alumnus and current
student at California State University, Northridge with goals of getting his Master’s in
Mechanical Engineering. He is a recent transfer student from VCC pursuing his Bachelor’s
degree. David is married and has a child.
Nancy is a current student and past bank manager whose goal is to transfer to a four-year
university and then go on to get her Doctorate in English. She is a mother of eight children who
range in their late teens to early twenties. She is adamant about the importance of education and
sees it as an opportunity that can open many doors and stresses its importance on her children.
“They knew they had three choices, they could either get a good job, go in the military, or go to
college.” Nancy said that getting her degree is her “dream.”
Emily is a current student and employee at VCC. She works in the scholarship
department. She is a single mother of six children and survivor of domestic violence. Before
going back to school, she supported her family off of welfare and the CalWorks program. An
administrator in the CalWorks program encouraged her to go back to school. Her goal is to
transfer to a four-year university and continue on to get her Master’s degree.
Betty is a current student who plans to transfer to a four-year university, California State
University, Bakersfield and hopes to continue on to get her master’s degree at USC. She also is
employed at VCC as a first-year mentor. She wants to become a school counselor at a
community college to help assist students. Her motivation of pursuing higher education comes
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 64
from wanting to set a good example for her nine-year-old. She believes that education can lead to
providing a better life for him.
Bob is an alumnus of VCC who is currently pursuing his Master’s degree at California
State University, Bakersfield. He explained that his educational journey had been a long one. He
began attending VCC in 2005 and spent many years there before later transferring to California
State University, Northridge. He did not perform well at Northridge and came close to dropping
out. He is now at California State University, Bakersfield where he is performing much better.
He shared that the long process is due to having a disability of being blind in one eye. His plan is
to max out his loans and then apply through the Department of Rehabilitation. Bob’s goal is to
become a math professor at a community college.
Jane is also an alumnus like Bob and currently works in the Alumni department at VCC.
She is studying for her Master’s degree currently at the University of Redlands. Jane has one
daughter in elementary school and is married.
Jenny is an alumnus who attended VCC after serving five years in the military sharing
that she felt discouraged from going to college from her mother. After attending VCC, she
moved to Nevada and attended the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She became pregnant with
her son and put school on hold. Eventually, she enrolled in the University of Phoenix and took
online classes. She took out loans at all institutions attended. Jenny is currently a stay at home
mom.
Emerging Themes
The findings from the analysis of data are discussed in the following paragraphs.
Participants were informed of the study by an email that was sent out by an administrator in the
marketing office as well as class announcements from VCC faculty. Responses were slow at
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 65
first, but peer referral helped to bring in more interested participants. All participants were open
and willing to share their experiences with loan borrowing. The data was captured through an in-
depth interview that lasted an average of 45 minutes. After the interview, participants were sent a
transcript of the interview to review. They were asked to reflect on the interview and share any
additional insight. Participants were also asked to validate the interview transcription and to
confirm if the dialogue captured their true thoughts or if they may want to change or omit
anything.
In exploring the level of federal loan borrowing knowledge non-traditional community
college students have, participants were asked if they utilized any resources that VCC offered
and what that process was like. Their experiences varied. While many expressed not feeling
completely confidant with the process, two participants stated that they felt that their experiences
were positive and that they were provided with more than enough information to fully
understand the loan process. These participants also indicated that they needed to take it upon
themselves to be proactive in gathering information and understanding how the process works.
Participants were also asked what specifically the loans were being used for. All participants
expressed that the loans were being used to help pay for tuition and living expenses, which
varied from paying rent, supporting dependents and paying for transportation to and from school.
All participants also expressed that they felt they could not continue their education without the
use of federal loans or financial aid. All participants except for one, Nancy, stated that they were
stressed about paying their loans back. Nancy answered that she was not worried as she was
working towards her dream and “will worry about paying the rest of it back later.”
Emily expressed that she was glad the researcher was conducting this study and shared
that she believed,
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 66
More thought needs to be given to the students and to financial aid… that students are
aware, more informed and directed in the beginning of their education, so when they get
to their four-year institution they’re not carrying with them thousands…in financial loans
like I am and many other students are.
As stated earlier, the themes that emerged from the data are: (1) lack of loan knowledge
(2) loans utilized to cover living expenses (3) loans necessary to complete educational goals (4)
education is important.
Theme 1: Lack of Loan Knowledge
Several participants expressed that they did not have a lot of prior knowledge about the
process of loan borrowing or financial aid in general. They also expressed that they had to take it
upon themselves to learn what information was out there and how to access it.
I didn’t know about it (financial aid) ‘til like my third year already, that I could get a
BOG waiver, and I could waive my classes, which helped out a lot because you only had
to pay $1, I believe for the health. [Amy]
I didn’t know about loans or financial aid. When I heard about loans, I always thought,
‘well gosh, I’m just young. I can’t even get approved for a home loan, how am I gonna
get approved?’ I didn’t realize how easy it was. [Jane]
I don’t feel like I know everything there is to know about loan borrowing and financial
aid but I know a lot more than I did when I started. I was just given the name of the
different types of loans, the different types of grants, I was given a paper that was
supposed to explain every single type was loans and grants. But there was so much jargon
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 67
in it I did not understand it…I was pretty smart and I did not understand this paper and
the counselor didn’t really sit there and explain it to me, they just kind of said ‘okay, well
how much do you need, are you willing to work study?’ [Sarah]
When asked how the loan process was for Emily she stated that she was not well informed when
meeting with counselors saying that they pushed for her to take out loans.
They didn’t seem worried about it. So, not knowing, I didn’t seem worried. I thought,
‘easy enough. It’s pretty easy to obtain’ which it was…And when it’s that easy you don’t
really give it much thought because you worry about ‘I’ll pay it later’…it was brushed
over, so I didn’t really give it a lot of thought.
Emily was the only participant who shared this perspective of having loans encouraged
by VCC counselors and advisers.
Especially if you come from a background where finances aren’t really discussed and
you’re not really taught how to budget, how to save, how to set goals. You throw
somebody like me in that and you give them money, and not that it wasn’t a good idea. I
just wasn’t as informed and maybe should have thought twice about taking out as much
as I did. [Emily]
In addition to these experiences, Emily offered what she would have liked to have had during the
loan process.
I would have liked to have seen the same person consistently, someone that had more of
an investment in me…I think more focus should be placed on financial aid where I think
more students should be encouraged to apply for scholarships rather than loans, because I
think at the junior college level you really shouldn’t have a need for student loans.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 68
Stephanie expressed that she knew the “bare minimum” about financial aid or loan
borrowing explaining that the experience of learning about federal loans was that “you had to
teach yourself on exactly what was going on. You had to do all the research yourself.” Stephanie
suggested that more counseling sessions or classes be offered to help with the understanding of
the loan process so that a student can “get to a point where they fully understand what they’re
signing up for. Then they can make that decision if they want to (borrow loans) or not.”
Sarah reflected, “I didn’t understand the whole situation so I was comfortable with it. But
now thinking back I feel like it wasn’t working for me…I guess they expected a middle-class
student and that’s the way they set up the advising…but that’s not how I was, that’s not how
some other students I knew were.”
Theme 2: Loans Utilized to Cover Living Expenses
All ten of the participants expressed that loans were used primarily to cover tuition, but
half of the participants shared that loans were also used to cover living expenses. While some
participants noted that they had utilized financial aid in the form of the BOG waiver or other
grants, they still had a need to borrow federal loans to cover costs such as books, transportation
or rent. Several participants offered this as a short answer. Jenny expressed that she took loans
to “pay bills, or pay rent.” David shared that loans were for “driving expenses, books, shoes.”
Amy shared loans were “for other expenses at home.” While Sarah utilized financial aid such as
the BOG waiver, Cal Grant and Pell Grant, she still needed federal loans for other costs to
“finish covering tuition because the grants did not cover the entire cost of tuition.”
Bob explained that loans covered tuition and gas money while attending VCC. For his
current loan situation, he shared “I have quite a bit of student loans racked up. I have about, not
even kidding, I have like a hundred thousand.”
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 69
Because I was on welfare at that time it helped me with my books, really important stuff.
I really did need it. It was my books, it was my transportation, and it was my living
expenses because it helped me offset the very little that I got from welfare. It helped me
take care of my family unfortunately. [Emily]
Well, it helped me pay for books. It’s helped me because we need materials all the time
for classes. I have a presentation I’m getting ready to do for my theatre arts, and so I was
able to get the materials to complete the presentation…I’m willing to spend the money
because of financial aid, because of my loans, to make sure that I have adequate
materials. So it’s helped me to pay for all that. [Nancy]
Stephanie shares, “They help pay for school, tuition, books. They did help pay for living
situations, room and board. That was pretty much about it.”
Theme 3: Loans Necessary to Complete Educational Goals
All participants said that loans were necessary to help them pursue their educational
goals. Jenny shared that they helped her in her process of transferring to a four-year university
and now to her graduate institution. Having the additional financial assistance was a key element
to ensure that they would be able to take classes. Having additional funds also allowed some
participants a sense of security in that they could focus on performing well in class without the
worry of coming up with funding.
I feel that it’s made it easier for me because I’ve used my loan money for what it’s
intended for. So, if I get assigned a project, or say, if my art professor says, ‘hey, you
need this’…and you know, art supplies aren’t cheap…I feel confident that I can just go
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 70
get it, and I feel that I grow more in my classes because I use the materials. I’m not afraid
to use the money for materials to help me enrich my college experience. [Nancy]
It is also important to note, that when asked if the cost of tuition caused any hesitation in
pursuing higher education studies, all but one participant said that it did. Having loans appeared
to offset hesitation and to allow participants to move forward with pursuing education. Emily
shared, “I did use the money to survive even though I know at the end I’m going to get stuck
with it.” Stephanie shared that while loans helped her pursue her education, the overall cost of
tuition and needing to borrow did influence her school choice, “I guess initially I wanted to go to
medical school, but yeah, just the thought of putting yourself in that much debt was, yeah, it was
inevitable I’m not going.” Nancy stated “I will worry about paying the rest of it back later. I want
to finish. I’m 44 years old. If I don’t do it now, I don’t know when it’s going to happen.”
These reflections offer insight into the participant’s feelings towards having to take out
loans to finance their education. While all agreed that loans were necessary, some participants
offered varying viewpoints on the thought process of taking out loans and how that may have
affected school choice. The cost of education and having to eventually pay the loans back
appeared to be prevalent in their thoughts.
Theme 4: Education is Important
All participants shared that they believed education was a worthy investment and that
education served as an indication of success and the route to a better life. Seven out of the ten
participants grew up in a household where little or no knowledge of higher education was
present. These participants did not have the encouragement of parents to influence their pursuits
of higher education. Participants, such as Nancy, expressed that she had always viewed higher
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 71
education in an important light, despite growing up in an environment where higher education
was not perceived positively.
Growing up, college was not perceived positively. Education was not placed as
important. I grew up in Lancaster. I was born there. My father was a mechanic…my
mother did not finish…her education level was 10
th
grade…my mom was a drug addict,
and she physically and emotionally abused us…I had a bed that was raised off the ground
and I would grab my books and go under there and read. That’s kind of how my
education foundation started because, you know, once you start reading, you realize
there’s a bigger world out there…I’ve always perceived college in a very positive light
[Nancy]
Like, Nancy, the majority of participants expressed that they did not come from backgrounds
where higher education was discussed or was prioritized. David shared, “My parents didn’t
really talk about it (college). I just kind of heard about it in school from my teachers, educators
and maybe my peers.”
I think my mother actually kind of discouraged me from going to college, she pushed me
to go into the military right after high school, which is what I did, five years in the
military. I came out of the military and I decided, ‘Now’s the time for me to go to
college’… You can lose a job, or you can lose material things, but you’re never gonna
lose your degree. So, I don’t regret that aspect of it, and plus I think it’s a good example
for my children like, I went to college. [Jenny]
Participants, Jane, Betty and Emily said that cost was a main reason that their parents did not
encourage the pursuit of higher education or believe that it was for them.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 72
When I grew up, my parents didn’t talk about college a lot. I’m the first person in my
family to go to college, I grew up thinking that only people who saved money could go to
college, cause you always see these TV commercials like, ‘make sure you’re saving for
college’. We grew up on a tight budget, so I knew my parents weren’t doing that. [Jane]
My parents kind of drilled it in my head that I was limited to resources because we were
low income, because we lived in such poverty. We lived in the ghetto pretty much my
entire life, so my parents unfortunately, they just thought college, the idea of college, was
for the quote unquote rich kids…I didn’t know about furthering my education until I
kinda just researched on my own, and it was senior year. [Betty]
(College) was for those that could afford it, and since my parents couldn’t afford it, the
message I think received was, ‘You’ll never go to college’. [Emily]
While the majority of participants did not have the cultural capital to build upon to guide them
on their journey to pursue higher education, they still held a perception that college was a
pathway to being successful and as means to better one’s situation in life.
Summary
The section above reports the experiences and perception of ten current and former, non-
traditional, community college students that utilized federal loans. The four themes showed the
importance of how non-traditional, community college students navigate their way through the
loan process and helps to shine a light on how loan money is being used.
Overall, participants had a low level of knowledge of the loan process and a low
understanding of how the loan process worked, indicating that they felt the loan information that
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 73
was offered could be improved and individualized. Loans were used specifically to cover the
cost of tuition and school supplies, with half of the participants specifying that loans were used
to also cover living costs and to help support dependents. When asked how participants generally
felt about loans, all expressed that they felt loans were an important asset in their higher
educational goals that would help them or helped them transfer to a four-year university. Higher
education was viewed in a positive light, as all participants expressed that it would lead to a
better living situation.
The findings also discuss the unique experiences of these participants as non-traditional
students, with life circumstances that involve having dependents that they support. These
experiences that are unique to non-traditional students adds to the challenges that they face in
their higher education pursuits.
This chapter provided a review of research questions, participant profiles and emerging
themes. Findings were presented where participant responses were used to support the themes.
Conclusions and recommendations gathered from the data analysis to be used for future research
opportunities will be presented in Chapter Five.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 74
CHAPTER FIVE: DISCUSSION AND IMPLICATIONS
This study identified the level of knowledge that current and former non-traditional
community college students have about loan borrowing and what loans were used for. This study
also sought to understand the characteristics and unique life experiences of non-traditional
students, such as limited social and cultural capital, which may have contributed to students’
needing to borrow to help finance tuition, living expenses, fees and other costs.
This study is significant as the unique experiences of non-traditional community college
students that utilize federal loans had not yet been explored. Students may seek out community
college as a more cost-effective option with the possibility to transfer to a four-year institution.
The findings reveal that non-traditional community college students in this study did not have a
thorough understanding of the loan process and felt they were not given adequate information.
The researcher found that federal loans were specifically used for paying for expenses such as
credit card debt, rent, books and supplies and a means to support their family. Lastly, the
researcher gained insight on the loan borrowing process and ways that could further assist
students with financing their education.
This final chapter discusses the results as they relate to the conceptual framework of the
study, and offers suggestions for future research and recommendations for practice.
Discussion of Findings
Bourdieu’s (1986) social and cultural capital theory served as the theoretical lens to
interpret student understanding and reasoning of federal loan borrowing. Many challenges faced
by students in community college may be a result of the student’s lack of cultural and social
capital (Brown, 2013; Wartman & Savage, 2008). Each form is significant as they may increase
an individual’s status, wealth, power and knowledge base. An individual’s social connections
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 75
and experiences affect her or his place in the world (Patton et al, 2016). Cultural and social
capital is used to explain the mechanisms and structure of the loan borrowing experience and
educational experience of a current and former community college student needing to acquire
loans to finance their education.
Cultural Capital
Cultural capital consists of the knowledge, skills and behaviors that an individual
possesses (Cole, 2016). Cultural capital is where the individual may have cultural knowledge
that can improve their position in society (Joppke, 1986; Patton et al, 2016). The majority of
participants lacked cultural capital, as they had little exposure to information about higher
education and how to finance it. David stated that his parents never talked about financing for
college at home. He learned about applying for financial aid and loans “in school from my
teachers, educators and maybe my peers.” His experience with learning about the loan process
included taking a workshop that included “about 600 students…they gave us all the details about
what an unsubsidized loan was and subsidized…a bunch of information, I mean they gave us a
pamphlet.” David eventually was able to build cultural capital by learning about the loan process
through his teachers and peers in school and taking his own initiative to attend the workshop.
When asked how comfortable he felt about loan knowledge after the workshop, he replied “I
understood it. It was pretty clear.”
Jenny was similar to David in that she learned about the process of financing her
education on her own. She stated “I figured I would do it on my own. I don’t think I had any
other influences to take out loans.” Jenny shared that her mother “discouraged me from going to
college.” Jenny, like many of the participants, formed her own views on education outside of
what she grew up with. She described her process of taking out loans as scheduling an
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 76
appointment with an adviser and getting questions answered, learning what she was eligible for
each semester. This followed a workshop that she had attended. The workshop was a “one-night
thing at the college... so that’s how I found out a lot of my information.” Like David, Jenny
sought information on her own and gained cultural capital in loan knowledge after attending a
workshop.
As cultural capital can exist in knowledge that is acquired over time through means such
as education and socialization (Cole, 2017) participants like Jane shared that they did not have
cultural capital as part of their upbringing or through their experiences in primary education. As
a result, loan borrowing for higher education was never discussed. When asked how much
information was known about college or taking out loans, Jane shared
When I grew up, my parents didn’t talk about college a lot. I’m the first person in my
family to go to college. I grew up thinking that only people who saved money could go to
college, cause you always see these TV commercials like, ‘Make sure you’re saving for
college.’ We grew up on a tight budget, so I knew my parents weren’t doing that, so I
never saw, even community college as an option for me…I didn’t go back to school until
I was 31. When I started talking to people, talking to friends, I didn’t realize how easy it
was to go back to school. That here were actually night programs, and there were ways to
do that.
The recurring theme here with Jane, much like with David and Jenny was that after
reaching out to peers and teachers, they were able to build a network of support that offered them
the information they needed. Jane also adds that she thinks students need to understand they have
a responsibility to learn information regarding loan borrowing and cannot have schools “hold
their hand the entire way.”
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 77
This supports the research conducted by Cofer and Somers (2001) in that aspiration is
important to pursuing higher education. As the participants interviewed expressed that they did
not have a strong foundation of cultural capital to draw on, their aspiration served in giving them
the motivation to seek out information on their own. All participants indicated a goal of a
bachelor’s degree or higher which also supports the Cofer and Somers (2001) study which stated
that students who aspired to a higher degree were more likely to continue. This was the case
especially with those participants who had graduated from VCC and were currently pursuing
their graduate degree.
A lack of cultural capital may also result in an individual lowering educational
aspirations (Perna, 2000). Sarah acknowledged that having lack of cultural capital impacted her
decision to attend a two-year college as opposed to a four-year institution. It also impacted her
decision to take out loans to finance her education and pay for living expenses that she otherwise
would have not been able to afford on her own.
Unfortunately, money dictates what kind of education you can get, and how far you think
you are going to go. Some people have the means and have the willingness to go in
debt…knowing that it’s an investment and keep going but other people would think they
can but they will not truly understand the situation. It’s different…The idea of how much
school costs, it dictated which schools I chose to go to. Back when I first graduated high
school I honestly could have gone to a lot of much better schools…As I graduated from
VCC I wasn’t sure if I would try to get my BA because I guess I wasn’t sure I wanted to
be in that much debt again.
Stephanie shared a similar experience as Sarah. She shared that she originally wanted to pursue
medical school but knowing that she would be putting herself “in that much debt” made it
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 78
“inevitable I’m not going.” As a result of the cost for school, Stephanie had shared that she is
going to nursing school. When asked how she feels about this goal, she said, “I feel very hopeful.
I feel like they’re realistic. It’s a lot of time and of course, it takes money…I don’t feel like it’s
unattainable.”
Social Capital
Social capital includes the relationships and networks an individual has such as their
peers, family, friends, and colleagues (Cole, 2017). Social capital may take the form of sharing
information and networks including values and social norms that are needed for postsecondary
education attainment (Rowan-Kenyon et al, 2008). Jane, a former community college student
who transferred to a four-year institution, explained the difference in loan counseling.
Let me start with the community college. Nobody talked to me about anything. I mean…I
was pretty much my own counselor, laying out my own education plan…But into my
four year, I had my academic advisor, and then my financial aid. Financial aid always
seemed to be too busy to get settled down and answer some questions. They’re always
there to answer, but maybe not hold your hand as much.
While Jane indicated that she did not receive the most personal interactions with counselors at
the four-year institution, she knew where to go to seek knowledge or ask questions. She
continued to say that “the four year was a little more approachable than the two year.” The four-
year institution was able to give her a stronger sense of social capital.
Social capital consists of the resources individuals possess to form and maintain
networks. The value of social capital depends upon the reach of one’s network and the capacity
to use membership to accrue greater resources (Patton, 2016). Amy shared her thoughts on
transferring to a four-year institution “I haven’t figured out a plan like how I’m going to pay for
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 79
it or how I’m going to transition, and how different these classes are going to be from a
community college to going to the actual university.” Amy did not have the specific connections
to help guide her through the loan or transfer process. Participants had indicated earlier that they
had to navigate their loan borrowing process on their own and hope that it worked out in the end.
Past literature suggests that there is need for additional financial aid counseling, especially for
those students that attend low resource schools (Perna, 2008). Additional counseling would help
students acquire a stronger sense of social capital to help expand their resources. This is the case
when listening to the experiences of the study’s participants. A participant had expressed the
ratio of financial aid counselor to student, indicating that the wait time when calling by phone
can go over 25 minutes. Other participants described their experiences as rushed or not very
helpful.
Data in this study also support findings by Menges and Leonhard (2016) that financial
counseling should take into consideration the individual and lifestyle, and that financial literacy
was low overall among the community college population that they studied. Their study stated
that financial aid counselors should focus on directing students in making prudent decisions in
regards to financial aid to help plan for their future. Sarah stated that when she met with a
financial aid counselor she felt that the information she was given was more directed toward a
“middle-class student” and that the information did not relate to her.
Nancy’s feelings about learning about the loan process differed from the majority of the
participants as Nancy shared that she was able to get a thorough understanding of the loan
process. She also said that her previous background helped as she was a bank manager so already
understood the “financial process.” In comparison to the other participants, Nancy had more
social and cultural capital from her previous experience as a bank manager having been able to
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 80
draw on the information she had learned from her position and the connections she made at the
time.
Like Nancy, Betty’s experience was similar in which she expressed she had an advantage
over other students as she is good friends with her financial aid technician affording her a sense
of social capital that she can utilize. “So it’s like just go in there anytime I need anything.” She
does admit that the resources are limited in regard to staff to student ratio. Emily shared that
what helped her in navigating her way through her educational process was going through the
CalWORKS program. She was able to learn about the process of going back to school and the
ability to take out loans through the relationships she established with counselors and
administrators.
Recommendations
This section offers recommendations to better serve the population of non-traditional
community college students in gaining access to understandable information about financing
higher education as well as navigating their process of loan borrowing. Recommendations for
supporting this student demographic includes high schools, community colleges, and parents.
Recommendation 1
The first recommendation is to mplement curriculum that includes workshops and
programs that provide information on financing higher education in high schools that serve low
income and underrepresented students. Findings from this study suggest that learning about how
to finance their higher education prior to college can make the process of higher education
smoother and less stressful. In holding these workshops at the high school level, parents can
become involved offering a stronger sense of support and guidance to these students. Participant
responses included not having the correct knowledge of financing in community college and
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 81
having to wait until their third year of school before realizing they could take advantage of the
BOG waiver to pay for tuition. Participants expressed that the cost for school impacted their
decision on which school to attend. Learning about their financial options can help make these
decisions. Some participants shared that their parents wanted them to go to college but did not
have the means or the understanding of how to finance their tuition. In including them at this
stage, parents can have a better understanding and offer their child informational support.
It should also be noted that there are programs that do offer financial literacy to high
schools of low income and underrepresented student populations, such as the organization that I
currently work for, California Society of CPAs (CalCPA). This recommendation would ask that
high schools implement an ongoing program that takes place concurrently throughout the school
year with follow up workshops and advising rather than a few informational sessions. This
would be initiated by reaching out to the school district main office and superintendent to work
on implementing programs into the school district. It can start with partnering with specific
organizations such as CalCPA or a regional based organization that works with schools to bring
in volunteers to hold informational workshops consecutively throughout the year. It was stressed
by one participant that the information session she attended seemed to be targeted towards “more
middle class” students, not going into as much detail as was needed for students who may be low
income. Researchers Staroben et al (2013) found that students who view and understand their
financial investment in college are more likely to finish or transfer overall.
Recommendation 2
The second recommendation is to offer financial workshops specifically for parents of
junior high and high school students. Findings from this study suggests that parental involvement
would be beneficial to students in helping them understand how to finance their education.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 82
Participants, Sarah and Stephanie shared that while they had parents that encouraged them to
pursue higher education, their parents did not have a complete understanding on how to help
their children or how to begin the process of paying for school. Sarah stated that her parents
assumed she and her siblings would be “offered scholarships” since they were earning straight
A’s in school. To implement these workshops, outreach would be made directly to school
administrators and teachers. These workshops may be organized by the high school or
community college where they invite parents of students to attend a financial literacy
information session. They can be held along with parent-teacher events for the school, school
orientation or any informational night as well as during the weekend in consideration of the
variety of working parent schedules. Information on how to fill out a FAFSA, the type of loan
options available and how interest is accrued would be discussed and explained. Information
regarding specific grants and the BOG waiver should also be explained. Workshops should also
be conducted in Spanish to better serve underrepresented populations where Spanish may be the
primary language spoken at home.
Recommendation 3
The third recommendation is that community colleges should offer financial literacy as a
required course. Findings from this study suggests that community colleges may improve the
quality of information about financing and education by offering a required financial literacy
course. Currently, there is not a nationwide standard or widely available program for higher
education institutions (Reams-Johnson & Delker, 2016). The Community College of Baltimore
County developed a financial literacy program, Money Matters, which was incorporated into a
required course. They have seen a 5-7% increase in student retention. This may be implemented
by reaching out to the community college dean. A curriculum would be created that would focus
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 83
on loan borrowing, money management and savings. The majority of participant responses
expressed that they had to navigate the loan process on their own. The few participants that
expressed that they were comfortable with the loan information given still added they had to take
it upon themselves to find out information on their own. Participants also expressed that the
“jargon” was difficult to understand and would have liked to have had it explained to them in
real life situations to help make it more understandable. In offering a course that students are
required to take, all students would be given specific information and would have the ability to
ask questions and have the information catered specifically to their life situations.
Recommendation 4
The fourth recommendation is monthly loan counseling sessions on community college
campus and via video conferencing along with career coaching. Findings from this study
suggests that community colleges may offer more opportune ways in providing financial
counseling and guidance to students by offering a scheduled day each month specifically for
drop-in financial advising and guidance. A workshop may also be included to cover general
information, which can be instituted through the career center. While participants shared that
they had attended a workshop for loan information, they mentioned that it was a large audience
of students and that they did not feel that it was personalized. In having a monthly advising
session or workshop, students will have more options of when they attend. They may also attend
more than once if they feel the need. Having a scheduled time and location will also offer a
known resource that they may depend on. The perspective of having a specific day allocated for
financial advising may encourage some students who would not otherwise seek financial
advisement on their own to attend. Two participants expressed they felt that more career
information was needed. Both participants were graduates of VCC and had described the
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 84
experience of not finding a job that would provide a salary that would allow them to keep up
with loan payments. Adding career coaching along with financial advising would offer students a
clearer pathway towards transfer or completion. Volunteer professionals could attend and serve
as a panelist on a career panel to talk about their work. These panels would be held in
conjunction with the monthly loan counseling sessions.
Implications
Findings from this study may be used to inform the practices of student affairs
professionals and administrators to better serve this growing student population. From
understanding the perspective and lived experiences of these students, they can be better served
in navigating their way through the educational process. In looking at the findings,
administrators and professionals can see what would be most helpful in implementing greater
access and resources to financial guidance and information. The study may also help policy
makers better understand the financial barriers, as well as lack of informational resources these
students face when addressing specific issues regarding costs for education loan borrowing and
the loan borrowing process. Findings from this study shed a light on the unique circumstances
this demographic of students face. In hearing their stories, their specific issues are brought into
light and can be used to develop educational policy that can better serve this population of
students. This study will help researchers to better understand this demographic and add to the
literature on non-traditional community college students that borrow federal loans. There is
currently a lack of literature on this demographic of students. While borrowing federal loans is
normally associated with traditional four-year university students, this study sheds a light on a
growing population of students that do not fit in that criteria and will need to be addressed.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 85
Conclusion
The need for a better understanding of non-traditional community college students and how they
understand the loan process is important for this growing student population. This is necessary as
literature presented in this study has shown the continuous rise of higher education costs and the
impact it has on students. This study confirms the effects of those costs on non-traditional
community college students and demonstrates what the loan borrowing process is like for them
and why they must borrow to pursue their educational goals. While participants indicated that
they were stressed about their finances and having to take out loans, they also indicated that
loans were helpful and necessary for them to complete and continue with their higher education
goals. Researchers, Staroben et al (2013) had found that students who felt that college was a
worthy investment and understood their financial investment in college are more likely to finish
a degree or transfer. This was also found to be true in this study, as all participants had indicated
the importance of higher education.
While community colleges promote access, and offer a less expensive route for students,
the full cost of attending a two year institution still stands as a financial burden. This study
supports the findings of Menges and Leonhard (2016) that most community college students are
at a disadvantage as they are from lower income backgrounds and lack social and cultural
capital, not having direct access to career, educational or financial guidance.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 86
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FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 100
APPENDIX A
Institutional Review Board Info Sheet Template
University of Southern California
Rossier School of Education
3470 Trousdale Parkway
Los Angeles, CA 90089-4033
INFORMATION/FACTS SHEET FOR EXEMPT NON-MEDICAL RESEARCH
Federal Loan Borrowing in Community College: Examining the Effect of Federal Loans on
Completion or Transfer to a Four Year Institution of Non-Traditional Community College
Students and Why They Borrow
You are invited to participate in a research study. Research studies include only people who
voluntarily choose to take part. This document explains information about this study. You should
ask questions about anything that is unclear to you.
PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
This research study aims to understand how a non-traditional student’s current level of knowledge
and decision making process towards taking out federal loans. This study will inform the field of
higher education by helping to develop effective strategies to assist students to successfully
navigate their way through their educational experience. This study will also offer a better
understanding of these students and the unique challenges that they face financially that may
hinder progress.
PARTICIPANT INVOLVEMENT
If you agree to take part in this study, you will be asked to participate in a 10 minute survey and a
45 minute to 60 minute audio-recorded in-person interview. You will also have the opportunity
after the interview to review a transcript of the interview and comment with any changes as a
reflective follow up. You do not have to answer any questions you don’t want to; if you don’t
want to be taped, handwritten notes will be taken.
PAYMENT/COMPENSATION FOR PARTICIPATION
Following the completion of the survey, interview and follow up reflection, you will receive a $20
Amazon.com gift card.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 101
CONFIDENTIALITY
Any identifiable information obtained in connection with this study will remain confidential. Your
responses will be coded with a false name (pseudonym) and maintained separately. The recordings
will be stored on a password protected computer and iPhone that will be kept in the researcher’s
office for two years after the study has been completed and then destroyed.
The members of the research team, the funding agency and the University of Southern
California’s Human Subjects Protection Program (HSPP) may access the data. The HSPP reviews
and monitors research studies to protect the rights and welfare of research subjects.
When the results of the research are published or discussed in conferences, no identifiable
information will be used.
INVESTIGATOR CONTACT INFORMATION
Principal Investigator via email Jacqueline Quinn-Piper at jacqueas@usc.edu or phone at 626-265-
9275 or Faculty Advisor Dr. Tracy Tambascia at tpoon@rossier.us.edu or (213) 740-9747.
IRB CONTACT INFORMATION
University Park Institutional Review Board (UPIRB), 3720 South Flower Street #301, Los
Angeles, CA 90089-0702, (213) 821-5272 or upirb@usc.edu
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 102
APPENDIX B
Solicitation Email
Dear [Name],
My name is Jacqueline Quinn-Piper, and I am a doctoral candidate in the Rossier School of
Education at the University of Southern California. I am conducting a research study as part of
my dissertation. I am looking for students who fall into any of the following criteria;
Over the age of 24
Have a dependent such as a spouse or child
Work part-time or full-time
Attend school part-time or full-time and is financially independent.
If you fit this description and are willing to help, please click the link below to complete a quick
pre-survey.
[Survey link]
After you finish the survey, I may contact you to schedule a 60 minute interview. There would
also be a brief follow up email sent to you after the interview.
Compensation for participating in this study will be a $20 amazon.com gift card that will be
emailed to you after completing the survey, interview and follow up reflection.
Participation in this study is completely voluntary. Your identity as a participant will remain
confidential at all times during and after the study.
If you have questions please contact me at jacqueas@usc.edu or (626) 265-9275.
Thank you for your participation,
Jacqueline Quinn-Piper
Doctoral Candidate - Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 103
APPENDIX C
Pre-survey Questions
Directions: Please answer the following questions to the best of your ability. All responses will
remain confidential.
1. How do you identify as a non-traditional student? Please check all that apply.
o Over the age of 24
o Have a spouse
o Have a child
o I work part-time
o I work full-time
2. Do you attend school part-time or full time?
o Part-time
o Full-time
3. How long ago did you graduate from high school or receive your GED?
o 0-2 years
o 2-4 years
o 4-6 years
o 6-8 years
o 8-10 years
o 10-years or longer
4. Have you applied for any of the following financial aid options? Please check all that
apply.
o Cal Grant
o BOG waiver
o Pell Grant
o SSI/SSP
o CalWorks
o TANF
5. Are you currently borrowing or have borrowed any of the following federal loans? Please
check all that apply
o Direct subsidized loans
o Direct unsubsidized loans
o Direct PLUS loans
o Perkins loan
o I am borrowing but do not know which loans
o I have borrowed but do not know which loans
6. Have you ever met with a financial advisor/counselor or administrator to talk about
loans?
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 104
o Yes
o No
7. If you answered yes to question #6, did you find it helpful?
o Yes
o No
8. If you answered no to question #6, check all that apply
o I did not know who to contact to ask questions about loans
o I did not think I needed guidance about my loans
o I had a good understanding already about my loans
o I did not think it would be useful to talk to anyone about my loans
9. Do you feel that you have a good understanding of how the loan process works?
o Yes
o No
10. Do you know how much you currently owe in student loans?
o Yes – Please indicate how much ______
o I have a general idea – Please indicate how much ________
o No
11. Why are you borrowing federal loans?
o To pay for school
o To pay for living expenses
o Other ______________________
12. What are you using the loans for?
o Tuition
o Books, supplies
o Living costs
o Other (Please indicate) _________________
13. What led you to decide to take out loans?
o I know someone that uses federal loans
o Guidance from loan counselor
o Recommended by a personal contact
o Other ___________________________________
14. Do you feel that using loans will help you reach your educational goals?
o Yes
o No
o If No, why? ______________________________
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 105
15. Do you feel that you will be able to pay off your loans?
o Yes
o No
16. Do you feel stressed about having to use loans?
o Yes
o No
17. Do you feel confident that you will be able to pay off your loans?
o Yes
o No
18. Do you feel that going to college is a worthwhile investment?
o Yes
o No
19. Educational Goal. Select all that apply
o Transfer to a university
o AA degree
o Certificate
o Other
20. Would you be willing to participate in a 45 minute to 1 hour interview and a follow up
email reflection?
o Yes
-Please select your preferred method of contact (If you are selected and participate
in the interview, you will receive a $20 amazon.com gift card)
-Cell #___________
-Email______________
o No
Thank you for completing this survey.
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 106
APPENDIX D
Interview Protocol
Thank you for agreeing to participate. My role is to serve as the interviewer for this study. I am a
doctoral student at the University of Southern California conducting research in partial
fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate in Higher Education Administration.
Essentially, this document states that: (1) all information will be held confidential, (2) your
participation is voluntary and you may stop at any time and do not need to answer all questions if
you feel uncomfortable at no consequence. Answering these questions should not take longer
than half an hour.
This research study aims to understand how borrowing student loans in community college affects
your motivation to transfer to a four year university or complete with a degree or certificate. This
study will inform the field of higher education by helping to develop effective strategies to assist
students to successfully complete their degree or transfer to a four year institution. This study will
also offer a better understanding of these students and the unique challenges that they face
financially that may hinder progress.
1. What level of knowledge do non-traditional community college students have about
federal loan borrowing?
a. Has the community college helped with federal loan borrowing information? If
yes, how?
2. What factors influences a non-traditional community college student to borrow federal
loans?
Interview Questions:
1. Tell me about your decision to go to college (Cultural capital theory)
a. How was college perceived at home growing up?
b. Did the cost of college ever come up?
2. What are your higher education goals? (Cultural capital theory)
a. Do you feel these are realistic/practical goals or hopeful goals?
b. What makes them realistic or hopeful?
3. Describe your thoughts about college before you started (Cultural capital theory)
4. Describe your thoughts on the cost for college (Cultural capital theory)
5. What are finances like for you now? (Cultural capital theory)
a. How much information did you know about financial aid or loan borrowing?
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 107
b. Did you ever meet with a counselor or advisor about options for assistance with
money? If so, describe that process.
6. Describe the process you went through in taking out a loan(s). (Social capital theory)
a. What kind of information were you given?
b. Did you feel comfortable with the process?
7. What do your loans help you pay for? (Cultural capital theory)
8. Tell me what a day is like for you when you have class (social capital theory)
9. Do you feel any differently about going to school now than you might have before you
started? (cultural capital theory)
10. Do you feel that being able to take out loans will help you transfer or graduate? (Social
capital theory)
a. Do you feel comfortable with the resources the college has to help you?
b. Will you utilize their resources (advisor services, financial aid office, transfer
office?)
11. Have you taken any steps to plan to transfer? Describe what that process is like? (cultural
capital theory)
a. How do you plan on paying for school if you do transfer?
12. Describe where you think you will be a year from now, graduated, continuing on, taking
a break… (cultural and social capital theory)
13. Has the thought of money or paying for school caused any hesitation in pursuing your
education? (cultural capital theory)
14. Has anyone influenced your decision to take out loans? (social capital theory)
15. Describe how you would feel the most supported as a student (Social capital theory)
FEDERAL LOAN BORROWING IN COMMUNITY COLLEGES 108
APPENDIX E
Post Interview Reflection
Dear [Name],
Please review the notes that were taken during your interview. You may reflect on your answers
and determine if what was recorded depicts your answers and thoughts accurately. Please reply
with any additional thoughts you may have had after the interview and with any clarification to
the notes.
Thank you again for your participation,
Jacqueline Quinn-Piper
Doctoral Candidate - Rossier School of Education
University of Southern California
Abstract (if available)
Abstract
This qualitative study examines the issues and conditions that influence current and former non‐traditional community college students that borrow federal loans and to understand what their loan borrowing process was like and what loans were used for. The goal of this study is to determine how to best serve non‐traditional community college students, given their unique circumstances, limited social and cultural capital and to understand the financial barriers that are faced while pursuing a post‐secondary degree. Non‐traditional students hold experiences that are unique to their demographic. Few studies have explored their experiences regarding federal loan borrowing. Understanding the unique experiences of non‐traditional community college students provides insightful information to student affairs professionals and administrators by helping them develop effective strategies to assist students on their campus to successfully understand the costs and benefits of utilizing loans. Social and cultural capital served as the theoretical framework that helped guide the study. Using data collected from 10 current and former non‐traditional community college students, findings resulted in the following themes: (1) lack of loan knowledge (2) loans utilized to cover living expenses (3) loans necessary to complete educational goals (4) education is important.
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Asset Metadata
Creator
Quinn-Piper, Jacqueline Anne
(author)
Core Title
Federal loan borrowing in community colleges: examining the decision making processes of non‐traditional community college students
School
Rossier School of Education
Degree
Doctor of Education
Degree Program
Education (Leadership)
Publication Date
03/09/2018
Defense Date
02/20/2018
Publisher
University of Southern California
(original),
University of Southern California. Libraries
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Tag
community college,cultural capital,federal loans,financial literacy,non‐traditional student,OAI-PMH Harvest,social capital
Language
English
Contributor
Electronically uploaded by the author
(provenance)
Advisor
Tambascia, Tracy (
committee chair
), Hinga, Briana (
committee member
), Hoffman, Jaime (
committee member
)
Creator Email
jackiequinn523@gmail.com,jacqueas@usc.edu
Permanent Link (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.25549/usctheses-c40-482428
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482428
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Tags
community college
cultural capital
federal loans
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non‐traditional student
social capital