College students who have experienced foster care and/or homelessness (SEFC/H) face significant barriers in higher education. Studies show that SEFC/H experience poorer educational outcomes compared to their peers, with lower college enrollment and graduation rates.
“Campus support programs (CSPs) have emerged as a key postsecondary institutional strategy, offering academic, financial, and emotional supports and resources to promote student success in higher education,” the research team stated. However, not all eligible students participate, and limited research has examined how participants compare with eligible nonparticipants in terms of their characteristics and outcomes.
A new study by researchers from Michigan State University’s School of Social Work compared the demographic characteristics and academic outcomes of first-time freshmen who participated in a CSP and those who were eligible but did not participate.
Participation and academic outcomes
Researchers examined University administrative records from 264 eligible first-year students who entered a public Midwestern university between the 2021-2024 academic years. Students were eligible for the CSP because they had experienced foster care and/or homelessness or otherwise qualified as independent for financial-aid purposes.
After accounting for differences in students’ backgrounds, the research team found that CSP participation was associated with a 0.35-point higher first-year cumulative GPA compared with that of eligible nonparticipants.
Participants were more likely to be Black or first-generation college students. Black students represented 42% of participants, while first-generation college students represented 61%. This finding suggests that participating students may have compounded unmet needs related to overlapping structural inequities and barriers associated with having multiple marginalized identities.
Reaching more eligible students
Of eligible students, only about 19% participated in the CSP. The researchers identified this participation gap as an opportunity for CSPs to “prioritize early and sustained recruitment efforts.” The study recommends reaching out to eligible students soon after admission, before enrollment, and particularly throughout their first year. Welcome week, first-year seminars, and campus tours can provide opportunities to introduce students to available services and explain how to access them.
Current participants can also play an important role in outreach efforts. Their involvement may help reduce the stigma associated with foster care or homelessness while showing prospective participants that the program can offer not only resources but also a sense of connection and belonging.
The researchers stated that although “CSP participation trended toward increasing the odds of good academic standing, this effect did not reach statistical significance.” Still, the findings point to the potential value of campus support programs and the importance of ensuring that eligible students know these resources exist and feel comfortable engaging with them.