The Language-Related Academic Self-Confidence of Noncitizens in U.S. Colleges

• In Event: Varying Our Approaches to Achieving Student Success

Abstract

Little research examines the influence of college experiences on the self-confidence of different groups of students, like English second language students. Specifically, studies have not explored self-confidence in relation to students’ citizenship status despite the growing number of international and undocumented students in college, who are identified as “non-citizens”. This multivariate regression study utilizes freshman and senior student survey data to look at the language-related academic self-confidence of non-citizen students and investigates its relationship to college environmental factors, such as academic disengagement and achievement. While debate regarding the causal link between self-concept and achievement continues, the findings suggest several relationships pertaining to non-citizen students and their college experiences merit further investigation and are vital to higher education policy and pedagogy.

Author

• Melissa Goodnight, University of California - Los Angeles