Differences in family background and culture contribute to belonging concerns for first-generation students during their transition to college (Stephens et al., 2012; Harackiewicz et al., 2016). We investigated whether variability in students' on-campus experience, in particular perceived faculty support, in the first semester of college predicts…

Given the urgent need for increased diversity in the scientific workforce, this paper explores Underrepresented Minority (URM) students' paths to the biomedical science doctorate. The Ph.D. pathways of first-generation and continuing generation students were compared. Surface features, such as timing of initial Ph.D. pursuit considerations and…

Research shows that students who double major have higher earnings and are more satisfied with their educational experience in college than those who graduate with a single major. In this study, we examine the extent to which a student's experience with academic acceleration programs in high school, specifically successful participation in the…

In recent years and especially over the past 12 months, with the COVID-19 pandemic and the unrest after the death of George Floyd, community colleges have been making efforts to view and rethink their missions through an equity lens. These efforts have included turning this prism toward institutional operations like student services, human…

This report for Success Boston, The Boston Foundation and the Boston Opportunity Agenda explores the many reasons why students at two institutions, Bunker Hill Community College and UMass-Boston, "stopped out" of their learning without a degree, and the reasons they did (or did not) return. The report also discusses ways in which other…

This study examined the performance of English learners (ELs) taking the ACT® test with testing supports, as compared to ELs and non-ELs taking the ACT without supports or accommodations. Contextual factors were also explored, including high school experiences and demographic characteristics such as low-income and first-generation college student…

This document contains the technical appendices for the report "Dual Enrollment in California: Promoting Equitable Student Access and Success." Appendices include: (1) Data and methods; and (2) Additional tables and figures. [This report was written with research support from Bonnie Brooks and Gabriel Gutierrez Aragon. For the full…

Background/Context: Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSIs), or those postsecondary institutions that meet the 25% Latina/o enrollment requirement to become federally designated as HSIs, are burgeoning in the United States. Similarly, emerging Hispanic-Serving Institutions (eHSIs), or those postsecondary institutions that enroll between 15% and 24%…

Much of the literature on university access and participation positions people from disadvantaged backgrounds as those who have not 'traditionally' attended university. Certain student cohorts are presented as lacking the skills or requisite knowledges to achieve academic success, requiring additional assistance from institutions to address these…

Aim/Purpose: This paper presents the preliminary findings of a pilot survey that sought to examine the technology uses, backgrounds, needs, interests, career goals, and professional expectations of Generation Z students enrolled at a minority serving institution in the United States Mid-Atlantic region. Background: Students entering college today…

This study examined academic characteristics and tendencies of first-generation and second-generation students. Students at a mid-sized state university in Tennessee were surveyed to determine their preferred learning format, number of hours enrolled, hours applied toward studying outside the classroom, hours working off-campus, and current GPA.…

Reports abound about the challenges that first-generation, low-income students face on the path to higher education. Yet despite these barriers, millions of low-income, first-generation students persevere. What or who influences their motivation to "stay the course" to higher education? Using self-determination theory as a framework,…

Background: Mentored research apprenticeships are a common feature of academic outreach programs that aim to promote diversity in science fields. The current study tests for links between three forms of mentoring (instrumental, socioemotional, and negative) and the degree to which undergraduates psychologically identify with science. Participants…

Persistence and retention continue to be educational concerns among colleges and universities. Students are labeled "at-risk" based on various factors such as race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status, first-generation status, and traditional/non-traditional status. Due to "at-risk" students, referred to as underserved students in…

Background/Context: Language-minoritized and emergent-bilingual (EB) students have historically and frequently been underexamined in the context of research on minoritized students' pathways in higher education. Understanding the school to college pipeline for emergent bilinguals (EBs) is becoming a critical area of study to help identify and…