Family Socioeconomic Status and Adjustment to College: A Social Capital Perspective
Family socioeconomic status (SES) can play an important role in individuals’ adjustment to college, a critical period in career development. This study examined how family SES influenced first-year students’ peer evaluation of performance, social integration, and career sponsorship. From a social capital perspective, we proposed that family SES could influence adjustment outcomes through its impact on friendship with teammates, closeness with contacts in the same university, and accessing higher-status contacts outside the university. We found general support to the social capital mechanisms. Our results suggested that without interventions, differences in early-stage college experiences associated with family SES differences could persist and in turn relate to social and career outcomes.