Improving College Knowledge for Average-Achieving Students in Urban High-Needs Schools

• In Event: 26.077 - Teens Teaching and Leading: The Peer-Enabled Restructured Classroom in Urban STEM

Abstract

Given high student-to-counselor ratios in schools with a low college-going culture, even high achieving students have to demonstrate resiliency and peer resources to obtain college information and successfully apply to college (“Author,” 2014a). However, receiving college information may guide not only high achieving students’ college-going behavior, it may also help students who are academically average-performing develop and utilize resilient characteristics and non-cognitive skills towards college-going. This study utilizes focus groups with academically average-performing students in urban high schools with limited college-going cultures to explore how a college-intervention program affects students’ college-going behavior, and utilization/development of resilient characteristics and non-cognitive skills.

Methods

Students in the PERC/MSPinNYC2 program received a college curriculum intervention. Once a week on “College Fridays” students received information on college entrance requirements, financial aid, and other college related topics.

Focus groups were conducted with sixteen students in PERC from three large urban high schools, and two schools considered smaller schools by the Department of Education. The students were of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds and on track to enter the 11th or 12th grade in the fall semester.

The questions assessed students’ perceptions of college-going practices implemented at their schools, contributors to student success, and their opinions on the college-intervention program.

The focus groups were transcribed and analyzed using a modified grounded theory approach. The data was analyzed and coded on three different levels (Miles & Huberman, 1994). At the first level of analysis, the data were categorized into broad codes according to the constructs identified in the college-going literature (McClafferty, et al., 2002) and other contributors to academic success. At the second level of analysis, the coded constructs were categorized into sub-codes to identify emergent themes. This involved the use of constant comparison methods (Strauss & Corbin, 1990) in an iterative process. Finally, at the third level of analysis, a cross-case analysis was conducted. At this level the analysis became “closer” or “clearer,” and it provided a better understanding of the responses. The principal investigator and advising faculty mentor coded approximately 10% of the interviews until a minimum 80% coding agreement was achieved.

Results
Students across the different schools reported that their schools did offer college resources and programs. However, access to college resources was dependent on a students’ academic performance, as many programs were reserved for high achieving students, and students’ proactive behavior. These findings are supported by results from a previous study utilizing counselors from these same schools to describe school college-going practices (“Author,” 2014b).

Students reported that the information on “College Fridays” helped them understand what is expected of them in college in regards to the academic workload and self-discipline. As a result of acquiring this information, students reported reflecting on and adapting their behavior and non-cognitive skills (e.g., self-regulation, perseverance) and identifying positive peer friendships to become college-bound. The findings suggest that when students are provided with college information they can adapt their behavior and use of resiliency skills and non-cognitive skills to reach their goal of becoming college-bound.

Author

• Gwendelyn Rivera, Lehman College - CUNY