Black male college athletes: Capital and educational outcomes

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between Black college football and basketball players' socioeconomic status, social and cultural capital, college activities and educational outcomes. Theorizing that high socioeconomic status students would have high social and cultural capital and different college experiences than their low socioeconomic status counterparts, this dissertation explored a range of research questions to assess the influence of socioeconomic status on college grade point average and bachelor's degree attainment.;Two theories were used to examine Black male football/basketball players' educational outcomes: social and cultural capital theory and college persistence theory. These theories provided a framework to explain the achievement and persistence of Black male football and basketball players.;This research analyzed data from the Cooperative Institutional Research Program (CIRP), a national longitudinal study of students enrolled in American colleges and universities. The institutional sample included 133 four-year post-secondary institutions that are members of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The student sample included 941 Black male students that attended the participating institutions.;Results of the study revealed that football/basketball players, regardless of socioeconomic status, reported higher high school and college hours spent exercising or playing sports and were more likely to be recruited by the athletic department. High socioeconomic status football/basketball players also reported the most hours spent partying. The similarities between the athletes did not exist across the cultural capital measures. Low socioeconomic status football/basketball players reported the fewest high school hours per week studying or doing homework and had the lowest degree aspirations. In college, low socioeconomic status football/basketball players attending Division I institutions reported the fewest number of hours per week in classes/labs or studying/doing homework.;The results of the regressions revealed that the variables that negatively influenced college grade point average were football/basketball participation and being recruited by the athletic department. The variables that had a positive influence on college grade point average were high school grade point average and highest degree planned. The variables that positively influenced bachelor's degree attainment were football/basketball participation, highest degree planned, challenged a professor's idea in class and college satisfaction. The variable that negatively influenced bachelor's degree attainment was hours spent in classes/labs or studying/homework.