Understanding the Role of Parents and Siblings as Information Sources in the College Choice Process of Chicana Students

Guided by a social capital framework, this qualitative study examined the role of protective agents, namely parents and siblings, during the college choice process of 20 Chicana seniors attending a large urban high school in California. Despite previous research showing that Mexican parents hold a high value toward the importance of an education, this study shows that the role that parents were able to fulfill during the college choice process was greatly limited. The findings of this study also suggest that in many cases, siblings replaced parents as information sources when parents were not able to assist Chicanas with the college application process. These findings raise questions about the college information sources available to Chicanas outside the home, such as schools or community agencies.