Research demonstrates the disproportionate challenges faced by foster youth as they emancipate from foster care. However, postsecondary outcomes of college students who are foster youth remain a concern, and research examining the experiences of foster youth who graduate from college is scant. The extant body of literature on foster youth is primarily problem-focused and suggests that an examination of the experiences of college graduate foster youth is needed to inform and evaluate the effectiveness of policy and practice aimed at increasing their college success. A constructivist, grounded theory methodology took an appreciative inquiry approach to engage the voice of foster youth college graduates in research on their postsecondary educational success to illuminate their experiences. The research generated four emergent themes: (a) education for survival, (b) authentic care, (c) holistic support, and (d) foster youth identity, and from these themes a model of foster youth college success was developed. This research demonstrated that foster youth experienced their degree attainment dichotomously: seeing “college success” as both their only option for a future that defies the odds, while also expressing a sense of awe or disbelief of their achievement. Relationships with adults who demonstrated authentic care for them, together with programs and support services designed to meet their unique needs, were viewed as integral to their achievement of educational goals. Finally, the participants expressed that accepting their foster youth identity was critical to their success, and to finding community and belonging.
