1. Minority Transitioning to College from High School
Calvin Jackson1
Georgetown University
Abstract
1
2800 14th street NW Washington DC

2. 1
The purpose of this study was to discover what factors inhibit or facilitates a student’s transition
from high school into college.I looked into the lived experience of six students who attended
predominantly white institutions, a public institution and a historically black institution.The
study interviewed them to understand what factors were involved in their academic and social
integration.Literature review revealed that family support, university faculty support, peer
support and academic integration are key features of a successfully transitioned student.Vincent
Tinto’s Model of Academic Departure was used as a foundation for the interviews.The findings
support the need for more support from peers, family and faculty.It also supports the need for
early intervention college preparedness strategies.
Honor Code Certification and Release Waiver
Sociology Senior Seminar Professor Timothy Wickham-
Crowley

3. 2
Department of Sociology Spring
2015
Please sign and attach this document to your senior thesis.
I, _________________________________(print name) understand that Georgetown’s Honor
Code rules are in effect in this course and I certify that I have not violated them. The senior
thesis which I am submitting with this certification is my own work.
I have not violated the University’s rules regarding plagiarism in preparing this thesis. The
research, thinking, analysis, writing, and editing were done by me except possibly for some
limited advice from others regarding particular points of theory, method or substance.
I have not submitted this same work to other courses for academic credit.
______________________________________________(signed) _________________(date)
Dedication
This paper is dedicated to my family and friends-- who have been nothing less than love for me
the past four years.It has been difficult as a first generation student myself to consistently show
up to the door as enthused as everyone else on this campus. Some moments in the past four years
I was blind, every step was trial and error. I wrote this thesis in one of the most challenging times

4. 3
of my life. This senior semester I was challenged mentally, physically, emotionally by strains at
home, in the classroom and at the heart. I look forward to taking another step forward in my life!
Table of Contents
Introduction 5
First Generation Students 8
Concepts 9
Literature Review 10
Retention Models 13
Transition Factors 17
Peer Interactions 21
Racial Climate 23
Pre-College Experience 24
Methodology 28
Participants 29
The Study 30
Data 31

5. 4
Tyrec Grooms 31
Aspen Dixon 33
Celine Dion 35
Malaika Davis 37
James Simpson 40
Courtland Diao 43
Findings 47
Pre College Programming Discussion 47
Before Enrollment 49
Peer Support 50
Lack of Interaction with Faculty 50
The Inability to Integrate into Social Functions 52
Conclusion 53
Introduction
It is believed that the U.S.has entered a “post-racial” era.People routinely cite an increase in
college enrollment among minorities (Krogstad 2014) or even the fact that these United States
have an African American as president.However minority students still face many barriers and
systematic issues upon entering college and and four year universities (Suarez-Balcazar et
al.2003).In 2007, Minorities accounted for only 28% of college graduates (Bell
2008).Additionally, minorities are less likely to “express satisfaction with their educational
experience” (Einarson and Matier 2005), a finding that supports the continued need for

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“ameliorative programs to improve rates of retention and success among minority college
students”.
To better understand the position and context of the current state of the black individual we must
better understand the structural history of the African American race."Laissez- Faire Racism” by
Lawrence Bobo and Ryan Smith elaborates on the notion of institutional racism in
America.Slavery pre-emancipation proclamation entitled essentially every American to property
rights over black individuals.Matter of fact they were not even ‘whole’ individuals but 3/5th of
one.Slavery was an extension of today’s capitalism, more so its own economic system.Whips ,
manacles, shackles, were all part of the everyday life of the African American enslaved.Families
were torn apart.Codes were sent up to deprive the enslaved from economic and spiritual
happiness.They were not able to read, write, learn, and for that matter progress as a race.your
whole being, and potential being stripped to that of a chair, or a horse.That is what the African
American was to America.After Abraham Lincoln liberated the slaves in 1863 ( supposedly, for
the function of liberation were and are still not extended), blacks were placed in shacks, and
ghettos.They were given old and rundown houses and told to rebuild it for their own refuge.In
order to further contain the black population, they were criminalized by the black
codes(Alexander 2010).The integration of blacks into American civilizations did not go as
smooth as many blacks would hope.

7. 6
Laissez Faire racism supposes that direct racism targeted towards black via mainstream media,
governmental laws and policy and societal mass are obsolete, and blacks are to blame for their
problem.America prides itself on its national creeds of liberty, life and the pursuit of happiness
yet simultaneously accepts the institutional deprivation of all minority races.Laissez Faire racism
is a concept that supposes that is culturally accepted that Blacks are in deprived positions
because of their own bad habits and lack production.These individuals believe higher
incarceration rates are due to high African American tendency towards crime.They believe
African Americans as a race are intellectually subordinate.They do not take into account the
institutional subordination and subversion that clearly has burden this race as a whole. I have
heard many of my classmates make similar statements.One individual said that every black
person has trials but has equal opportunity to guide themselves through the road of success that
America has carved out for them.Though America has carved out a few roads to success for
African Americans, such as rap, higher education , etc, these roads are minimal in number and
packed with barriers upon barriers.The route that we are looking at is that of post secondary
education.
Minority students have a higher chance of leaving college earlier than expected (Terenzini
2003).This is an issue that has severely detrimental implications for the capacity of social
mobility that the individual can have.Attending college and universities has almost become a
must in today's world of specialization.Colleges offer classes and the environment to develop
career goals, attain social skills, and become academically enriched.Ultimately this should
culminate in the attainment of a degree.Having a degree contributes both to personal finances
and our national economy.Much of our societal development and pivotal research comes from
the individuals who attend college.Our society is reliant on their skills and knowledge to advance

8. 7
our interest and needs.The more education you have, the higher your potential income.In 2001,
the Census Bureau cites that the median income for someone with a degree is a little under twice
the amount of someone with only a high school degree.That was 2001 and the number has
certainly risen. Most jobs, even lower- specialized entry level jobs, require at least a bachelor's
degree.Thus it has become more of a necessity to attain a degree for economic security (Lynch
2013).For minorities who are already at the bottom of the social totem, a degree could
significantly open opportunities for climbing the social ladder.Colleges are becoming
increasingly diverse, especially in a globalized world.In 1990, 77% of students enrolled in
postsecondary education were white while only 19.5% were minorities.In 2000, whites
accounted for 68% of enrolled students while the minority proportion grew to 36% (Department
of Education 2000).However because minorities are not completing college as frequently or
successfully as their white counterparts, they are not reaping the benefits of post secondary
education.
First Generation Students
The most at risk group of minorities are first generation college students(Hicks 2005).First
generations students are the first in their family to attend college.About a third of all college
students are first generation college students (US Department of Education 2012).It has been
well documented that first generation students are significantly more at risk of a transition into
college riddled with hardship and barriers (London 1996, D'Augelli & Hershberger 1993). There
is a positive correlation between a parent’s educational attainment level and a whether a student
pursuits a bachelor degree.82% of students whose parent has a degree enrolled in college
immediately.Only 55% enrolled whose parents did not have a degree, 36% of students whose
parents only completed high school matriculated to college (Choy 2001).Having a parent who

9. 8
has attended college is a big advantage as they are able to guide the student through college
based on their own experience.However it is difficult for parents to help their student out if they
have no experience in the college environment (Lynch 2013).Because their parents do not have a
college degree, they are normally raised in poverty and non affluent areas.These areas are
typically lacking in resources and and riddled with problems that exacerbates, but are separate
from, academic issues.These students are financially challenged, often lacking life skills, and
lack resources and avenues for academic or career development ( Berger 2005).
Retaining our at risk students should be paramount for universities.Institutions will be able to
sustain the revenue they receive from student tuition.Students will gain a host of advantages and
opportunities from the university practically, socially and intellectually.And lastly our
local,national and global communities will reap the rewards of having more college educated
individuals.Answering the questions about retention will benefits everyone.What factors
influence minority attrition in college? This study is qualitative in nature and looks at minority
individuals.I hope to contribute to an area of study that seeks to support the creation of programs
that tackles the alarming decline of minority retention by enabling a less turbulent adjustment.
Concepts
Attainment, Academic Integration, Attrition, Drop Out,First-Generation Student Persistence,
Retention, Social Integration, Transfer, College , University
There are numerous extremes of college retention and transition.Students typically go to a
university to graduate in four years.Some students leave to never return (dropout), transfer or

10. 9
take breaks.Some students choose to stay yet their stay is marked with extreme
adversity.Throughout the paper I will use the concept of transition to denote students transition
from senior year of highschool into their first or second year of college.I use the concept attrition
to denote the weakening of the student’s relationship with college in general.First generation
college student has been defined in a couple of different ways.It is a undergraduate student
whose parents do not have college experience.
Statistics, particularly of retention should not be overstated.Though they are good indicators it is
not an end all be all for any implications.For instance many students take part time credits.If this
is done throughout the course of their college years, they are likely to not graduate in four
years.Or there are some students who choose to enroll only to take a few classes or with the
intent to transfer eventually.They would be counted in the eyes of the university as dropouts
although they had no intentions of staying.Some student take off years, in which case they are
also counted as a dropout.When stakeholders and researchers look at statistics, there should be
recognition of the many variances.Aaron levenstein said “Statistics is like a bikini.What they
reveal is suggestive, what it conceals is vital.” The purpose of this study is not to add to a
running list of data but to explore the real life implications and experience that the data suggest.
Literature Review
There is an abundant of literature out there focused on college drop outs and adjustment to
college.In 1938, John McNeely with the Department of Interior and Office of Education was the
first study and collect data from various colleges and universities to examine reasons for

11. 10
departure.It was not until the end of World War II with the rise of higher educational
opportunities that research began to reflect and offer solutions on an individual level(Seidman
2005).By way of the new GI bill, a couple million veterans of the war joined institutions and
were the first era of students to have their enrollment statistics monitored (Thelin 2004).During
this era, the Civil Rights movement was in full swing.Students began to protest against social
deprivation across college campuses.Social and cultural revolutions in general during this time
contributed to the raising of questions about who has educational opportunities (Berger
2005).Campuses began to compare who were successful in college and who were not.Thanks to
the Higher Education Act of 1965, institutions saw an increase of enrollments by minority
students.It provided these students financial aid to go towards college tuition.It also marked an
increase in campus services to help students academically(McDonough & Fann, 2007).By the
end of the 60s, retention was much more thoroughly researched and focused on by college
administrations (Demetriou & Schmitz 2011).Many began to develop programs based off of
these studies to decrease college departure.
The 70s research was focused on legal factors and efforts that sought to reduce educational
barriers.Spady developed a sociological model of student dropout rooted in Durkheim's suicide
model (1970).Durkheim’s theory of suicide holds the idea that people commit suicide normally
because of two factors.People who commit suicide feel they do not share the same values as the
society in which they left.They also lacked social support.Spady argued that these are analogous

12. 11
in principle with reasons students depart from school.They lack value congruence and social
support.Vincent Tinto's model of student departure built of off Spady’s and has been the most
dominant modeled since. He posited that students who fail to integrate both socially and
academically in informal and formal settings will have a tough time transitioning and are
indicators of departure.
In the 80s, enrollment began to decrease.In response many campuses started enrollment
management programs (Demetriou & Schmitz 2011).It is a campus wide initiative to address
departure.It includes recruitment efforts, admissions and financial support, student retention and
other aspects relative to student transitioning.Bean was the one of the most notables of the time
to contribute to discussing socioeconomic factors and background characteristics as factors that
contribute to student departure from college (1980).He latter included peer interaction as a factor
as well.
By the 90s, literature switched and focused on issue of retention, adjustment and persistence of
degree (Swail 2003).Being admitted and attending a college is a significant feat but it is the
attainment of the degree that will result in social and economic mobility.In the case of minorities,
this phenomena has severely crippled their ability to move up and down the economic ladder.
Tinto continued to develop his model of departure and included three groups who were most at
risk of departure; African Americans, low income students, as well as transfer students (1993).In

13. 12
this decade, much literature has stressed cross departmental cooperation in focusing on at risk
groups.(Walters 2004 & Lehr 2004).These programs should address needs that are manifested
inside and outside of the classroom.One of the most prevalent focuses of this decade is the
emphasis on interaction with campus peers and faculty.It was found by Habley that their is a
positive correlation between retention and interaction with those individuals( 2004).
“The interactions students have on campus with individuals in academic, personal and support
service centers can influence a student's’ sense of connection to the college or university as well
as their ability to navigate the campus culture, meet expectations and graduate.A university that
holds high expectations and actively involves students in their learning creates an environment
where students are more likely to succeed” (Demetriou & Schmitz 2011)
Retention Models
There are many models of student development, departure and attrition that has developed over
the century (Berger 1997, Chartrand 1992).Researchers do not and cannot rely on only one
model or aspect of college transition because there are many layers and factors involved in
transitioning.Bean and Metzner conceptualizes adjustment as “institutional commitment, feelings
of academic adjustment, and the absence of psychological distress”( 1985).Spady’s
conceptualization of student retention found that personal attributes interact with environmental
factors that contributes to a student's departure.A student's interaction of these attributes helps
shape the opportunities or and capacity integrate into the systems on campus.

14. 13
Vincent Tinto’s model of educational departure published over thirty years ago, built on Spady's
conceptualization.It continues to shape educational studies today.It contributes to understanding
exactly what affects college drop outs, commonly minority dropouts.It was one of the first
frameworks to be widely used to research retention and departure.Vincent Tinto (1993) argued
that differences in student interactions with their campus affects retention and adjustment more
than socioeconomic factors.He list three factors that contribute; “ (1) academic difficulties, (2)
the inability of individuals to resolve their educational and occupational goals, (3) and their
failure to become or remain incorporated in the intellectual and social life of the institution.”
Tinto’s model states that in order to sustain and better adjust to college, student should be
incorporated in the formal and informal functions of the university system.That is they should be
integrated both in their academic performance as well as faculty interactions. They should also
become incorporated in the formal and informal social institutions on campus, that is
extracurricular activities as well as peer level interactions.By using Tinto's model in conjunction
with other analysis of inclusion, socioeconomic factors and high school education preparedness--
research should be able to provide empirical support for academic and social integration, high
school college preparatory classes and programs, and college development that builds
relationships that mediate a student's success.
There is an ever growing field of study that seeks to understand exactly why some students
persist and others do not.There are psychological models, socio economic models, models on

15. 14
integration, racial climate approaches, etc.There is a wide array of factors and layers of causes
that makes it difficult to make generalization about what factors are innately responsible in
causing one group or another’s departure.Thus making many studies not easily
transferable.Rottman used a personality-fit study to view how individual characteristics are
balanced with institutional demands(1972).Some studies looks at pre college characteristics such
as GPA, Test scores and high school success(Bean 1982).However, Bean noted that these
characteristics focuses on admission and not retention.These items are only relevant to high
school and college accepting a student but not related to their ability to persist in college.Many
of the previous models posits that is a student's ability to integrate on campus academically and
socially that dictates their capacity to transition and persist. Over the years low retention
numbers have been caused by poor university environments, lack of pre college preparation and
poor student affairs programming (Powell 1990, Townsend 1994).Donovan noted that pre
college characteristics were less important to persistence of minority students than their ability to
integrate (1984).Nora and Cabrera in their study found no difference in the effect that academic
preparation has had on minority and non minority persistence(1990).Indeed, it will ultimately be
up to the student and their direct behavior on campus that will dictate their ability to
integrate.However, we should not undermine a student's pre college characteristics.The first year
of college is the most important year for persistence and transition (McConnell 2000, Lohfink &
Paulsen 2005). If the first year is the most pivotal year of transition then it would follow that pre
college characteristics are also important factors in facilitating the students resilience during that

16. 15
year.Integration into any system is a ritual, as Tinto termed it.But it is difficult to integrate into
another system, particularly if that system is “culturally distinct from [their] own culture”
(Tierney 1992).The skills, academic preparation, life experience, support, emotional and familial
baggage that they possessed before that first year will not go away upon entering college.Those
items will become a factor and assist or hinder a student’s integration.Additionally there is much
research that indicate white students are less involved in campus activities than black
students(Watson and Kuhn), further implying weakness in the model.Though I will use Tinto’s
model of integration to evaluate our interviewees, we will also look at factors that are not
specific to academic or social integration once on a campus.Because the field is constantly
expanding and researching new factors in college transition and retention, we will focus on a
few.We should look at some of the common retention themes throughout all stages of transition
(high school through college attendance).
Transition Factors
First generation students are the most vulnerable students in terms of college attrition.Race,
socioeconomic status, skillset and family experience are themes that resonate in their college
experience Darling and Smith separated characteristics of first-generation students into two
categories; pre enrollment and post enrollment.Their list below,exemplifies that the problems
that they have before college combined with the issues confronted with post enrollment puts
them at a significant disadvantage in paving the way for departure:
Pre enrollment:

17. 16
-Tend to be from low income families
-Tend to be members of ethnic or racial minority groups
- Tend to be less prepared
-Tend to be more female than male
-Tend to lack familial support
Post enrollment:
- Lower first year GPA
- More likely to drop out during their first year
-More likely to attend classes part time and work full time
- More likely to have low self esteem
-Experience cultural shock and integration, often feeling ostracized by their previous culture as
well as their universities culture
- Experience lower faculty expectations
-More likely to leave without a degree
London’s study in 1992 supported that minorities live on the margins of society.When entering
the world of academia it is a conflict of two cultures one of which never is quite wanting to
separate from their roots and another one which “because of prejudice will never accept them”
(London 1992).This is more commonly resonated in black students attending predominantly
white institutions ( PWI).Tinto cosigned that black students are faced with the unique obstacle of
incongruent values because of the white majority(1993).Thus is it becomes more important for
them to find a group of people or community to connect with that shares similar values, culture
and social norms.The students who cannot find that community within their college are more
vulnerable to social estrangement, isolation and psychological stress (Smedley & Myers 1993,
Sailes 1993).Being able to retain minorities should be paramount to all universities.Pidgeon
notes that colleges should encourage aboriginals,and other minority groups, to embrace their

18. 17
cultural identity (2008).However many institutions today were and are not culturally constructed
in a context that fits minority interest.Universities have a historical element to their missions that
still exist today.Indeed many of these institutions were not designed at all for minorities but for a
white, wealthy populous.As opposed to having to integrate into that culture, studies have shown
minorities who can connect with their own culture has advantages to persist (Allen 1992).In
Allens study minorities enrolled in PWI students felt estranged and isolated.However at
Historically Black Colleges and Universities, they felt a sense of solidarity and
community.HBCUs are concerned with creating connectedness and fostering a sense of
nurture.Watson and Kuhn looked at undergraduate minority students at two PWIs and two
HBCUs.They found that black majority students (HBCUs students) were more involved than the
black minority and white students.Minority students tend to view minority clubs “as providing a
valuable source of support” (Loo & Rolison 1986).A student's perception of their institutions
support has a positive influence on a student's persistence in college.
First generation minority students face significant disadvantages with academic experiences, or
lack therefore (Richardson & Skinner ,Nettles 1988). Because of their socioeconomic situation,
they are more likely to live off campus, take classes part time and and work more.This reduces
the temporal opportunities to meet with professors and faculties as often as they may
like.Frequent interaction with faculty and peers increases critical thinking, writing and social
(Hurtado 2001). In his study on retention, Love found that faculty interaction was one of his

19. 18
seven categories of variables found to impact retention of the surveyed minority
students(1993).Townsend saw that the lack of motivation and prevalence of indifference further
inhibits black students retention (1994).He saw that a weak integration into the formal and
informal social functionings of the university undermined student retention.Interacting with
professors not just during office hours and in class but informally outside of class also built
social capital with professors ( Kuh and Hu 2001, Astin 1993).Taking time to go to a professor's
home, serve on a committee with them, or working on independent projects are positively
correlated with student development (Kuh, Kinzie, Buckley 2006).In Dayton’s study of Latino
students, he found that those who felt connected to their faculty mentor or professor felt a greater
sense of self worth and value on campus(2004).There is much research supporting the positive
influence that informal and formal faculty interaction has student retention(Fries- Britt and
Turner 2002, Himelhoch 1997).
Shyness has been found to be a factor contributing to minority adjustment into college (Angela
Calvin and Nina Mounts 2004).Transitioning to college itself is already a daunting task for
adolescents.The first year is marked as a year of uncertainty because of the exposure to a new
environment(Hurtado & Change 2006).Students come in and are essentially nervous and anxious
about building connections.Being able to establish and sustain supporting relationships is key to
success and adjustment in college.However in the case of minorities, coming to prestigious
schools offers a unique level of shyness.Being an adolescent and thrown into a school full of
individuals whom you do not know will be a challenge.But being black and thrown into a

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college, especially most which are predominantly white, reduces the amount of inclusiveness that
individual feels with the college.Calvin and Mounts measured 76 first year college students;
55.3% were African American, 27.6% were Hispanic, 15.8% were Asian and 1.3% were Middle
Eastern.They were surveyed on their shyness levels, self perceptions on campus, involvement on
campus and on the quality of friendships they had.Their results provides evidence of feeling of
inclusion and difficulty adjusting to college.Also contributing to those shyness levels is the sense
of competence a student has (Deci & Ryan 1985).If a student demonstrated higher levels of
shyness, lower levels of quality friendship and self worth then they are more likely to have a
difficult time adjusting to college.Additionally, the more involved in extracurricular activities a
student is the more friendships he/she can establish.Students shyness and perception of self can
also inhibit them from interacting with professors and other faculty like dean's and financial
counselors.The study concludes that having a quality network of support is crucial to success and
adjustment and serves to curb low retention rates in schools by removing shyness and low self
esteem.
Peer Interaction
Your peers in college can be important factors in how you spend your time and the support you
receive in college.As a student you may be surrounded by people with both similar and different
creeds, races,interest,religion, and backgrounds.Those people in radiate, reflect and impress upon
us various experiences.Having a group of peers to experience college with can offer social
support and has a positive relationship with feeling less lonely and greater persistence (Nicpon

21. 20
2006).A big portion of a students college experiences is certainly determined the capacity of
socialization on campus, particularly with staff and peers.Astin argued that peers are the most
important influence in all aspects of our behavior, psychology and cognitive development
(1993).Peer to peer interaction helps students go beyond traditional parochial views of our
identity or views.For instance female college friends through interaction tend to expand the
scope of their dualistic thinking(Aleman 1997).These interactions are reflective of a frequently
dismissed resource that we have in peer learning (Alexander, Gur, Patterson 1974).Peer
interactions are highly beneficial and development more fostered in study groups, discussions of
hot topic issues such as race or social issues, participating in sports, fraternities and other
clubs.participating in these interactions frequently provide students with ample opportunity for
social integration.Through robust peer interaction,students feel more valued and depended upon
by their peer group.Being concerned with another student’s fate has a positive relationship with
resilience (Chung, Rayle and Dixon 2007).This sharpening of relationship with peers encourages
resilience in college.
When minority students are exposed to other minority students they are fostering a connected
community.Tinto found that unique networks of social support in college, such as cultural
groups, learning communities or other groups with assisted social integration(2004).Hughes
found that the black of other black students PWI campuses has been shown to reduce cultural,
social and personal enrichment (1987).For minority students, a network of support from peers or

22. 21
faculty who have homeland culture connections positively affects a college experience(Larimore
and McClellan 2005).Being able to connect to a familiar dismisses nervousness,and provided a
family like support away from home.
Racial Climate
Minority students experience various degree of racism depending on the campus, location, class,
etc.Racism and prejudice on campus has been accepted as a default by students(Allen 1992),
with one in four students actually reporting to have experience racism(CIRP 1980).Many
students did not recognize diversity learning and developing a diverse community was a priority
of the university(Hurtado 1992).The white students in his report even believed racism did not
exist.Again here we have one group of minorities who accept racism as default and another
group of white majority reporting that racism does not exist.There exist a big difference in
perception of the racial climate on campus by minority students.These negative perceptions are
more likely to come from minority students at PWIs (Feagin, Vera and Imani 1996). HBCUs
offer concerted efforts to connect, encourage and engage their students.However, minority
students at PWIs have a more negative perception of their racial climate on campus.Black
student feel less valued by their white faculty and student peers.They believed that the were
looked at as intellectually, humanly,socially and morally inferior.Some students even reported
being ignored and paid less attention to during class (Trujillo 1986).Smedley, Myers and Harrell
discusses how students feel anxious at these PWIs.Minority students are less likely to reach out
to professors if they are white.This anxiety and self doubt is fueled by the traditional hegemonic

23. 22
modes of racism.Institutions that do not actively seek to diversify and ease racial tension and
negative perception is simply creating and confounding pervasive inequality(Dei & Asgharzadeh
2001).Integration of the commitment to foster comfortable and connected campuses is supported
by studies that link it with retention (Nettles 1988, Nora).
Pre College Experience
While integrating socially and academically on campus is crucial component of facilitating
retention, it is not the only factors that are involved. First generation minority students face an
extensive array of barrier impeding a smooth college transition.Students come into college
normally at age 18, certainly their lived experience in those years will have an affect on their
capacity to finish college during the years after enrollment.
Academic performance in high school has been used as an indicator to predict transition (
Makuakane-Drechsel and Hagedorn 2000). In a longitudinal study of education attainment,
Lavin and Crook found that minorities were less likely to have academic success in throughout
high school.Enrollment rates into college institutions are higher yet only 17% of young adults
who had graduated from highschool in between 1990-2004 who had attended some college,
ultimately received a degree ( US Department of Education 2010).Many non affluent regions do
not instill the aspirations.In 2005, NSC shows that of all Chicago high school graduates only half
enrolled in a four year institution that fall.Not only are students not able to transition well once
getting into college, but it is difficult to let alone get in.Roderick and Coca, found that low GPAs

24. 23
and ACT scores among minorities presented serious barriers to four year college access and
decreased their chances of success once enrolled.Gewirtz found that students in low income and
minority groups succeed and a lower rate than their white counterparts (2010).Some of the
reason is due to poor development of essential skills needed to succeed academically.David
Conley cites three categories that help determine college success; content knowledge and basic
skills, academic skills and noncognitive skills. Indeed in order to advance high school proceed
into college, students must be proficient in math and reading and possess those behavior
skills.These skills are things such as problem solving, time management, emotion management,
etc.(Nagaoka).Gewirtz argued that if students were more academically prepared than the gap in
success and retention for minorities and whites would be significantly less (2010).
However because of the lack of resources in these non affluent areas, students are not challenged
or pushed hard enough(Dolan 2007, Cuyjet 1997).Attending low income schools showed
lowered expectations of students by peers, adults and social pressure to undermine the priority of
schooling( Cuyjet 1997).Disparities in SAT scores can be attributed to lack of resources in the
school, yet when controlling for race there was still significantly different in suburban and rural
residents (Carson 1991, King 1999).Those same disparities were still reported within groups,
such as poor whites v affluent whites.This signifies an economic factor in resources and college
preparedness.

25. 24
Minority and first generation students typically lack social capital needed to translate success
into college.They lack the access to college norms, lack support and guidance from communities
( Perna 2000, coleman 1988).Guidance and support is important to anyone, especially high
school students.That needs becomes even more pressing when you have parents who does not
have any or little experience and knowledge with higher education and university access.There
are certain skills that are integral to pick up for college such as time and money management that
students never learn in high school or even their community. Low level of parental support is
detrimental to persistence in college, especially for minority women ( Schwartz and Washington
1999).Having limited access to adults in their immediate household and community with college
experience puts emphasis on teachers, counselors and other faculty in high school to help guide
them through the process of applying to and enrolling in college, resolving academic goals,
taking test, getting fee waivers, applying to financial aid and scholarship, etc.Because many of
these schools do not have adequate funding, many schools are missing college readiness
services. Many studies show that support by teachers and the expression of confidence motivates
students.Allen, Bonous-Hammarth and Suh (2004) surveyed minority high school students.Some
students described experiences where many them or some of their classmates were constantly
labeled smart or capable by teachers.They would always be the one to be picked on for
leadership positions or college tours.These students received a lot of support by the staff in their
transition into college while the non labeled students were severely neglected (2004).The support
of teachers and parents pre college enrollment is a dictating factor in a successful transition.

26. 25
First generations students possess fewer skills, experiences with college campuses and role
models pre college enrollment.While these circumstance occur before enrollment, they are
certainly still manifested throughout the college years.While there is much support for successful
strategies that involves minority students accepting their new roles as students (Strang 1981) the
onus should not wholly be placed on the student's capacity to assume those roles. There needs to
be an expansion of pre college and on campus structures that seek to alleviate the structural
disadvantages that minority students face.
What factors facilitates or inhibits minority transition into college?
Methodology
This thesis focuses on the experience of minority students in universities to support or refute
factors inhibiting or facilitating proper transition into those universities from high school.The
study uses a qualitative research design to understand the lived experience of the phenomena of
minority retention and departure.The students chosen in this study are all in their senior year of
college and are on course to successfully graduate from their university. The use of a qualitative
study has proven to be particularly insightful in educational studies (Creswell 2012).
In addition I would like to take a direct look at the lived experience of the the participants.While
data collection and surveying are excellent forms of finding trends, I fear too often the
experience of others, particularly minorities, are easily ignored by being rendered a number.By
taking a close and analytical look at the experience, one can gain an adequate understanding and

27. 26
close reading of the situation (Moustakas 1994). The close reading nature of this research design
enables the opportunity for diverse extrapolations identifying problems and solutions relative to
how the students were able to stay resilient despite the barriers.
Participants
The participants of this study were six selected university students from (3) Georgetown
University, (1) The University of Maryland, (1) University of Virginia and (1) Bowie State
University.Though I have six, Creswell posits that having five participants in qualitative
educational study allows for ‘greater saturation’ (2007).I selected students I personally have
known who meet the following characteristics:
A. At Least a Junior
B. Currently enrolled
C. Identifies as minority
D. First generation student
E. Are in good academic standing with the school
The students selected were interviewed privately over the telephone or at a mutually agreed
comfortable location (1).They were all minority and first generation college students.

28. 27
Georgetown and the University of Virginia were identified as predominantly while.Bowie State
was identified as an Historically Black Institution.The University of Maryland is a public
university of the State of Maryland.
The Study
The form of the interview was discussion based using two stages, pre-college enrollment
experience and post college enrollment experience.In the pre-college enrollment experience we
focuses on student background, financial concerns in high school, peer and adult support, pre-
college academic enrichment programs and college counsel effectiveness.By asking the students
about their pass experiences such as “ How did working during high school affect your ability to
attend school or study ?” we can look at ways socioeconomic factors impacted their ability to
persist in college or develop skills that would help in high school. In post-college enrollment we
focus on formal and informal campus structures.We focus on peer and faculty interactions,
campus racial climate, minority serving institutions and the students academic
development.These questions were formulated to look at the factors involved in being able to
integrate both formally and informally on campus social and academic structures.
The discussion was unilateral.Questions were semi structured.That is to to say all of the concepts
and themes that I questioned were indeed talked about by all participants but in varying capacity;

29. 28
Depending on where the participant took the discussion to.There were clarifying questions and
additional dialogue posed in order to clarify certain things and gain meaningful data. The
discussion was transcribed by me during the interviews on a laptop.It was simultaneously
recorded in order to go back and verify. The name of the participants will be protected by
pseudonyms.After the interviews were all conducted, it was analyzed by finding common themes
that resonated between the six participants.
Data
Tyrec Grooms
Tyrec an African American student attending University of Virginia. He was apart of a family of
4, with 4 brothers and his mom.His mother worked multiple jobs to support them, earning the
bare minimum.They were constantly relocating into various regions in southeast and northeast
DC.He went to Kramer Middle School, located in Southeast Washington DC.He described the
school as “pretty terrible” and full of bad experiences.Living in southeast he said is bad but the
school made it a much worse experience for him.He went to School Without Walls for high
school, which was roughly 50% black and 40% white.At this school he was apart of a dual
enrollment program with George Washington University, which was located right across the
street from his high school.The program enabled him to take AP classes and also college courses
at GW which would be counted as college credits.He credits a lot of his success in college to this
program and the support that came with it.After, he enrolled in the University of Virginia.UVA

30. 29
is a predominately white institution with 70% of its body coming from the state of Virginia.On
campus there were many groups and subgroups whom he interacted with.He did not see a
priority with finding people who look like him as he “had grew up around African Americans so
I had it in me”.He said it is not like an HBCU obviously so he had frequent interaction with
people of other races.He gained a lot from those interactions.His closest friend although was
black.He says this person has helped him through a lot over the course of his career there,
including deaths and financial concerns. He never really participated in any minority serving
clubs or institutions at UVA.He actually did not partake in many clubs besides one tutoring and
modeling club over the course of a couple semesters. He did not have extended relationships
with professors, advisors or financial aid officers either.He navigated those services on his
own.He did think he was adequately integrated on campus.
Aspen Dixon
Aspen is a senior at Georgetown University.She is an African American.She lived with her
mother and aunt in New Haven, Connecticut.She went to James Hillhouse High school.She was
not given academic support.Her high school years were mainly self sufficient. She was told to
stop cheerleading and to get a job at age 16 because by her mother.
She described herself usually as the smartest kid in the classroom, leaving high school with a
GPA of 3.8.She was encouraged a lot by her school and essentially chosen as the one likely to
succeed.She always went to summer enrichment programs.She described her high school as

31. 30
having an effective college counsel program.They made all students apply to college and
frequently had meetings with all students to ensure they had plans.Her motivation was fueled by
the desire to leave New Haven and saw education as the means to do that.She describes herself
as self motivated.
She had seen her brother go to college but that was not enough for her.Because her mother had
not gone and her brother was not there, she had trouble when applying to colleges initially but
got help from her college counselors. She visited Georgetown through a host weekend
program,where she decided to attend.She was selected to participate in Georgetown’s
Community Scholars Program.This is a pre college program designed to give low income and
first generation students exposure to campus classroom, essential skills and a peer network for
support. She said it was helpful. She describe campus as pretty segregated and witnessed a lot of
racial biases.Even from her own peer group of males, she feels biased against as a black
women.She says she feels awkward a lot being the only black person in the classroom and to see
professors dedicate more energy to white students, to see white students in positions of
leadership and chosen for programs all over campus was discouraging to her.She questioned
whether she was smart enough to attend this school. She did participate in minority serving
institutions but most of them had no impact on her experience.She did cite one institution in
particular, Georgetown Scholarship Program for minority and first generation students, as a
program that helped her financially and psychologically.It gave her a sense of home as the
mentors of the program were always cordial and interested in her success.

32. 31
She did not have extensive relationships with her dean or aid counselors, only speaking to them
as needed.She worked almost 20 hours a week the past couple of years.She says this especially
hindered her ability to study and connect with her fellow peers.She prefers to study alone
although she does appreciate the support she gets from her small group of friends.At times she
says she wants to drop out and had her share of academic failures.She says that professors did
not really helped when she did reach out which caused dissonance.Ultimately she did not feel
like she belonged to this school and may have done better elsewhere.She thinks she barely feels
integrated in her biology major department and definitely feels like there is no space for her here
after she graduates.
Celine Dion
Celine is a junior at Bowie State university.She is a computer science major.In high school
Celine moved a lot, attending three separate schools in Hawaii and Maryland.The moving was a
hindrance to her as her GPA went from 3.8 - 3.7 - 3.0 respectively.She lived with her mom in her
later years of high school.She went initially to a predominately white school that she hated, but
went to racially diverse schools her 11th and 12th grade year.She lived with her mom who did
not have a lot of money.She says her mother was always a supporter of her but overwhelmed her
with support.She felt like she wanted to resist her most of the time.She did get support from one
mentor in high school that her mother found in church.She made a lot of money and went to

33. 32
daughter with her school.She was able to buy Celine school supplies and uniforms and even
putting her name under her account.She helped her in her college enrollment process.
In high school she said she did not do a good job towards her latter years.She took honors classes
as she was nominated as a high performing student.She took the SAT but beyond those things
did not participate in any pre college or summer programing in high school.She did not have a
college counselor, but a general counselor, who she only seen once a quarter.“ I would say hi and
bye like once a year”.They never talked to her about schools, occasionally sending out a
listserv.She said she did not feel like education was for her.
She enrolled in Bowie State, an HBCU.She says it was a pretty dry school, no drinking and no
fun.She feels as though students are restricted and not integrated on campus because professors
and deans are “ not showing face” that is they are not as active on campus as Celine thinks they
need to be.She does think there should be outreach, which she admits she could have done more
of.But she says those aids were unusually absent from campus activities such as dialogues,
voting, seminars, protest, etc. She said it did not feel like your traditional HBCU, which she
expected.
Celine did participate in minority serving clubs.She said black pride and social issues are things
close to her.She found a good group of friends through these projects.But she does not talk to
them much about personal or academic life.They do not study together.She says a lot of people at

34. 33
her school leaves and transfers because they feel detached.People do not support each other on
community, “ they do not even clap for groups when they perform or support each other groups”.
She did work on campus not to pay her school directly, as she got loans.She worked for her day
to day expenses such as laundry or food.She usually has used her credit card.
She does not feel too connected to her work, as she believes writing papers is not relative with
her line of work.She writes paper habitually yet nothing she is thinking about doing after college
is relative to writing papers.She does not feel valued at campus and wish she would have went to
another school.
Malaika Davis
Malaika is an African American from Milwaukee, Wisconsin.She identifies herself as being
apart of the middle class. She lived with her mom and her sisters throughout high school.She had
a good family support.Two of her sisters went to college.She also had many college experienced
individuals in her extended family who supported her.Her family always instilled the value of
giving back to those who do not have a lot, in order to uplift the whole community.She was
encouraged to care more about greater values than herself.Her mom did support her and
regularly attended her school functions. She did not have many financial concerns.She did get a
job but that was for personal expenses.

35. 34
She was in the top 10% of her school and was very active in school.She was in AP classes and
the national honor society her senior year. She did not get that much help from her
counselors.They were ineffective to her.She believes her state in general did not run good state
schools overall.She wished she was encouraged to apply to more schools, and wish she would
have applied to Stanford University.She did not qualify for reduced lunch at her school so she
could not get her waivers, thus she did not apply to other schools. But she did think her teachers
were encouraging to her and were obviously invested in her success.
Malaika enrolled in Georgetown and went to the same Community Scholars program that the
other participant Aspen went to.She met many people that looked like her.She thinks it was very
positive experience.She did think it was self segregating although.She was more comfortable
though talking with people who holds similar perspectives of the world.She only talked to people
in the Scholars program and rarely went outside that circle.She appreciated the shared
culture.She studied frequently with them and she thinks the conversations were very fruitful and
edifying to her.Many of them she met in the program and also through racial groups such as the
NAACP Many people at Georgetown has a lot of more money than her,she could not go to the
same functions or dinners as them.
She ever experienced direct racism throughout her years.She does see a lot for racial insensitivity
such as people dressing up as native americans or gangsters for halloween.She noticed the first
couple of years that there was a lot of ostracization on campus, not a lot of blacks or whites

36. 35
attended eachothers events. But recently diversity has come in the forefront of campus dialogue,
and a diversity requirement was passed this month for future classes.She sees more diversity
recently than she had the past two years.
She did not interact with her dean and aid officers frequently, “except for twice”.She figured out
how to do everything on her own.She really did not know how to use the resources at her
school.As a first generation student, she just did not know how to access those resources and use
them to her advantage as she wish she would have.She rarely went to office hours.She thinks
professors her are not as approachable.Even when she did approach, “we could not communicate
on the same plane”.
Freshman year she was very involved and was trying to engage all of her interest of giving back
and charity.However after that she only participated only in a couple of groups mainly NAACP.
She stated she started to slack after freshman year, getting comfortable on campus and citing the
sophomore slump.But overall she says she has managed her academic life well to this juncture.
Malaika says that every day her psychi changed.For the most part she does feel apart of the
campus and the community.She feels a part of the black community particularly.But she states
she would not send her kids to this school.Her peers and the few staff she talks to have created
that feeling of belonging for her.

37. 36
James Simpson
James Simpson is an African American attending Georgetown University. He lived with his
brother, grandmother and mother in high school.They resided in a house in the city of Los
Angeles California. He had some family that went to college though his mom did not.He says
they always instilled hm the drive to go to college, though they never helped beyond that
installment of values.He said they could not practically help him because of their limits in
experience with college.
He said he had social anxiety which prohibits him from bonding with other peers.After his
mother was laid off in high school, his family had no extra income as finances get tight.He could
not go to extra activities that cost money or college trips in high school.
His high school was majority black.He was in the top 10% of his class in terms of his GPA but
his SAT scores were in the line with the rest of his peers. He felt he was smart but those
standardized test reflected the gaps in his knowledge.He felt confident relative to his peers but
claims that confidence was shot when he got into Georgetown later on.He think it affected his
adjustment because he was not ready for the rigorous academic programs at the university.
His schools counselor service was very limiting to other students.However James says that they
focused on him a lot because he was the student who was going to certainly go to college.He felt

38. 37
that the limited resources the school had made them choose who would get support from the
counselors the most.
He did participate in a college program in high school one summer.It was his first time
experiencing a non west coast school and people.It inspired him to want to go to college on the
east coast.He was able to engage in dialogue about topics his friends were not necessarily
opinionated on.He felt these conversations were a big motivation to continue to maintain his
success in high school for college
He enrolled into Georgetown and was disappointed in the lack of black people in college.He
thinks racial tension is boiling on campus.He sees a lot of elitism and and apathy towards the
black community.He has a very pessimistic view of Georgetown in terms of racial climate for the
future.Someone once told him that he only got in because of affirmative action.He acknowledges
the racial tension and social segregation that occurs but it does not affect him on a day to day.“
That is America”.
He does not think he transition well into college and actually thinks he could have had a better
experience elsewhere.He cannot understand or relate to the campus culture and feels
disconnected.He did not partake in many clubs and felt as if he sold himself short for the most
part.He felt underqualified for some clubs.
He did connect with people who he relates to socioeconomically.He dont always share the same
values with people of the minority community but he certainly relates to them better than the

39. 38
other groups. He study with those friends and receives support from them.However he does not
think he was adequately integrating on the campuses social structures.
He did not interact extensively with professors and deans extensively.He does has a good
relationship with the financial aid office.He said his advisor was useless and that they did not
reach out as much as he thought they would. He tried to go to visit office hours a lot but he found
it hard to relate to things he did not care about such as the books they wrote or their independent
research.He cited his social anxiety as a reason.He only went when he needed to.
He thinks he definitely has grown academically since freshman year, becoming more wiser and
studying more.Teachers used to call on him when he did not know the answer and not being
prepared for class ultimately that encouraged him to study more.
He feels as though he do not belong at this school and is not apart of the institution.He says he
has failed to socially integrate into the institution so he could not reasonably be connected to the
campus. He says it has inhibited his ability to fully embrace the opportunities the campus
offered.
Courtland Diao

40. 39
Courtland is a Liberian American who identifies as black.He does not feel he is liberian in reality
because he has grown up in america and has adopted the black culture as the next guy.He lived
with his twin, older brother, two older sisters and parents.He says money was a real problem in
his family with all of those bodies to take care of.He lived in Southeast Washington DC.Growing
up in that area was difficult for him and he had to confront negativity in violence, drugs and gang
activity around his house and schools.His brother even fought his father in high school. Both of
his parents attend community college but stopped. However education was still a value that the
family instilled in him.His brother and sisters all had went to college or were in college when he
was applying. Though they could not help him practically, they were a positive influence in
supporting him in his college aspirations.His dad was always involved in his school activities.
He attended Don Bosco Cristo Rey , a college preparatory high school.He went to school four
days a week, interning once a week throughout all years of highschooling.The school made each
student intern at a corporate or business firm in order to expose them to the workings of the
corporate world. He interned at multiple firms, such as accounting or law.He was able to explore
his future career options.
He went to school with mostly latino students.However he hung out with the black students for
the most part.He said the teachers were not really motivating.He used popular figures and
independent research to nourish his mind.He saw Malcolm X and Martin Luther King as his

41. 40
mentors.He never needed a teacher to motivate him.He lived in southeast and said that was
motivation enough for him to get out of that environment.
His college counselor was efficient.She gave students good advice and encouraged them to apply
locally.He did have SAT prep but it did not help him.He said his classes were not too
challenging and he graduated with a 3.3.
Upon enrolling in University of Maryland, he was required to take an Academic Achievement
Summer Program.It was conditional upon his acceptance.However he said it was likely one of
his best times at Maryland.It gave him expectations about how classes were and the habits he
would need.
University of Maryland was a pretty diverse school.Half was white, and the other half was
composed of asians, blacks and latinos. He interacted with the minority community on campus
out of solidarity.He can count on one hand how many times he has interacted with whites on
campus.His friends were supportive in terms of having company and relating to others on
campus.However they never studied with each other. He was not apart of many groups.There
was a space designated for minority males for engagement.It was a space to sit and relax with
other minority males that get community support.They did have great conversations about
politics, and life which provided him with rich insight about other’s perspectives.
There was no obvious racial tension on campus.It was always covert.He would go to white
fraternity parties and be denied, as most minorities often are.He commends his school for

42. 41
diversity however does acknowledge there are pockets of racism.Ultimately that did not affect
him as it was not pervasive or obvious.
He had a good relationship with his financial aid advisor.He seen them regularly as he has a lot
of grant and loan packages that would change every year.His summer program also marked him
as a priority student so he was one of the first groups of students to receive aid information, loans
and grants.He never talked to his dean but he does interact with his linguistic advisor 6-7 times a
year.She told him about many opportunities such as career fairs and club activities.
He moved off campus his senior year because he did not get the aid to live on campus.This was a
big event to him as it disintegrated his on campus relationships.He interacted with peers, advisors
and clubs often on campus.However most of that ceased when he moved off.He started to have
his time drained from working and transporting thus limiting his study hours.He had to work to
pay for school, food and transportation.He was struggling to keep up with his work.He had to
drop his last semester because the work caught up on him and he did not want it to be reflected
on his transcript. He had a deadline on his balance that was continually accruing interest.He was
working too much.He could not stay on campus to study in study spaces or attend late activities
because commuting back to southeast at that time of night is dangerous.
He said his study habits increased as the years of college went by.He conducted his reading
haphazardly initially, only reading the bare minimum.He cites that his school never prepared him
for the amount of reading he would encounter in college.But now he goes over his readings 4-5

43. 42
times.This year his commute has made it difficult to find disposable time.Studying has became
much more premium for him.His academics really didn't start out that well but now it has gotten
better.
Ultimately he does feel that he knows the campus structure.He knows how to utilize the
appropriate resources when he needs help with anything.But he thinks that he does not fit with
institution.he thinks people are overly concerned with image of being an academic or using
internships and titles as a means to an end.He says many people of the culture takes performance
enhancers and are not “holistic and natural”.They do this as opposed to developing character and
having a happy and impactful life.Many minorities were developing themselves but even within
his peer group, he noticed people who were just trying to build a name instead of a world.
Findings
Six participants were questioned on their experience transitioning from high school to finishing
college in this qualitative study.They discussed any factors that helped or hindered them with
their experience in high school.The student talked about their racial experiences, peer and faculty
interactions and academic adjustments.Three were males and three were females.
What factors facilitate or inhibit college transition of minority students? Some emergent themes
were pre college programing, peer and family support and adequate financial aid were positive
factors contributing to a positive transition and experience in college.Lack of aid, lack of dean or

44. 43
advisor support and the inability to integrate into social functions of the college were indicators
of negative experiences in college.
Pre College Programming Discussion
Five of the participants attended pre college programming and reported that these programs were
instrumental in their capacity to integrate on campus.All of the participants at Georgetown and
UVA, the two PWIs, were offered opportunities to attend a bridge program into college.Tyrec’s
of UVA had his program uniquely start in high school, affording him to opportunity to transfer
and finish early at UVA.The Georgetown Student’s program was the Community Scholars
Program that was a summer college immersion program.
These student cited the program as enabling them to interact with other students.The peer
relationships they created within the program formed lasting bonds for the coming year.It was
important to the students to see students of their race.The engagement of dialogue with peers
prior to arriving on campus was important to the students in learning and synthesizing
experiences.The program provided scholarship for the students throughout their years of
college.and classroom exposure that four of the students did not have.These developmental
classes really helped the students particularly with critical thinking and reading.
All of the programs offered financial aid.“Freshman to junior year the summer enrich program I
was apart of entitled me to financial aid priority.Those are for low income students or minority
students.You’ll have a later date to submit documents.The office would provide you with all

45. 44
option that you needed.” The one student who did not report attending a summer bridge program
noted she did not have study groups or campus support when she came to college.
Pre college programs come in many forms.Tyrec’s program started during his years in high
school while the others were of the more traditional form.They are all designed to provide
students the academic and social structures they need to advance in college( & Paz 2009).By
acquainting them with campus resources and structures, they create a space prone for academic
and social development. Though they exist in many schools for a variety of reasons.They are
targeted towards the most at risk groups such as minority and first generation students who have
historically been neglected by institutions ( Hicks 2005).
Before Enrollment
All of our participants were first generation students.Specific finances were not reported
however students did talk about their finances in lived experience.For some, because of the lack
of funds, they were not able to travel to colleges as they wanted. However they did not cite
financials as an impediment to them in high school.They all said their parents were supportive of
them in their college aspirations.All of them talked about values being installed as a mode of
socialization.It was not always from the parents however.Celine talked about a mentor that
helped her in high school.Malaika and Courtland had sisters and brothers talking to them about
college.However they all cited that their parents could not help them during the college

46. 45
process.While they supported them, they could not practically assist as they had no experience
with college.
Having a good college counselor and supportive staff was also beneficial to these
students.Malaika and Celine both talked about having motivation boost when recognized by
teachers in high school.Aspen, James and Courtland both had robust college counseling services
that regularly met up with them to ensure that they had plans down.
Peer Support
Another asset of the programs is that it allowed student to meet other students before school.All
of the students who attended the pre-college programming noted that the development of
relationships with their peers in the program extended far beyond it’s conclusion “I became
friends with people in scholars and then never reached out after that to other people.I rarely
talked to other black people or white people in my grade”.Malaika even says that she segregated
herself from the rest of campus.The peer network developed tight bonds and provided all of the
participants study networks or social support throughout their years at college.In many of these
cases, participants only had peers as support as they did not reach out to academic aids.
Lack of Interaction with Faculty
The students did not always have a good transition.Students reported that they would have had a
much better experience with more interaction with deans or professors.In the case of the students

47. 46
attending the PWI, they felt the teachers just were not approachable.They could not talk
communicate with them in a fulfilling way, if at all.Two student reported that they felt their
professors or deans were apathetic about their interest.Aspen said,
“Many times professors had to say ‘You are doing worse than most of the class’.It is hard not to
give up when that happens when they just tell you that but there is no solution or help.And
sometimes the hole just gets deeper”.
Students actually feel a negative sense of integration when they encounter disinterest by faculty.
Celine expressed that her school's professors and deans should have been more readily available
to the students:
“But I barely talk to my dean, you barely see him.I think as Deans, we should look for, but at the
same time we the student body should be able to see your face and notice who you are.They are
the ones in higher power and they should reflect that.”
She says they they never attend events, interact with students or express interest in them.This
lack of guidance has caused many students at her school to transfer or leave.
All of the student’s wish they would have interacted with staff more.However that interaction
was not a significant detriment to three of the students in terms of the end goal of
graduating.Two of the students reported definite stress because of that lack of interaction.One of
those, Celine says that she see no value in education and is still thinking about taking a
break.Aspen, the other student who expressed street cited that many times she wanted to stop
attending school.

48. 47
Courtland is the only student who expressed extensive interaction with a faculty member.He
would see her 7 times a year and also attend office hours more in his latter years. Lack of
interaction with staff has shown to disrupt minority transition through college.
The Inability to Integrate into Social Functions
While all of the students are on course to finish, they expressed an inability to connect with the
social functions of their school as causing dissonance.Five of the students expressed that they felt
detached because of the inability to connect to campus.
On Georgetown Campus, three students expressed the inability to relate to their white
peers.Malaika mentioned that after her summer program, she was not inclined to befriend friends
of other groups.James cited that he felt like he did not belong because of the racial climate:
“Personally, I feel like I don't belong here and that i am not apart of this institution.I don't think
I'm socially integrated so how can I connect to this school? I do think that inhibited my ability to
embrace opportunities because I didn't belong or I felt that others were clearly more qualified.”
Aspen talked about how she felt that students gave her the impression that she was just a number
and may have gotten in only because of her race.She participated in activities in her biology field
but not much after that.She cited she had to work about 20 hours a week and had to manage her
time well.She did not have time to participate in clubs, and on some days even study.James also
only participated in a couple of activities.Malaika participated in minority enrichment clubs.At
PWIs, one student called it two worlds.One community was with minorities and the other was
with whites.They felt integrated into their minority community but not with the larger
community.With that they all expressed dissatisfaction.

49. 48
Courtland felt disconnected from campus once he moved off campus.It was because of lack of
aid that forced him in that predicament.Unfortunately the summer program ended funding junior
year for him.This created a ripple effect of him having to work and travel longer period of
times.He was not able to travel to campus as often or even stay on campus as late as he would
like.The commute was dangerous from his house to the University of Maryland.He worked many
hours that he could not devote time to study or attend clubs on campus.
Celine participated in a couple of minority enrichment clubs.However she ultimately felt that the
communities in her school did not support each other.People did not clap for one another at
events or raise funds for each other.Students would enroll and drop clubs, so there was always
turn over.For reasons of racial distance, working, and low social engagement from the wider
community were all reasons why five of our students could not integrate into the social structure
of the school.
Conclusion
Based on the findings of the interviews coupled with my literature review it is evident that there
are barriers in place both before college and after enrollment that decreases the likelihood of
persistence.If first generation students do not have preparation for college, they are more likely
to express dissatisfaction with their experiences.Only one of our students did not attend a pre
college program.She is also the one who has expressed extreme disinterest and disintegration
with her campus and education.These interviews identifies having a network of support in high
school, connecting with peers in college, and attending pre college programming as positive
indicators of college persistence.

50. 49
Tinto’s model posits that students who do not integrate socially and academically into campus
will be more vulnerable to departure.The five students who attended pre college program
expressed a sense of social integration and academic integration.They were supported by their
peers throughout their college years.However three of those students attended who attended
PWIs did still did not report feeling socially integrated with the larger majority community.
They were academically integrated by attending developmental classes before their first
semester.Tinto’s academic integration involves students attending office hours, doing extra
credit, talking to deans, etc.Students reported that they did not do much of this.Two of our
students expressed that because of their inability to resolve academics or integrate on campus,
they felt like they wanted to stop attending college.One student who had his relationships to
campus severed, ending up taking a leave for that semester.Tinto’s model correctly identifies
integration as a factor in retention.But many of our students failed to ultimately do integrate with
the larger community and formed smaller communities with people who looked like them.After
high school, peer to peer interactions showed to be the most vital to persistence.Clearly this is no
undermine to Tinto but an emphasis on his social integration aspect of the model.This social
integration was manifested in this study as a pre college program.The socio economic experience
of these students is what bonded them and created solidarity.
It is clear that there are needs for development in all stages of transition.Education is a process
that is not dictated by one or two things but by the culmination of a student’s experience and how
they react to it.The functions of family, high school and college should all be scrutinized to
support and increase college resilience.It is hard on the high school if a student’s family do not
support their child’s education.It is hard for a family to send their child to a college that does not

51. 50
feature programs to assist their transition.Colleges do not benefit if a student departs.Everyone
has a stake in developing programs that tackle the issues of minority retention.
Students in this study got support from family or high school.High schools in non affluent
regions usually lack many counselors.It is hard for a group of 3 or 4 counselors to advise a whole
school( McDonough 2005).Thus schools usually only focus on a seniors, or even college ready
seniors.This was the case in three of our participants.College counselors should begin counsel
way before senior year.Early college preparation fosters more deeply embedded desires to attend
college.This will motivate and instill educational values, which this study has shown to support
persistence. Familial support was also important to the participants who did not have it at
school.Even though they did not attend college, they were constantly supporting their student
through the process of applying.This is supported by research to improve college
persistence(Bergerson 2009). Familial support and an early engaging college counsel in
highschool are two integral functions in transitioning to college.
All of our participants had to work in college.It was already expensive to pay for college, but
they did not know about many of the expenses of living.A couple of them cited that working
took away from their study and ability to get involved on campus.All of the students who had
jobs talked about having poor time management.
More schools should create programs that foster supportive environments.Early exposure to
college has shown to increase the likelihood of a student succeeding(Hicks 2005).More colleges
should create early programming for minority students.These programs should be academically

52. 51
and socially focused , aiming to improve performance.These programs should offer first year
programs,developmental classes, and seminars.
It is shown that there are academic and non academic factors that contribute to a student's
transition.Programs should address those academic and non academic factors.PWIs students are
in need of programs that seek to integrate students with the whole community and not just with
each other.These institutions are lacking in diversity and ostracizes it’s students (Landry
2002).There are many programs that can assist students with retention and graduation.There is a
clear gap in minority and majority retention rates that needs to be addressed.High schools and
colleges should be able to identify most at risk student and incorporate early intervention in the
college readiness process (Seidman).
The findings in this study can contribute to a greater discipline of retention and departure
theory.Future research can include more interviews and comparison between students and
Historically Black Colleges and Universities and students elsewhere as this study only had one.I
hope in the future more early intervention programs can assist students entering high school.

53. 52
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