Building the Net: Perceptions of Youth In Foster Care Participating In a Pre-Collegiate Summer Program

Background and Purpose: Students experiencing foster care (SEFC) encounter significant systemic barriers to post-secondary education, resulting in lower graduation rates compared to their peers. This research utilizes the theoretical framework of sense of belonging, defined as a student’s perceived social support, feeling of being an integral part of the campus community, and acceptance, to explore the perceptions of the college experience among high school students in a specialized pre-collegiate summer program. The purpose of the study is to explore the perceptions of high school students participating in a pre-collegiate summer program specifically designed for SEFC.

Methods: A qualitative approach was employed, featuring semi-structured interviews with 20 high school students and recent graduates currently in foster care. Participants were recruited from a residential week-long pre-college program hosted at a large public university, designed to simulate the college experience through dorm living, campus navigation, and academic lectures. Data were analyzed using thematic coding to identify emergent themes related to social integration, structural barriers, and internal motivation. Four primary themes emerged:

Results:

Defining Success as Stability and Generational Change

Participants define college success as graduating and attaining high-paying jobs to "break generational curses." Many students identify as their own primary encourager, driven by a desire to prove doubters wrong and establish a stable future.

Structural Barriers and Financial Uncertainty

Despite high aspirations, “money and tuition” are cited as the most significant barriers. Students expressed profound confusion regarding what the state (e.g., DFACS, federal programs) covers, often feeling "blind" without clear financial information or where to accurately obtain it.

The "Net" of Support vs. Fear of Independence

Students described a "net" of foster parents, caseworkers, and siblings that provides essential safety. The transition to college is perceived as a loss of this net, leading to anxieties about being "completely on my own." However, some view college as an "escape" to break the chain of systemic supervision.

Programmatic Impact on Belonging

The program served as a "center ground" that made college feel more possible. Participants valued the “shared identity” of being with other foster youth, which created a safe space where they would not be "made fun of." Practical experiences, such as navigating the campus and interacting with "happy soul" mentors, shifted perceptions from anxiety to confidence.

Conclusions and Implications: The findings suggest that pre-collegiate programs are a helpful first step to establishing an initial sense of belonging for SEFC. For SEFC, college may be less about losing a pre-existing “net” and more about breaking a chain to gain the "sanity" and "peace" they believe they required to be successful. Addressing the “net” could imply recognizing that the "freedom" of college is the ultimate goal, but if this new space lacks a safety mechanism, how can higher education ensure “new nets” are created. For social work practice and policy, these results highlight the need for earlier, more transparent financial literacy interventions and the creation of "institutional nets" that begin before enrollment, such as pre-college programs and outreach.