Community College Choice and the Role of Undermatching in the Lives of African Americans

Abstract

This study explored why academically qualified African American students, those eligible to attend four-year institutions, choose to attend community colleges and are, thereby, undermatched. This qualitative study investigated how these students navigated the college choice process, what influenced their decision to attend a community college, what their experience at a community college was like, and their aspirations to obtain a baccalaureate degree. Purposeful sampling was used to gather a sample of 19 African American students attending community college in Dallas, Texas. The sample included 14 females and five males.Data were collected through 40-60 minute semi-structured interviews and a brief demographic survey. The conceptual frameworks for this study included Kassie Freeman's predetermination model that includes cultural considerations in college choice and the Somers et al. model that addresses factors that increase the likelihood of a student choosing to attend a community college. This integrated framework captures the role that family and culture play in African American community college choice.Findings suggest that the community college choice influences for academically eligible African American students vary from traditional college choice models. Whereas factors such as cost, location, and the role of peers played somewhat of a role in their choice, participants were also heavily influenced by sports, self-perceptions of maturity, and the perceptions of their families. Another key finding was that the effects of undermatching vary. All of the participants in this study felt that attending a community college fostered transfer preparedness, supported personal development, and promoted their academic success. However, some of the participants also felt that attending a community college hindered their sense of autonomy and limited their social engagement. This variation leads to the conclusion that undermatching effects vary and are dependent upon a variety of contextual factors. Policy and practice recommendations are provided for parents, teachers, counselors, and higher education professionals.Copyright 2014 by Kimberly M. Lowry ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First I would like to thank God for the opportunity he has given me to pursue this degree not only for myself but for my family, friends and my community. I am grateful for his unconditional love, grace and faithfulness and know that it is through him that I have accomplished things I could have only dreamed of. Next I would like to thank my entire dissertation committee for providing me with guidance and support. Specifically, I would like to thank Dr. Amy Fann for her leadership and dedication to aspiring scholars, like myself, and to higher education as a whole. Dr. Fann you are truly amazing and thank you again for everything.I would also like to thank and acknowledge my parents and grandparents for every prayer they made on behalf of me and my future. It is because of them that I am who I am today and for that I am truly thankful. My other supp...

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“…Next, certain aspects of students' experiences in college that may influence their satisfaction, such as the possibility to engage in collaborative learning activities or in extracurricular events, were not measured. Some recent studies with small samples of first students suggest positive effects of undermatching on college experiences among first-year ethnic minorities (Fosnacht, 2014(Fosnacht, , 2015Lowry, 2017), because undermatched students engage more in active and collaborative learning activities in less selective institutions. Especially black students were found to be less affected or even to benefit from undermatching.…”