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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal – Vol. 11, No. 9
Publication Date: September 25, 2024
DOI:10.14738/assrj.119.17627.
Cook, L. L., & Okojie, F. A. (2024). Factors Affecting College Choice of African American Male Undergraduates at Two Private Liberal
Arts Colleges in the South. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(9). 334-369.
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
Factors Affecting College Choice of African American Male
Undergraduates at Two Private Liberal Arts Colleges in the South
Louis L. Cook
Enrollment Management,
Lane College, Jackson, Tennessee
Felix A. Okojie
Executive Ph.D. Program in Urban Higher Education
Jackson State University, Jackson, MS 39217
ABSTRACT
This article examined the factors influencing the college choice of African American
male undergraduate students at two private liberal arts colleges in the South.
Utilizing Hossler and Gallagher's (1987) College Choice Model as the theoretical
framework, the study explored these students' experiences, perceptions, and
attitudes toward the college selection process. The research investigated explicitly
how predisposition, search, and choice factors impact the decision-making process
for African American males at these institutions. Employing a qualitative
methodology, data were collected through in-depth interviews with 20
participants. The findings revealed that family and community influences, financial
considerations, campus environment, and diversity significantly shape college
choice. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of the factors affecting
college choice for African American males at private liberal arts colleges in the
South. Additionally, it offers insights that could inform the development of policies
and practices to enhance access, diversity, and educational equity within higher
education.
Keywords: African American male undergraduates, college choice, private liberal arts
colleges, predisposition factors, search factors, choice factors.
INTRODUCTION
African Americans face many challenges with access to education in the United States (Comeaux
et al., 2020). Despite a lengthy fight for college admission, African American students attending
higher education institutions and receiving degrees have gradually climbed since adopting the
1964 Civil Rights Act (Goins, 2014). African American student attendance in higher education
climbed from 10 percent to 15 percent between 1976 and 2013; the number of bachelor
degrees awarded increased by 54 percent between 2002–2003 and 2012–2013 (National
Center for Education Statistics [NCES], 2020). These rates continue to affect the college choice
process of African Americans, which is not a simple decision but a complex and multifaceted
one influenced by various individual and contextual factors (Hossler et al., 2019).
Understanding this complexity is crucial for developing effective policies and practices in
higher education.
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Cook, L. L., & Okojie, F. A. (2024). Factors Affecting College Choice of African American Male Undergraduates at Two Private Liberal Arts Colleges
in the South. Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal, 11(9). 334-369.
URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.14738/assrj.119.17627
In Mississippi, there are nine private liberal arts colleges with more than 10,000 undergraduate
students enrolled (NCES, 2022). Among undergraduate students in Mississippi attending
private liberal arts colleges, only 1,350 are African American males (NCES, 2022). African
American males attending liberal arts colleges in the South often face unique challenges in the
college choice process due to historical and contemporary educational inequities (Wingard,
2021). Despite progress toward increased access and inclusion in higher education, African
American males may face significant college access and success disparities (Davidson et al.,
2020). Recent research has identified individual and contextual factors shaping student college
choices, particularly for underrepresented minority groups (Jackson et al., 2018). Research has
shown that socioeconomic status, parental involvement, and academic preparation are critical
in shaping student college choices (Howard, 2014; Jackson et al., 2018; Yeager et al., 2019).
Institutional characteristics such as academic reputation, financial aid, and campus culture
impact student college choices (Hossler et al., 2019; Stinebrickner et al., 2020; Zhang, 2018).
There remains a need to understand the college choice process of African American males
attending liberal arts colleges in the South (Wingard, 2021). Liberal arts colleges in the South
provide a unique context that offers opportunities for personal and intellectual growth but may
also present unique challenges for African American males (Wingard, 2021). By examining
factors affecting the college choice process of African American males attending liberal arts
colleges in the South, this study provided insights into factors shaping African American male
undergraduate college choice process and identified strategies to improve access and success
in higher education.
Study Purpose / Research Questions
This study examines the factors influencing college choice among African American male
undergraduate students at two private liberal arts colleges in the South. It explored these
students' experiences, perceptions, and attitudes toward the college selection process, focusing
on how various stages of the decision-making process—predisposition, search, and choice—
impact enrollment decisions. The following questions guided the research:
1. How do predisposition factors influence college choice for African American
undergraduate males at private liberal arts colleges in the South?
2. How do search factors influence college choice for African American undergraduate
males at private liberal arts colleges in the South?
3. How do choice factors influence college choice for African American undergraduate
males at private liberal arts colleges in the South?
THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK / LITERATURE REVIEW
Hossler and Gallagher's (1987) College Choice Model provided the theoretical framework for
analyzing factors influencing the college choice of African American undergraduate males at
two private liberal arts colleges in the South. The College Choice Model conceptualized the
college choice process into three stages: predisposition, search, and choice (Hossler &
Gallagher, 1987). Recent research highlighted the unique challenges and motivations faced by
African American males during each stage of the college choice process, considering cultural,
social, and economic factors that shape college choice (Davis et al., 2019; Palmer et al., 2017;
Williams et al., 2021). Understanding how these factors promote diversity and inclusivity
among African American male undergraduates at private liberal arts college campuses is
essential (Williams et al., 2021). Hossler and Gallagher's (1987) College Choice Model helped
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Advances in Social Sciences Research Journal (ASSRJ) Vol. 11, Issue 9, September-2024
Services for Science and Education – United Kingdom
investigate various factors that influence the college choice decisions of African American
undergraduate males, including family and peer support, financial considerations, academic
preparedness, and perceptions of campus climate (Davis et al., 2019; Palmer et al., 2017).
The college choice process is more than just selecting an institution; it is an intricate decision- making process that can set the course for a student's academic journey and, by extension, the
professional future (Hossler et al., 1987). For African American undergraduate males, this
decision carries added weight. Historically marginalized and underrepresented in the higher
echelons of academia, particularly in private liberal arts colleges in the South, the college
decisions often intersect with issues of identity, representation, and aspiration (Strayhorn,
2018; Rudolph, 2021). If higher education institutions are committed to redressing historical
inequities and fostering diversity, understanding the determinants of college choice for African
American males becomes imperative (Jackson, 2017; Weerasinghe & Fernando, 2017). This
review, hence, aims to distill insights from contemporary scholarship on the myriad factors
influencing the college choices of this specific cohort.
To frame this qualitative research, the study leveraged the robust theoretical framework of
college choice as conceptualized by Hossler and Gallagher (1987). The model underlines the
dynamic interplay of individual aspirations, external influences, and institutional
characteristics.
Recent scholarship extends the Hossler and Gallagher model by illuminating the complex
pathways from high school to matriculation in post-secondary education, emphasizing the role
of individual aspirations in these transitions (Jabbar et al., 2021). In addition, the importance
of external influences, such as family and high school experiences, has been underscored in
literature. Callender and Melis (2022) aimed to develop a tested, a structural model of
predispositions to attend college, emphasizing the influence of family and high school
experiences on post-secondary educational choice.
Within this framework, the college choices of African American males have been observed to
be influenced by multiple factors. Given many African American families' socioeconomic
challenges, financial concerns are primary determinants (Daun-Barnett & John, 2018).
Furthermore, academic factors, including curriculum relevance and opportunities for research,
play a significant role (Hossler et al., 2019). Notably, the social environment of a college, which
encompasses its inclusivity, the presence of role models, and community engagement
opportunities, also weighs heavily in its decisions (Comeaux et al., 2020). Lastly, the influence
of family, peers, and mentors, often as sources of encouragement or caution, cannot be
understated (Hossler et al., 2019; Hilton & Bonner, 2017).
However, a gap exists in understanding mapping these factors to the unique context of private
liberal arts colleges in the South. These institutions, steeped in a particular history and culture,
may present distinct challenges and opportunities for African American males (Hossler et al.,
2019; Lee & Pirog, 2023).
Access to higher education has long been a central issue in the struggle for racial equity and
social justice in the United States. For African Americans, higher education has historically been
a path to upward mobility, social integration, and civic engagement (Trolian & Parker, 2020).