This phenomenological study examined the impact of school counselor relationships on the college application process for Black or Hispanic students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Each of the six participants in this study met the criteria as a student who qualified for "free-lunch" status during high school. This status indicates…

Because Black males have consistently enrolled in college at lower rates than other racial groups, it is critical to continue researching reasons for this racial gap in higher education. In this phenomenological study, participants shared their lived experience, which revealed the following themes: guidance counseling - supportive yet lacking,…

Low retention and graduation rates among African American college students remain a national concern (Pike & Robbins, 2020). Many dropped out within their first year of enrollment (Gordon et al., 2021). Researchers attributed high attrition to low graduation and retention rates (Oates, 2019). Tinto and Cullen's (1973) Model of Departure and…

The low number of California Native American students, both rural and urban, graduating A through G ready prompted this study. Using a qualitative and Indigenous research approach, the research questions that guided this study were: (1) What are the perspectives and beliefs about postsecondary education among a group of Native American students at…

This qualitative narrative inquiry aimed to learn about the experiences associated with adapting to post-secondary life when students graduate from high school with work-related skills. A narrative inquiry was used to interview graduates who participated in a work-based learning program while attending a public high school in the coastal Northeast…

The following dissertation study will evaluate how, if at all, does participation in the La Comunidad de Latnios (LCL) small group improve the perceptions and high school experiences with regards to post-secondary options for Latino students. Focus groups were evaluated and discussed, and recurring themes were considered to understand how Latino…

Education improvement has become a national imperative. Low graduation rates, standardized test failures, and overall success rates falling significantly behind in global competition have forced the dialogue towards alternatives to public education (Stewart, 2012). As the United States continues to trail other countries in educational success, it…

Summer Bridge Programs (SBP) provide students with academic and social resources that build a support network to facilitate college transition, yet research has focused on quantitative studies. The purpose of this study was to identify how the Summer Bridge Program (SBP) at a predominantly white university (PWI), CU Boulder, helps Latinx…