The higher education access of poor, low-income, and working-class students is a powerful lever in combating poverty, promoting social mobility, and enhancing quality of life across socioeconomic strata. The college access of low-income students has been studied primarily through examinations of support infrastructures and the college-going cultures of socioeconomically disadvantaged communities. Insufficient attention has been paid to the influence of public policies aimed at increasing access and completion, such as tuition-free public policy. This multisite case study of TRIO programs is designed to provide additional insight into the influence of tuition-free public policy on the college access of low-income students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]