1 WEEK #3 Hossler’s Model of the College Choice Process 1.Predisposition Phase – student decides whether to attend college, student decides “I want to go to college” 2.Search Phase – student searches for general information about colleges, forms a choice set, considers several specific colleges, visit colleges, seeks guidance, 3.Choice Phase – narrows down to a single college/university

2 Cultural Capital can be considered anything in your personal and social background that helps or hinders you during your life: –Income –Social status/class –educational qualifications –gender –race & ethnicity –even religion can under certain circumstances be an advantage or disadvantage for your life changes

3 Forms of Capital = Economic, Social and Cultural Types of Cultural Capital Embodied – character, way of thinking, speaking, beauty Objectified – purchased, something owned, inherited Institututionalized – institutionally recognized, like education, degree, career, job classification

4 Habitus – It is a common set of subjective perceptions held by all members in the same group or class that shapes an individual experiences, attitudes and aspirations. A learned habit or behavior. Bounded Rationality – students will limit the # of alternatives actually considered and will rationalize their decisions for the college they will attend. Student’s choice will make sense in the context of that’s student’s friends, family and outlook.

5 Social Class + Counseling/Guidance = College Educational Opportunities BACKGROUND FACTORS – the total of a person’s experience, knowledge and education, one’s upbringings, how you were raised, training, family SES and values ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS - defined as ones surroundings, all the conditions affecting the development of…where you live, who you grew up with who and what is in your community, school, neighborhood, family. PERSONAL FACTORS - are the individual characteristics, qualities, attributes, motives, skills, abilities, intrinsic within the student, physical or mental. It’s what the student possesses. Week #3

6 “African Americans & College Choice: the Influence of Family & School” – K. Freeman Channeling – defined as the environmental forces (individual, institutions, circumstances - services) that impact, influence college choice of students (internal to the home and outside the home). It cuts across social and cultural capital and economic and financial capital. Freeman’s study explored Af Am HS students’ perceptions of barriers and the forces that might be preventing students from acting upon their aspirations and offers solutions for addressing the problem.

7 Channeling long and wrong – Freeman examines the gap of African American students who have high aspirations and strong desires to attend college, but the low attainment due to a lack of cultivation of those aspirations.

8 Channeling Influences on College Choice Internal to the home BACKGROUND factors Family Economic Expectations

9 Channeling Influences on College Choice External, outside of the home Environmental factors Geographic locations – rural, urban, suburban School – teachers, counselors

10 Economic Barriers Fear of not having enough money to attend college lack of job opportunities Not getting a job that pays sufficiently to justify completing higher education level Psychological Barriers college not being an option loss of hope, no motivation the intimidation factor

11 Solutions 1.Structured Counseling Programs 2.Develop a Culture of Expectations: Belief in Students’ Abilities - provide interested teachers and active counselors who instill hope and encouragement. Getting ready for college is a mind set that must be developed early. 3.Develop Linkages with Colleges & Universities to help instill possibilities early –start college prep early, in elementary grades 4.Mentoring Programs and Role Models- Expand cultural awareness – validate culture

12 Principles of a College Culture 1.College Talk 2.Clear Expectations 3.Information & Resources 4.Comprehensive Counseling Model 5.Testing & Curriculum 6.Faculty Involvement 7.Family Involvement 8. College Partnerships 9. Articulation

13 The Tipping Point What is the tipping point? epidemics in action, contagious behavior little changes that have big effects possibility of sudden change What are the three agents of change? Law of the Few: exceptional people, sociable, energetic, knowledgeable can be influential among peers Stickiness Factor: simple messages that make a big impact Power of Context: people are more sensitive to their env’t than they seem

14 The College Choice Process (CCP) for Asian Pacific American in the context Ethnicity and SES Research on “Access and Equity in higher education” almost always excludes Asian Pacific Americans. influences on APA in the CCP are similar to other minority groups. In some respects the factors impacting CCP are almost universal. Constants - SES, family education level, geographic all affecting –“Predisposition – Choice Phases” Asian are always viewed as one single homogeneous group – “the model minority in their college destination and college experiences However the study points out that there are distinct differences among the sub-ethnic groups on their college choice process and the influences –Chinese & Korean – high SES choose more selective colleges, private colleges, benefited from test prep, –South East Asian & Filipino – lower SES, choose public colleges, close to home 39% total UC enrollment is Asian American intuitional ranking of colleges is a factor/college reputation Stereotype Threat (is the threat of being viewed through the lens of a negative stereotype or the fear of doing something that would inadvertently confirm that stereotype.) However sometimes is a positive factor for some Asians, i.e., All Asians are smart, could have a positive influence on SEA, Filipino who may not be strong academically.

15 “College Knowledge: What Latino Parents need to know & why they don’t know it” – TRPI  66% of Latino parents failed a mini-test of college knowledge  unless these knowledge deficits are remedied Latino children are likely to miss out at being prepared adequately for college admission Three Groups of Latino 1)SES endowed (2/3 generation Latino, US born, high SES, college educated) 2)SES challenged (less English, lower EA, lower skilled jobs, no personal networks or social capital) 3)Positive Outliers (achieve despite their circumstances, low SES, Low Educational Attainment, RESILIENT students, achieved against all odds) WHAT DO WE KNOW  Students need challenging curriculum, informed strategies for gaining college access  Parental involvement in child’s educational–talk with child about class selection, SAT, grades, activities, college, etc; however parents must be knowledgeable  Parental involvement school activities – parent conference, back to school, volunteer  Concerned parents seek out information from a variety of sources, build networks,  Latino parents relied heavily on counselor and teaches for college information Note - Language barriers are a major obstacle to increase college knowledge of parents