Journal of College Access

Welcome to the <em>Journal of College Access</em>, a peer-reviewed, academic, open access, online journal with a focus on how students aspire to, gain access to, enroll in and persist in higher education institutions. The Journal is published periodically.

List of Papers (Total 117)

Building Institutional Support for Undocumented and DACA-eligible College Students in Michigan

In 2017, the state of Michigan operated, and continues to operate, in an unstipulated policy environment related to undocumented students. There is no higher education commission or policy coordinating body in Michigan nor has the state legislature passed any legislation related to undocumented students or students who are DACA-eligible. Under this unstipulated policy environment...

Building Critical Bridges: The Role of University Presidents in Collaborating with Undocumented Student Activists

Undocumented students across the country have powerfully organized for the development of equitable programs and policies for undocumented students in higher education. Presidents of colleges and universities play a key role in working with undocumented activists to influence the development of these programs. Our research team with The UndocuScholars Project at the University of...

Undocumented Students’ Perceptions of Institutional Support

This study employed phenomenological, case study inquiry to provide an in-depth exploration into eight undocumented students’ perceptions of campus supports to answer the research question: What are undocumented students’ perceptions of the type, nature, and effectiveness of institutional programs and support services that contribute to their persistence? Finding include...

Enhancing Institutional Undocu-Competence through Establishing Undocumented Student Resource Centers: A Student-Encompassed Approach

In response to the barriers that undocumented students face in postsecondary education, some colleges and universities are striving to enhance their undocu-competence – the capacity to serve, support, and advocate for undocumented students. One way that institutions are demonstrating this is by establishing Undocumented Student Resource Centers (USRCs). This qualitative study...

Development of an Unorthodox Support Model to Mentor Undocumented Immigrant Students

This article addresses the need to better understand impactful mentoring models for undocumented immigrant students (UIS). Based on interviews of 18 mentors of UIS who were college graduates, findings include diverse effective mentoring models, specific mentoring styles and strategies, how mentors identified and leveraged the community cultural wealth of UIS, and the forms of...

“They’re in the Shadows”: School Counselors Share the Lived Experiences of Latino/a Undocumented Students

Latino/a undocumented students are among the population of students who are in danger of not graduating or pursuing college due to the unique set of challenges they face navigating education in the U.S. This study aims to understand undocumented students

Education Equity for Undocumented Graduate Students and the Key Role of My Undocumented Life

An estimated 454,000 undocumented students are enrolled in higher education, with ten percent of these students (45,400 students) studying in graduate school. While the field of higher education has worked to develop equitable policy and practice for undocumented students at the undergraduate level, a focus on graduate school is imperative. In this article, we reflect on what we...

Ever-Present “Illegality:” How Political Climate Impacts Undocumented Latinx Parents’ Engagement in Students’ Postsecondary Access and Success

Using the ecological systems theory, this study highlights the significant impact the political climate in the United States (i.e., anti-immigrant sentiments and violence) has on undocumented Latinx parents’ engagement in their children’s education. Drawing from a larger qualitative, interview-based study that explored how undocumented Latinx parents were involved and engaged in...

Identifying Institutional Best Practices: Supporting Undocumented Student Success in a Time of COVID-19

Due to the sensitive nature of identifying undocumented status, it is difficult to examine the impact of immigration status in the context of higher education and factors crucial to postsecondary and career success. What we do know is that prior to Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and for students ineligible for these programs...

Advocating for Higher Education as a Public Good

By Angel Perez, Published on 01/01/21

College Access for Prospective First-generation High School Students: Parent Perceptions

This qualitative interview study examined how parents of potential college-going first-generation students in one high school perceive and experience their access to resources and knowledge that would allow them to support their adolescents’ successful entrance into postsecondary institutions. The study found that the parents believe that high schools will help their children...

Student Readiness of Colleges: A Qualitative Study

Using the framework of belonging, this qualitative study explores how one upper midwestern college engages in student-readiness and explores the disconnects that create barriers to student-readiness. The study investigates ‘student readiness’ broadly through the literature and more specifically by narrowing efforts to a detailed examination of one college by conducting interviews...

Promoting Success for First-Generation Students of Color: The Importance of Academic, Transitional Adjustment, and Mental Health Supports

Nearly 1 in 3 college students (30%) are first-generation students of color (FGSOC), possessing the intersectional identity of being both a first-generation college student and a racial minority. FGSOC face increased psychological and social difficulties in college when compared to students in other groups, resulting from cultural differences, lack of academic preparedness...

College 101: Sharing Experiences and Stories for Transformative Change

College 101 is powerful Pre-College Opportunity Program (PCoP) designed to expose at-risk high school students to the benefits of post-secondary education, to motivate them to stay in school, and to help them envision a future that includes post-secondary education. The unique features of College 101 include that it is grounded in the pedagogical approach of Real Talk (Hernandez...

The Student Experience of Two-Way Text-Message College Advising: A First Glimpse

This study examines the experiences of students enrolled in a text-messaging advising program in order to understand the conditions for impact in this rapidly proliferating intervention model. The program under study was a 15-state text-messaging college advising trial that attempted to increase the college enrollment outcomes of over 30,000 students who attended U.S. high...

Inside the Black Box of Text-Message College Advising

Making college access and success more equitable at a national scale requires alternatives to intensive in-person modes of pre-college advising. Text-message advising campaigns are a promising intervention model for delivering college application and financial aid assistance affordably to large populations of college-intending, low-income students. College outcome results from a...

School Principals’ and Counselors’ Focus on College-Going: The Impact of School Leader Expectations and Primary Counseling Goals on Postsecondary Education

The purpose of this study was to examine how school counselors’ and principals’ primary counseling goals and expectations impact postsecondary enrollment in order to learn what best helps students achieve their postsecondary goals. It was found that school counselors’ expectations of students were positively related to students’ postsecondary education decisions. Further, it was...

College Choice and Enrollment among Youth Formerly in Foster Care

Despite being among the most disadvantaged groups with respect to college access and success in the United States, youth formerly in foster care (YFFC) remain an understudied population in higher education research. Although they aspire to college at high levels, youth in foster care enjoy less postsecondary access and success than their peers who have not experienced foster care...

Next Gen FSA—Stay in the Fight!

By Mark Brown, Published on 01/01/20

Review of a new report: How is technology addressing the college access challenge? A review of the landscape, opportunities, and gaps

The purpose of this review is to examine and critique a new report on technology in regard to college access. The report itself builds upon a previous Get Schooled report from 2013, using updated information and newer programs and apps. The review summarizes the findings of the author, as well as the compilation of tools and their usefulness for students and families. Centered...

Book Review: Fulfilling the Promise

By Tony Parsons, Published on 01/01/20

Book Review: Pre-College Programming in Higher Education: The Evolution of a Movement Sheth S.L. & Tremblay C.W. (Eds.). (2019). Pre-College Programming in Higher Education: The Evolution of a Movement. Kindle Direct Publishing.

This is the first book of its kind that weaves educational theory with hands-on practical experience. For this reason, it is tremendously important to the industry. Simply gathering experts in this area for discussion and collaboration is often challenging. The general themes outlined here establish a foundation for which to delve more deeply into particular areas while at the...

Book Review: Choosing College

By Alice Anne Bailey, Published on 01/01/20