Available but Not Always Accessible: Student Mothers’ Perceptions of Institutional Support and Persistence

Student mothers pursue higher education while managing caregiving, financial, transportation, and emotional demands that can threaten persistence. Although colleges and universities offer nonacademic supports, availability does not ensure that services are accessible or responsive to parenting students. This basic qualitative study examined how nine undergraduate student mothers at a four-year institution in South Texas perceived nonacademic barriers and institutional resources. Guided by Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, semi-structured interviews were analyzed thematically. Participants described childcare affordability and accessibility, financial strain, mental health and emotional stress, and transportation and scheduling challenges as barriers to persistence. Faculty flexibility and campus resources were helpful, but their usefulness varied according to students’ circumstances and ability to access them. Findings suggest that institutions should evaluate support systems not only by whether services exist, but also by whether student mothers can realistically use them while balancing academic and caregiving responsibilities.