Examining the Disconnect Between College Access and Choice: Low-income Chinese Students Amid Massification

Transitioning to higher education opens various possibilities. This qualitative inquiry adds depth to college choice processes by looking into the lives of low-income Chinese students. Semi-structured interview data obtained from 41 college borrowers representing diverse tiers of higher education was described and interpreted using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings, grounded in a conceptual framework that integrates economic and sociological constructs, indicate that student borrowers perceive college as a life-changing tool. Aligned ambitions, encompassing personal effort, parental commitment, and pursuing family honor, pave the way to college. Nonetheless, financial and sociocultural barriers stand in the way of progress. They go down alternative educational trajectories as opposed to the highest possible option. These include enrollment in inappropriate programs at unsuitable institutions caused by budget constraints and limited college knowledge. Thus, inequality reproduces through college admissions, undermining policy efforts to expand education access and equity. Low-income students need more than student loans to fulfill their full academic potential. Sustained, targeted outreach is required to expand access to and choice in higher education.