High school administrators, teachers, coaches, and guidance counselors, collectively termed as educators, are responsible for educating teenage students while preparing them for adult life. High school students culminate their education not just with a diploma, but also a decision about what to pursue as an adult. Although there is a common desire…

Recent updates to federal policy governing career and technical education (CTE) in the United States have emphasised the need to include work-based learning (WBL) experiences as central components of CTE programming. Many of these experiences showcase an informal learning component which has strong ties to early career success as suggested by the…

Framed through ecological and LatCrit theories, this article offers critical perspectives on the academic achievement of two Latin@ students. Findings suggested participants obtained critical support from the micro and meso systems to access college, but they also had to battle multi-layered oppression on their own. The study cautions using…

Since 2001, over two million children have experienced having one or both of their parents deployed (Tunac de Pedro et al., 2018). There is significant research that shows that "military children experience tremendous psychological strain as a result of stressful military related life events" (Tunac de Pedro et al., 2011, p. 567). The…

This dissertation explores the integration of work-study programs, mentorship, and support systems at Cristo Rey Tampa Salesian High School (CRTSHS) and their role in preparing underrepresented students for post-secondary education and professional careers. Utilizing a case study methodology, this research centers on an in-depth analysis of a…

This article discusses mentorship provided to Indigenous Australian secondary school leavers. The authors suggest that, although current scholarship in the field is insightful, there is a dearth of material focusing on mentorship provided during the post-secondary school transitional phase. Also, much literature problematises Indigenous mentees…

The future outlook for STEM jobs in the U.S. is projected by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to have a 10.5% increase from 2020 to 2030, with 11.3 million STEM jobs projected in the U.S. by 2030. During the same time interval the projected rate of increase of STEM jobs is higher (at 10.5%) compared to non-STEM jobs (at 7.5%). Engineering,…

Postsecondary readiness is critical to broadening opportunities for educational and career options beyond high school. However, Black males are often at a disadvantage to gaining access to postsecondary preparation and school counselors who can respond to their academic needs. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to explore the experiences and…

In this paper, we describe a mentoring program designed to help prepare high school seniors at Arizona State University Preparatory Academy for postsecondary education. Specifically, we address the usefulness of 'humanistic mentoring,' a form of mentoring that stresses the importance of reciprocity, mutuality, and empathy in the mentor/mentee…

This study solicited perspectives of underserved youth and educators who serve them regarding college and career readiness. We defined underserved youth as adolescents who experience inequitable access to educational resources. Purposeful sampling was used to select 84 focus group participants including educators and students (9-12th grade).…

The Common Core State Standards were designed to prepare all students for college and careers. Using theories of cultural capital and culturally relevant pedagogy, this study of 54 college-bound, inner-city high school seniors seeks to determine how students perceive their college readiness during the implementation of the new standards. While the…

This study was designed to explore, record, explain and describe the lived experiences of African American male students engaged in mentorship programs for post-secondary education. This study takes an exploratory phenomenological approach to research and is conducted at a mentorship program site. The following research questions guided this study…

This article examines the role of social capital in college access for low-income students. Research suggests that low social capital is a barrier for achieving higher education. Furthermore, research shows that increasing social capital provides students with relevant information, strong networks, and realistic goal-setting necessary for college…

Higher education institutions are in a great position to create authentic programming to support local underfunded or underperforming public school districts. This article gives an overview of an education outreach collaborative between a 4-year public university, local schools, and a community institution and highlights lessons learned from the…

The transition from high school to college is challenging under normal circumstances. But this year--with students ending high school remotely and potentially starting college virtually--this transition may seem nearly impossible for too many students. Young people will need to navigate complex systems of registration, enrollment, and financial…