Bonding Family Social Capital and Agency Among Native-Born and Immigrant College Women With Low Parental Financial Support

Using in-depth interviews with 23 immigrant and native-born college women who receive little to no financial support from their parents, this study finds that variation in bonding family social capital shapes how college students perceive financial constraints in their past, present, and future, and how they enact their future plans. Among native-born and immigrant women alike, those with high family social capital tied their motivation to family support and centered their own sense of agency. Students with low family social capital aimed to distance themselves from their families of origin and expressed uncertainty about their ability to reach their future goals. By focusing on students facing similar financial constraints, we provide insight into factors that reproduce inequality among disadvantaged students.