Abstract
With all the challenges that Chicago Public School students are facing today, there
are none greater than those faced by African American males. On all levels,
African American males have fallen short of achieving academically starting from
kindergarten and continuing through college enrollment and completion. The study
explores African American males and the challenges they face making the
transition from high school to higher education. The study used quantitative survey
(s) and an African American history assessment with 42 African American high
school males’ age 14 to 17 years old, from communities in Chicago Illinois that
include Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Roseland, and Bronzeville. The survey and
test assessed their views on (3) themes including African American History, self-
esteem, and college choice. A sample of 12 teachers, administrators, and mentors
shared their past academic and high school experiences, and experiences working
with African American males, and the challenges that lie ahead for their future.
Solutions to increasing African American college enrollment are discussed. The
results of the study revealed that although there is no relationship between self-
esteem and academic achievement, findings on the relationship between African
American history and academic achievement were revealed. In addition, factors on
the importance of African American males’ college choice, revealed that all four
factors academic, social, personal, and financial were evenly important to the
participants in the study. All participants’ from the qualitative sample, and the
quantitative sample, shared similar patterns in the college choice process, stating
the importance of parents, teachers, school administrators, and counselors’
support when making college choice decisions.
","abstract_html":"<p>Abstract</p> <p>With all the challenges that Chicago Public School students are facing today, there</p> <p>are none greater than those faced by African American males. On all levels,</p> <p>African American males have fallen short of achieving academically starting from</p> <p>kindergarten and continuing through college enrollment and completion. The study</p> <p>explores African American males and the challenges they face making the</p> <p>transition from high school to higher education. The study used quantitative survey</p> <p>(s) and an African American history assessment with 42 African American high</p> <p>school males’ age 14 to 17 years old, from communities in Chicago Illinois that</p> <p>include Englewood,<em> Auburn Gresham, Roseland, and Bronzeville</em>. The survey and</p> <p>test assessed their views on (3) themes including African American History, self-</p> <p>esteem, and college choice. A sample of 12 teachers, administrators, and mentors</p> <p>shared their past academic and high school experiences, and experiences working</p> <p>with African American males, and the challenges that lie ahead for their future.</p> <p>Solutions to increasing African American college enrollment are discussed. The</p> <p>results of the study revealed that although there is no relationship between self-</p> <p>esteem and academic achievement, findings on the relationship between African</p> <p>American history and academic achievement were revealed. In addition, factors on</p> <p>the importance of African American males’ college choice, revealed that all four</p> <p>factors academic, social, personal, and financial were evenly important to the</p> <p>participants in the study. All participants’ from the qualitative sample, and the</p> <p>quantitative sample, shared similar patterns in the college choice process, stating</p> <p>the importance of parents, teachers, school administrators, and counselors’</p> <p>support when making college choice decisions.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jackson, Shenika"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy","degree_level":"Dissertation - NLU Access","degree_discipline":"Community Psychology","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Dr. Raymond Legler, PhD","Dr. Tiffeny Jimenez, PhD","Dr. Bradley Olson, PhD"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2018,"date_issued":"2018-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2018-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:46Z","subjects":["African American Males","Academic Acheivement","High School","Higher Education","Chicago Public Schools","Community Psychology","Education","Psychology"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/315","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Dr. Raymond Legler, PhD","Dr. Tiffeny Jimenez, PhD","Dr. Bradley Olson, PhD"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Jackson, Shenika"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2025-06-25T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Community Psychology"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - NLU Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["African American Males","Academic Acheivement","High School","Higher Education","Chicago Public Schools","Community Psychology","Education","Psychology"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/315"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Abstract
With all the challenges that Chicago Public School students are facing today, there
are none greater than those faced by African American males. On all levels,
African American males have fallen short of achieving academically starting from
kindergarten and continuing through college enrollment and completion. The study
explores African American males and the challenges they face making the
transition from high school to higher education. The study used quantitative survey
(s) and an African American history assessment with 42 African American high
school males’ age 14 to 17 years old, from communities in Chicago Illinois that
include Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Roseland, and Bronzeville. The survey and
test assessed their views on (3) themes including African American History, self-
esteem, and college choice. A sample of 12 teachers, administrators, and mentors
shared their past academic and high school experiences, and experiences working
with African American males, and the challenges that lie ahead for their future.
Solutions to increasing African American college enrollment are discussed. The
results of the study revealed that although there is no relationship between self-
esteem and academic achievement, findings on the relationship between African
American history and academic achievement were revealed. In addition, factors on
the importance of African American males’ college choice, revealed that all four
factors academic, social, personal, and financial were evenly important to the
participants in the study. All participants’ from the qualitative sample, and the
quantitative sample, shared similar patterns in the college choice process, stating
the importance of parents, teachers, school administrators, and counselors’
support when making college choice decisions.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["African American Males and Academic Achievement: Understanding the Challenges of Transitioning From High School to Higher Education"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Dr. Raymond Legler, PhD","Dr. Tiffeny Jimenez, PhD","Dr. Bradley Olson, PhD"],"dc:creator":["Jackson, Shenika"],"dc:date.available":["2025-06-25T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["Abstract
With all the challenges that Chicago Public School students are facing today, there
are none greater than those faced by African American males. On all levels,
African American males have fallen short of achieving academically starting from
kindergarten and continuing through college enrollment and completion. The study
explores African American males and the challenges they face making the
transition from high school to higher education. The study used quantitative survey
(s) and an African American history assessment with 42 African American high
school males’ age 14 to 17 years old, from communities in Chicago Illinois that
include Englewood, Auburn Gresham, Roseland, and Bronzeville. The survey and
test assessed their views on (3) themes including African American History, self-
esteem, and college choice. A sample of 12 teachers, administrators, and mentors
shared their past academic and high school experiences, and experiences working
with African American males, and the challenges that lie ahead for their future.
Solutions to increasing African American college enrollment are discussed. The
results of the study revealed that although there is no relationship between self-
esteem and academic achievement, findings on the relationship between African
American history and academic achievement were revealed. In addition, factors on
the importance of African American males’ college choice, revealed that all four
factors academic, social, personal, and financial were evenly important to the
participants in the study. All participants’ from the qualitative sample, and the
quantitative sample, shared similar patterns in the college choice process, stating
the importance of parents, teachers, school administrators, and counselors’
support when making college choice decisions.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/315"],"dc:subject":["African American Males","Academic Acheivement","High School","Higher Education","Chicago Public Schools","Community Psychology","Education","Psychology"],"dc:title":["African American Males and Academic Achievement: Understanding the Challenges of Transitioning From High School to Higher Education"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Community Psychology"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - NLU Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ph.D. Doctor of Philosophy"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:46Z"}