Beyond Courses and Test Scores: Social Capital’s Role in Shaping Students’ Perceptions of College Readiness

• In Event: Illuminating College Access: Shedding Light on College Readiness and Transition Experiences

Abstract

In response to the call for new insights on how schools can “remedy” and “repair” societal inequities, we argue that greater attention is needed on how well high schools ready its students for their futures. This study aims to address the problems of misalignment between college expectations and high school preparation and students lacking knowledge of a comprehensive meaning of “college-ready.” We applied social reproduction theory to interviews with 14 high school students about supports they received for college readiness and their definitions of “college-ready”. We expose how the quality of supports is capital that influences students’ conception of college readiness. Specifically, relationships with counselors, teachers, and family members contribute to a student’s understanding of college readiness.

Authors

• Katrina K. Morrison, University of Delaware

• Roderick L. Carey, University of Delaware

• Marcia Gail Headley, University of Delaware

• Henry May, University of Delaware

• Jeffrey Robert Klein, University of Delaware