Despite decades of research and program implementation in both the K-12 and higher educational systems, students of low socio-economic status (SES) still have access to and persist in higher education at significantly lower numbers than their more affluent peers (Gollnick & Chinn, 2012; Perna, 2005). This study employed a grounded-theory approach in order to better understand why this gap between lower- and higher-SES college students continues to persist, despite such efforts. In addition, this study adds another dimension to the grounded-theory data analysis process called Theoretical Matching, as recommended by Goldkuhl and Cronholm (2010). Two theoretical lenses were used to narrow the research focus: Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital Theory (1977) and Tierney’s Model of Cultural Integrity (1999). In addition, Tinto’s Model of College Drop-Out (1975) was also used to inform the emerging theory.
The theory that emerged: Knaggs’ Intra- and Extra-Institutional Integration Model of Persistence for Low-SES College Students, describes the process of integration both within the institution, and in the adult world outside of the university. Recommendations to institutions based on Knaggs’ theory include creating an environment that better validates the culture of all students, therefore increasing the likelihood that cultural integrity is possible. In addition, models of college-preparatory programs and full-service community K-12 schools are used to show higher education institutions how they might better help students, particularly those of low-SES, to integrate successfully into the Extra-Institutional Environment as a financially-independent adult.
","abstract_html":"<p>Despite decades of research and program implementation in both the K-12 and higher educational systems, students of low socio-economic status (SES) still have access to and persist in higher education at significantly lower numbers than their more affluent peers (Gollnick & Chinn, 2012; Perna, 2005). This study employed a grounded-theory approach in order to better understand why this gap between lower- and higher-SES college students continues to persist, despite such efforts. In addition, this study adds another dimension to the grounded-theory data analysis process called Theoretical Matching, as recommended by Goldkuhl and Cronholm (2010). Two theoretical lenses were used to narrow the research focus: Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital Theory (1977) and Tierney’s Model of Cultural Integrity (1999). In addition, Tinto’s Model of College Drop-Out (1975) was also used to inform the emerging theory.</p><p>The theory that emerged: Knaggs’ Intra- and Extra-Institutional Integration Model of Persistence for Low-SES College Students, describes the process of integration both within the institution, and in the adult world outside of the university. Recommendations to institutions based on Knaggs’ theory include creating an environment that better validates the culture of all students, therefore increasing the likelihood that cultural integrity is possible. In addition, models of college-preparatory programs and full-service community K-12 schools are used to show higher education institutions how they might better help students, particularly those of low-SES, to integrate successfully into the Extra-Institutional Environment as a financially-independent adult.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Knaggs, Christine M."],"institution":"University of Toledo","degree_name":"Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":"Higher Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Opp, Ron"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2012,"date_issued":"2012","date_published":"2012","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:36:08Z","subjects":["Higher Education","low-SES students","cultural capital theory","cultural integrity. GEAR UP","persistence","grounded-theory"],"languages":["English"],"rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1351195470","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Opp, Ron"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Knaggs, Christine M."]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2012"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["University of Toledo / OhioLINK"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Higher Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Philosophy"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["University of Toledo"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Higher Education","low-SES students","cultural capital theory","cultural integrity. GEAR UP","persistence","grounded-theory"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1351195470"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Despite decades of research and program implementation in both the K-12 and higher educational systems, students of low socio-economic status (SES) still have access to and persist in higher education at significantly lower numbers than their more affluent peers (Gollnick & Chinn, 2012; Perna, 2005). This study employed a grounded-theory approach in order to better understand why this gap between lower- and higher-SES college students continues to persist, despite such efforts. In addition, this study adds another dimension to the grounded-theory data analysis process called Theoretical Matching, as recommended by Goldkuhl and Cronholm (2010). Two theoretical lenses were used to narrow the research focus: Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital Theory (1977) and Tierney’s Model of Cultural Integrity (1999). In addition, Tinto’s Model of College Drop-Out (1975) was also used to inform the emerging theory.
The theory that emerged: Knaggs’ Intra- and Extra-Institutional Integration Model of Persistence for Low-SES College Students, describes the process of integration both within the institution, and in the adult world outside of the university. Recommendations to institutions based on Knaggs’ theory include creating an environment that better validates the culture of all students, therefore increasing the likelihood that cultural integrity is possible. In addition, models of college-preparatory programs and full-service community K-12 schools are used to show higher education institutions how they might better help students, particularly those of low-SES, to integrate successfully into the Extra-Institutional Environment as a financially-independent adult.
"]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf","p.211","1.52 MB"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["A Grounded Theory Approach to Understanding the Persistence Issue that Exists for Lower-Socio Economic Status College Students"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Opp, Ron"],"dc:creator":["Knaggs, Christine M."],"dc:date":["2012"],"dc:description":["Despite decades of research and program implementation in both the K-12 and higher educational systems, students of low socio-economic status (SES) still have access to and persist in higher education at significantly lower numbers than their more affluent peers (Gollnick & Chinn, 2012; Perna, 2005). This study employed a grounded-theory approach in order to better understand why this gap between lower- and higher-SES college students continues to persist, despite such efforts. In addition, this study adds another dimension to the grounded-theory data analysis process called Theoretical Matching, as recommended by Goldkuhl and Cronholm (2010). Two theoretical lenses were used to narrow the research focus: Bourdieu’s Cultural Capital Theory (1977) and Tierney’s Model of Cultural Integrity (1999). In addition, Tinto’s Model of College Drop-Out (1975) was also used to inform the emerging theory.
The theory that emerged: Knaggs’ Intra- and Extra-Institutional Integration Model of Persistence for Low-SES College Students, describes the process of integration both within the institution, and in the adult world outside of the university. Recommendations to institutions based on Knaggs’ theory include creating an environment that better validates the culture of all students, therefore increasing the likelihood that cultural integrity is possible. In addition, models of college-preparatory programs and full-service community K-12 schools are used to show higher education institutions how they might better help students, particularly those of low-SES, to integrate successfully into the Extra-Institutional Environment as a financially-independent adult.
"],"dc:format":["application/pdf","p.211","1.52 MB"],"dc:identifier":["http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=toledo1351195470"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:publisher":["University of Toledo / OhioLINK"],"dc:rights":["unrestricted","This thesis or dissertation is protected by copyright: all rights reserved. It may not be copied or redistributed beyond the terms of applicable copyright laws."],"dc:subject":["Higher Education","low-SES students","cultural capital theory","cultural integrity. GEAR UP","persistence","grounded-theory"],"dc:title":["A Grounded Theory Approach to Understanding the Persistence Issue that Exists for Lower-Socio Economic Status College Students"],"dc:type":["Electronic Thesis or Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Higher Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Philosophy"],"thesis:institution_name":["University of Toledo"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:36:08Z"}