Moving From College Aspiration to Attainment: Learning From One College Access Program

Using data from a survey of 75 parents and high school students who were eligible for a college access program, this article examines parents’ and students’ college aspirations and their confidence in fulfilling that goal. The authors argue that pre-college preparation programs can benefit from the non-economic forms of capital that these families undoubtedly have. Moreover, students’ and their parents’ confidence in college aspirations are often situated in deeply-rooted beliefs in the ultimate benefits of education for individual, familial, and communal uplift. Understanding the valuable role of social and cultural capital in the college goals of first-generation and low-income youth will help college preparation programs build stronger partnerships with their students and families as they help them move from college aspirations to attainment.