Low-Income Students: Do They Differ from 'Typical' Undergraduates?

This report examines the educational progress of low-income college students. The sample consisted of 185,845 first-time full-time freshmen in fall 1967 and a subsample consisted of 63,510 students in 1971. Results of the questionnaires indicated: (1) Low-income students were not distributed randomly among institutions. (2) The proportion of blacks was higher among low-income students. (3) Low-income students made slightly better high school grades than did other-income students. (4) Although low-income students relied heavily on Federal loans, earning from employment, college work-study programs, scholarships and fellowships during undergraduate years, none of these sources was apparently sufficient. (5) Low-income and other-income students were highly similar with respect to many college activities, studies, aspirations, and life goals. (6) Low-income students made slightly lower grade-point averages in college than did other-income students. (7) For both groups, married students were less likely to complete the baccalaureate in four years than were their unmarried peers. (8) High school grade-point average was a positive predictor of degree completion in four years. (9) Both low-income and other-income students were less likely to attain the baccalaureate in four years if they attended two-year colleges or larger institutions. (Author/MJM)