"I Struggled but I Made It": Black Gifted Underachievers on Transitioning to College

• In Event: 18.050 - Life Beyond K–12 Gifted Education

Abstract

Research on Black student experiences in gifted and talented programs consistently illuminates to issues with recruitment and underrepresentation (Bonner, 2000; Ford, 2013; Ford, 2014). While enrolled, gifted Black students face a myriad of issues that impact their ability to persist and achieve, especially in non-diverse environments (Steele, 1997; Fordham & Ogbu, 1986; Mickelson, 1990; Ogbu, 1987; Sue, 2010). This work examines the reflections of 4 Black adults who attended gifted schools in New York City and became underachievers. Using Schlossberg’s (1980) model for adapting to transitions and Crenshaw’s (1994) intersectionality as theoretical frames, findings suggest that the participants received limited guidance as they transitioned to college but utilized lessons from their struggles to become productive in college.

Authors

• Christopher J.P. Sewell, Williams College

• Ramon Goings, University of Maryland - Baltimore County