Higher education and the transition to adulthood: socioeconomic inequality in college students’ self-narratives

Abstract

How does socioeconomic status relate to the self-narratives youth craft in higher education? This article examines in-depth interviews with 96 students at a broad-access public university to illuminate how narratives of the transition to adulthood are shaped by socioeconomic inequality among youth who enroll in the same postsecondary institution. Although most students across backgrounds agreed that they were “not yet adults,” there were differences in the ways they described their paths to adulthood. Less socioeconomically advantaged students characterized their journeys as stalled, focusing on difficulties obtaining traditional markers of adulthood. These participants struggled to incorporate college experiences into their narratives and engaged in self-deprecation and self-blame. Meanwhile, more socioeconomically advantaged students highlighted personal growth in college to portray themselves as individuals with potential, who were positioned for future success. These findings provide unique insight into higher education’s role in cultural reproduction and have implications for students’ opportunities transitioning to postbaccalaureate life.