Different Stories, Same Path: Experiences of Traditonally Underserved Students in a College Access Program

• In Event: 66.040 - Higher Education Access for Marginalized Students: Toward Justice in College Readiness and College Transfer

Abstract

Stimulated by stagnant attainment rates, state and federal policymakers in the United States have paid considerable attention to postsecondary access and completion rates. A significant challenge to access and completion is college readiness, particularly among students attending community colleges. Using validation theory as a conceptual framework, this study examines the role of a college access program in shaping affective and behavioral outcomes among participants who successfully completed a remedial course and transferred from a two-year to four-year institution. Overall, participants found the OMD experience to be positive by reaffirming motivation for academic success and developing affective strategies through social interactions and self-reflective opportunities.

Author

• Lorenzo DuBois Baber, Iowa State University