Critical Social Network Analysis of Graduate School Application, Admission, and Matriculation: First Findings From Cal-Bridge

• In Event: AERA Poster Session 1
  In Poster Session: Division J Poster Session: College Student Access

Abstract

The mission of Cal-Bridge is to reduce barriers to graduate education for students from historically underrepresented populations in physics and astronomy by providing financial support, faculty mentoring, and research opportunities to California State University (CSU) undergraduate students and normalizing the prospect of graduate school. Using a trust networks framework to answer questions from a larger NSF-funded study, we investigated how networks develop from student and faculty members’ perceptions of trust by looking at three separate networks of graduate admissions. Data was collected via online survey using Qualtrics, and analyzed using UCInet 6 and NetDraw. Findings can be used to provide a deeper understanding for the role that trust -- both interpersonal and institutional -- play in transition to graduate school.

Authors

• Cynthia D. Villarreal, University of California - Riverside

• Julie Renee Posselt, University of Southern California

• Alexander L. Rudolph, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona

• Kerean Povich, California State Polytechnic University - Pomona