Realism and Adolescent Goal Formation Among Adolescents

• In Event: 2484 - Section on Sociology of Education Refereed Roundtable Session
  In Refereed Roundtable 60min: Table 19. Race and Ethnicity in Education 3

Abstract

While much of the research on the racial/ethnic academic achievement gap focuses on inputs (quality and presence of resources) and outputs (academic performance), less focuses on an important mediating mechanism, realism. This paper attempts to address this by examining to what extent the degree of realistic knowledge and expectations as well as goal formation helps/hinders academic achievement. Employing survey data from a sample of high school juniors, I examine the relationship between the quality of information students have about their future goals, whether or not their social networks include valuable social capital, and their academic success.

Author

• Nora Broege, University of California-Berkeley