| It is well documented that students whose parents did not attend college are less likely to pursue a college education than their peers. Yet, many find ways to get to college despite the odds that stand against them: poor academic preparation, limited financial resources, a lack of college knowledge, and debilitating cultural norms and minimal moral support. This phenomenological study explored the pre-college experiences of 17 successful African American and Mexican American first-generation college students to develop a greater understanding of their journey to higher education.;Self-determination was an important component contributing to the students' ability to secure moral support, achieve academic success, and acquire practical information needed to matriculate into college. Participants demonstrated a sense of competence, autonomy, and relatedness, all of which must be fulfilled to maintain a self-determined disposition (Ryan Deci, 2000). Findings further revealed a set of strategies and characteristics that may collectively increase the odds for disadvantaged high school students who want to pursue a college education. Based on these findings, a college predisposition model is proposed to inform parents, institutions of higher education, secondary schools and pre-college programs in their efforts to increase the college-going rates of potential first-generation students. |
