Student Resource Guide

Despite the progress that the United States has made over the past decade in making higher education more attainable, disparities still exist. The disparities in education have long term implications, which can limit access to jobs and adequate physical and mental health care for individuals. For those from disadvantaged backgrounds, the matriculation into post-secondary education may be particularly challenging if one does not have the resources and guidance to further his or her education. Yet, today education seems to be the most salient factor that permits upward mobility.

Students from households with lower socioeconomic status are less likely to attend college and even less likely to pursue graduate school (Cabrera et al., 2003; Karen 2002). For those who do attend, they are more likely to enroll in institutions with fewer financial resources and a higher reliance on tuition for their total revenue (Titus, 2006). Considering that attendance to post-secondary education is stratified by one’s socioeconomic status (Astin & Oseguera, 2004), limited access to financial resources can prevent students from applying and remaining in college and graduate school (Goldrick-Rab, 2006). However, accessing support and funding materials can help students overcome these barriers and follow their educational and professional aspirations.

In an effort to promote the advancement of students throughout the pipeline, the Office on Socioeconomic Status has created a resource guide. This guide summarizes scholarships, grants, internships and awards for high school, college and graduate students. Although the majority of these opportunities are through the American Psychological Association, there are some opportunities that are outside of the psychology field as well. We hope that this resource guide will provide easy access to financial assistance and opportunities for students. Best of luck in your educational pursuits.

• High school and college/undergraduate
• Graduate 

Astin, A. W., and Oseguera, L. (2004). The declining ‘‘Equity’’ of American higher education. The Review of Higher Education 27(3): 321–341.

Cabrera, Alberto F., Kurt R. Burkum, and Steven M. La Nasa. 2003. “Pathways to a Four-Year Degree: Determinants of Degree Completion among Socioeconomically Disadvantaged Students.” Paper presented at the Association for the Study of Higher Education,Portland, OR.

Goldrick-Rab, S. (2006). Following their every move: An investigation of social-class differences in college pathways. Sociology of Education, 79(1), 67-79.

Karen, David. 2002. “Changes in Access to Higher Education in the United States: 1980–1992.” Sociology of Education 75:191–210.

Titus, M. A. (2006). Understanding college degree completion of students with low socioeconomic status: The influence of the institutional financial context. Research in Higher Education, 47(4), 371-398.

Walpole, M. (2003). Socioeconomic status and college: How SES affects college experiences and outcomes. The review of higher education, 27(1), 45-73.