Realizing the American Dream: An Analysis of Factors That Promote Positive Educational and Economic Mobility

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 59
  In Roundtable Session: Minoritized Students' and Scholars' Experiences: Forging a Future

Abstract

This study investigated the association between social contextual factors and upward educational and economic mobility for immigrants and children of immigrants. The study finds a significant positive association between high school GPA and upward social mobility in early adulthood for immigrants and children of immigrants. Higher levels of educational attainment are positively associated with upward educational and social job mobility. Interestingly, there was no association between the respondent’s U.S. citizenship status, but mixed associations between parental citizenship status, and upward educational mobility. These findings suggest a greater need to explore and understand how immigrants and children of immigrants can access higher levels of educational attainment and thus promote educational and social mobility.

Authors

• Connie Yun Kang, University of California - Irvine

• Katherine Hanna, University of California - Los Angeles