Middle School Mentoring Outcomes and Perceived Obstacles in College Attendance

• In Event: The Impact of Middle-Level Classroom Instructional Strategies

Abstract

This mixed methods study investigates obstacles middle school students engaged in a college outreach mentoring program perceive in attending college. The top four obstacles identified were grades, college costs, the need to work to support family, and the need to care for family. When disaggregating by gender, girls were almost twice as likely to perceive college as too expensive as compared to boys, and noted they were “afraid” of attending college twice as often as boys, while boys reported not having enough information about college at a rate nearly 150% higher than girls. The study’s qualitative portion further investigates these perceptions in hopes of understanding how such obstacles are constructed and can be addressed through mentoring and other outreach efforts.

Authors

• Lydia F. Bell, National Collegiate Athletic Association

• Darold H. Joseph, The University of Arizona