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Essay Subject: Examines factors affecting black women's choice to attend or not attend college, focusing on overcoming personal, socioeconomic & institutional barriers.... More...

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Paper Abstract: Examines factors affecting black women's choice to attend or not attend college, focusing on overcoming personal, socioeconomic & institutional barriers. Paper Introduction: Introduction The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing research on the factors associated with African-American women's decision to attend or not to attend college. Examining this research is important because to the extent that social workers have a complete understanding of these factors, they will be in a better position to help these women overcome the barriers to higher education that confront them. Factors Contributing to College Attendance Before examining this research, it is first important to understand that college attendance is imperative for minority groups in general an for black women in particular. In this regard, Cole (1988) has stated that education is the most consistent and obtainable means for the empowerment of Black Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. For example, the Girl ScoutCouncil of Greater New York and The Bronx Zoo have jointly designed aprogram to introduce urban adolescent girls to the natural sciences andincrease their awareness of the range of career options related to wildlifesciences and conservation biology. In addition, young black girls often lack the academic skills andcareer-related experiences that motivate college attendance. However, ona secular basis, I agree with the sentiments expressed. (1997). (6) Peer support for college attendance can operate to motivate thechoice, especially since adolescents are heavily influenced by their peers. In order to ensure that the decision to attend college is supportedand that African-American women maintain this decision once they are incollege, Hsiao (1992) recommends that colleges implement tutoring andmentoring programs. (1991). Further, there are often follow-up programs such asidentifying those students who are showing weak academic progress at mid-term and assisting them in a variety of ways. Washington, DC: Women'sBureau, Department of Labor. Factors Contributing to College Attendance Before examining this research, it is first important to understandthat college attendance is imperative for minority groups in general an forblack women in particular. One example of such a program is said to beNEW PASS which was developed as a model program to improve AfricanAmerican girls' awareness of nontraditional careers. ERIC Digest.(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. (1992). ERIC Document ReproductionService No. Also, social workers can develop programs designed to helpcaseworkers more aware of the factors that facilitate and/or hinder youngblack women's decision to go to college and the importance of college intheir lives. Hsiao, K.P. First-generation collegestudents, according to Hsiao, consist of those students who are the firstof their families ever to attend college; and many of this student groupare said to be African-American women. Weiler, J. Also, it is stated that efforts must be made to makesure that students do not drop out of college due to culture shock. (p.3) Also, many schools work against dropout by using methods to identifyhigh-risk students at admission and then provide them with collegepreparation courses. According to theauthors, this double discriminatory influence can create low self-esteem inthese girls, making it difficult for them to understand that they canindeed overcome whatever obstacles may be in their way. Other bridge programswork to motivate the choice to attend college. There is also the legal issue of affirmative action. Weiler (1997) has stated that one of the strongest contributors tothe decision to attend college can be the high school itself. In this regard, Hsiao (1992) states that they areconfronted with numerous obstacles to finishing their education. (1995). (1 th, New York, NY)). Moreover, in a study conducted by the Women's Bureau of theDepartment of Labor (1991), it was found that African-American women with acollege education have less unemployment, higher paying jobs, and work inmore career-oriented managerial and professionally specialty occupationsthan African-American women who are not college educated. Slater, R.B. Weiler (1997) has discussed this issue. Examining this research is important because to theextent that social workers have a complete understanding of these factors,they will be in a better position to help these women overcome the barriersto higher education that confront them. (1988). Also, there should bea variety of supportive academic department offices, advising services,programs or courses that allow for more personal interaction with faculty,or institutionally established, minority-focused networking groups. Black women in thelabor force. ED 351 79). 9 -4. In this regard, Cole (1988) has stated thateducation is the most consistent and obtainable means for the empowermentof Black women. ED 311 784. In thisregard, Haiso reports that: At LaGuardia Community College, a branch of The City University of New York, a Middle College exposes students to the college culture by bringing them to the campus for classes; small classes and attentive teachers provide a more college-like experience than the students typically get at local high schools. It is also recommended that programs be developed that specificallytarget African-American girls. (Paperpresented at the Anniversary Conference of the Association of Black Womenin Higher Education, Inc. Walsh & S.H.Osipow (eds.), Handbook of vocational psychology: Theory, research andpractice. It was noted in the paper that certain barriers are internal(e.g., low self-esteem issues associated with gender-ethnic baseddiscrimination, unrealistic expectations of college, feelings that onecannot succeed, etc.) Here social workers can provide counseling servicesgeared to overcome these internal barriers as they expressly relate tocollege and career. Theoreticaladvances in the study of women's career development. References Cole, J.B. This is shown by the fact that unemploymentrates for young African American women are higher than for white females ormales of all ethnic/racial backgrounds, as well as by the unfortunate factthat the numbers of African-American female headed households are steadilyincreasing as are their poverty rates. Theseobstacles include: conflicting obligations; false expectations; lack ofpreparation or support; a feeling of being isolated and/or uncomfortablewith friends and family who often may not be supportive of the decision toearn a college degree; a feeling of being disengaged from the generalculture of academia; competing family and/or work responsibilities; lack ofexperience with or knowledge of time-management; the economic realities ofcollege life; and difficulties dealing with the impersonal, bureaucraticnature of institutions. Impact 1996: The year in review. First there is the discriminationassociated with being a member of a minority group, plus the need toovercome gender discrimination and sex stereotyping. Inparticular, she recommends that high schools plan and implement careerdevelopment programs that teach young black women how to develop and/orimprove those skills they need to obtain a high-paying, professional job---skills that help them to decide to attend college. Mahwah, NJ: Erlbaum. Another action which social workers can take is one of advocacy.They can work with local colleges and universities as well as with stateand federal legislators to make sure that schools and colleges providethese students with the services that are required for them to decide forcollege and to stay in college once they have been admitted. (1997). The paperasserted that the empowerment of black women was dependent upon theirreceiving higher education. Introduction The purpose of this paper is to examine the existing research on thefactors associated with African-American women's decision to attend or notto attend college. In order for such programs to be effective, Weiler (1997) states thatthey must directly address the unique needs of young black girls. ED 41 369). ERIC/Cue Digest, 125. Women's Bureau of the Department of Labor. (1995).Why socioeconomic affirmative action in collegeadmissions works against African Americans. Career development for African-American and Latinafemales. It can be noted here that I agree with thisposition that African-American women should rely on college education as ameans of empowerment although I would disagree somewhat with Cole's (1988)perspective that education is the "most consistent and obtainable means forthe empowerment of Black women," which I would reserve for God. Role of Social Workers It can be noted here that most of the emphasis on helping African-American women to decide for higher education was placed on support byschools and colleges. Position of the Writer This paper examined factors that facilitate or act as obstacles tothe decision of African-American females to attend college. Howard University. Without such supportive services, it will be verydifficult for these students to remain in school. And, theyperceive themselves as having only the most narrow of career opportunities.All of these, Weiler (1997) states, combine to pose formidable obstaclesnot only to their attending college but generally to their obtaining anysort of future job or career. ERIC Clearinghouse on Urban Education, NY.(ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. Several factors are listed by Hsiao (1992) as likely to contribute tothe choice to attend college despite the often sizeable barriersconfronting first generation students. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. Facts on Working women no. Fitzgerald, L.F., Fassinger R.E., & Betz, N.E. Fitzgerald, Fassinger, and Betz (1995) state that another barrierconfronting black women who may wish to go to college is the fact that theyface a kind of "double" discrimination. Indeed, inthis regard, Weiler (1997) reports that existing research indicates thatminority girls from lower socioeconomic backgrounds perceived support fromtheir teachers as extremely important in their decision to go to college. This leads to the question of what social workers cando to assist in this decision. Given the foregoing, the key question is: What are the factors thatfacilitate and/or hinder African-American women's decision to attendcollege? Blackissues in Higher Education, 13(23), 8-11 and 14-16. Moreover, in theirevaluation of the impact of the Supreme Court Decision on AffirmativeAction, Howard University (1997) reported that it has been a significantfactor in dissuading many students from seeking a college education. This increased awareness on the part of workers can help themto intervene early in a child's life to make sure that she understands thatno matter what the obstacles, she is well able to go to college and that alot of supportive services are available to her in order to help her facethe various challenges. I also agree with the notions expressed in the paper that both publicschools and colleges have to plan, develop and implement a variety ofprograms and services geared to: (1) motivating adolescent black girls todesire a college education; and (2) helping them to stay in college oncethey are admitted. According toSlater (1995), there exists ample data supporting the notion that a so-called "race-blind: admissions policy at institutions of higher education,would largely exclude black students from the nation's highest-rankeduniversities. Also,since in many cases parents may not be supportive of the decision to attendcollege, teachers should provide career development support. ED 358312).----------------------- 1 In W.B. Given the substantial barriers to college attendance discussed above,it is reasonable to wonder what factors operate to overcome these barriers.At least part of the answer can be found in a study of first-generationcollege students conducted by Hsiao (1992). Indeed, Slater shows that even if admissions policies arebased on socioeconomic status and entrance examination scores, these wouldlargely benefit white and Asian students over blacks. Its curriculumprovides activities to expand participants' knowledge of nontraditionalcareer options, build self-esteem, develop problem-solving and decision-making skills, and increase their awareness of the importance of makinglife plans. The education and endowment of black women. These factors include the factsthat: (1) A college degree is more and more often becoming a prerequisitefor jobs; (2) The proliferation of community colleges which can help preparestudents whose high school education was lacking academically; (3) Supportive parents act as strong motivators for collegeattendance (if parents are steadfastly supportive of their daughtersattending college, Hsiao reports that this can do much towards motivatingthem to overcome psychosocial barriers); (4) More and more colleges are developing successful programs aimedat recruiting and retaining minority students; (5) Much more often colleges and schools are working together tocreate "bridge programs" in which the student is allowed to do some collegework while still a senior or junior in high school. One further point that needs to be noted here is that simply becauseAfrican-American women decide to attend college, there is no guarantee thatthey will finish. In particular, she notesthat many African-American adolescents thinking about going to college needextensive support to make this decision. First generation college students. However, I would also like to see public schools provide more career-based and focused services for those young black girls who decide not to goto college. Many, for example, live ineconomically depressed areas and so need financial help of some sort.Further, high school has often inadequately prepared them for developingand implementing career plans that include higher education. Their job-hunting and job-finding activities, I believe, couldbe greatly improved by career-based programs. Journal of Blacks in HigherEducation, 8, 57-59. It is also noted that colleges need to provide these students with away to "scale down" the physical dimensions of the college experience, tofind places to study, to meet quietly friends, or to seek support ...spaces that provided some measure of comfortability. 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