Archived: Toward Resiliency: Highlights

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Toward Resiliency: At Risk Students Who Make it to College - May 1998

Highlights

The aim of this study was to determine whether student, parent, and peer engagement factors that contributed to at-risk students’ success in graduating from high school continued to be important in making the transition from high school to postsecondary education. Only students who were considered at moderate to high risk of dropping out of high school were included in the analysis (about one-quarter of 1992 high school graduates). They were identified as those exhibiting two or more of the following six risk factors: family in the lowest socioeconomic quartile, from a single-parent home, earned grades of C’s or lower from 6th to 8th grade, held back a grade, changed schools two or more times outside of the normal progression, or have an older sibling who dropped out of high school. Key findings are as follows.

Parent and peer engagement indicators were especially strong influences on postsecondary enrollment. Moderate- to high-risk youth whose parents frequently discussed school-related matters with them in high school had much higher odds of both 4-year college enrollment and enrollment in any postsecondary education, compared with their peers whose parents had no discussions with them. Parents’ educational expectations also exerted a strong influence on whether or not moderate to high-risk teens enrolled in any postsecondary education.

Compared to students whose friends did not have college plans, students who reported that most or all of their high school friends had plans for enrolling in a 4-year college were far more likely to enroll in a 4-year college themselves. The importance that friends attributed to learning activities such as studying and getting good grades had a strong positive effect on whether or not students enrolled in any postsecondary education, but not on whether they enrolled in a 4-year college.

Participating in college preparation activities increased the odds of enrolling in postsecondary education. Gathering information about financial aid and talking to individuals about aid increased the odds of enrolling in any postsecondary education, while getting help with preparing for entrance exams and the college application process increased the odds of enrolling in a 4-year college.

Moderate- to high-risk students who reported participating in college outreach programs increased their odds of enrolling in a 4-year college nearly twofold.

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