Shoot the Messenger or Change the Message: What are African American Men Learning About Choosing College?

This study identified and described the experiences of twelve African American men that influenced the choice to participate in postsecondary education. This qualitative study used a phenomenology framework to determine 1) the formation of predisposition in the college choice process, 2) the messages received about college from influential people, and 3) perception and interpretation of the importance of a college degree. The overall theme arising from the data is that the college choice process was complicated and inconsistent; however, ten of the twelve participants completed some type of postsecondary training. Deficient messages about postsecondary education manifested as low parental support for college attendance, low academic expectations, withholding of important information from school officials and little or no exposure to postsecondary institution campuses or students. Influential people for the participants ranged from parents to themselves, and from a combination of characteristics from different people, to peers, to no one. The informants did not consistently identify their role model as the one who influenced them to attend college. The perception of the value of a college degree varied among the participants. Some described the degree as a requirement for success; others felt that strengthening family and achieving financial independence was more important.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of North Texas

Year dc:date

2005

Author dc:creator

• Gayden, Kizuwanda Balayo

Contributors dc:contributor

• Bush, V. Barbara
• Newsom, Ronald W.
• Pasco, Gwenn

• African American men -- Education (Higher)
• African American college students.
• College choice -- United States.
• phenomenology
• influential people
• African American men
• college choice
• higher education

Statement dc:rights

• Public
• Copyright
• Gayden, Kizuwanda Balayo
• Copyright is held by the author, unless otherwise noted. All rights reserved.

Language dc:language

English

Identifier

oclc: 69678765
https://digital.library.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc4967/
ark: ark:/67531/metadc4967

OAI identifier oai:identifier

info:ark/67531/metadc4967