Thesis (Ph.D.)--James Madison University, 2010. / Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ed. D.)--Oregon State University, 2004. / Typescript (photocopy). Includes bibliographical references (leaves 163-174). Also available on the World Wide Web.

The number of students enrolling in post-secondary institutions in the U.S. has slowly been rising over the last 10 years, yet gaps continue to exist in terms of who attends college and persists through graduation. Minority and low income students often lack the guidance needed to navigate the college enrollment process and as a result, remain underrepresented at U.S. colleges and universities. The prospect of attending college is frequently ruled-out based on fears surrounding college costs and lack of awareness and exposure to financial aid programs. This dissertation study looked at the impact of increased school counselor outreach on FAFSA completion and college enrollment in a large urban school district in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Researchers found robust treatment effects on both FAFSA completion .103 (sd=.01) and college enrollment .117 (sd=.01) suggesting a strong correlation between student contact with a school counselor and these two essential tasks for successful college matriculation. The opportunity gap was narrowed for all groups measured with the greatest improvement noted for African American, Asian, and Native American students. / Graduation date: 2013

While a great deal of psychological research is conducted on college students, less has been done on their adaptation to college. These young adults, as they develop ego identity and differentiate themselves from parents and families, must adjust to the social and academic environment of college. Psychosocial adjustment predicts college retention better than academic predictors do. First generation college students face greater than typical challenges adapting to college. The Ronald E. McNair Post-Baccalaureate Achievement Program exists to aid first generation, lower income undergraduate student who wish to pursue a doctoral degree. Self-definition scored from thematic apperceptive technique stories reflects an individual’s relative freedom from social role constraint. This study examined the role of self-definition and familial understanding and acceptance in this population as predictors of successful adaptation to college. While neither was found to be a significant predictor, family understanding and acceptance was found to be a more defining characteristic of this sample than was self-definition. This suggests that when social support is sufficient, individuals do not need to rely on self-definition.

Although access to South African universities has increased, academic persistence among undergraduate students remains low. Three cross-sectional studies were conducted to investigate the underlying psychosocial and social identity factors that influence academic persistence among undergraduate students at a South African university. Studies 1, 2, and 3 demonstrated that academic adjustment, academic motivation and identification with the academic department are prominent factors in predicting academic persistence. Studies 1 and 2 supported the hypothesis that students who highly identified with the university/academic department were more likely to adjust to the university environment and to be academically motivated and academically persistent. Study 3 confirmed that students who highly identified with the academic department were more likely to adjust to the university environment and to persist academically. The studies also revealed that the relationship between identification with the university/academic department and academic persistence via academic adjustment and academic motivation was conditional on whether students were from historically underrepresented or overrepresented racial groups (Studies 1 and 2) and whether students were first-generation or continuing-generation students (Study 3). These results underscore the importance of psychosocial and social identity factors on academic persistence among undergraduate students. / Psychology / D. Phil (Psychology)

The purpose of the study was to describe factors that influence black females to choose engineering as a career. It transpired from the literature study that enabling environment, gender of role models, self-efficacy and socialization are important factors in terms of causing and attracting females into the fields of science and engineering study. From the empirical study it came out clearly that family members, female role members, and confidence in mathematics and science were factors that caused the females in engineering group to choose it as a career. Findings also revealed that gender stereotypes did not deter them from choosing engineering and that they were content with their career choice. For the above factors to be addressed incentives exclusive to females should be launched by government so as to attract more females to the fields of science and engineering. Schools also need to pursue programmes that expose learners to these fields. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.

Since 2005, the United States has experienced a significant influx of international students from Saudi Arabia, particularly women (Bollang, 2006). The American educational structure is something Saudi women have never experienced due to the vast differences between both cultures in all facets. There is very little to no research conducted on Saudi Arabian women pursuing higher education in an academic culture drastically different from what they are accustomed to. A review of current literature illustrates the critical need for a more in- depth analysis of this phenomenon. Although there is much research available regarding the subjugation of Saudi women in the past and present, the surge in Saudi women pursuing education in the United States has not been researched. This thesis study explores how Saudi women are adapting to the differences in educational structural between what they have experienced back home and what they are experiencing here at Oregon State University. This study also looks at how Saudi women are adapting to the differences in teaching methods at OSU in comparison to what they are used to back home. The traditional teacher-centered approach versus that at OSU that heavily incorporates a student-centered approach. This study utilizes qualitative research methods to find common themes that arose from interviews with the sample group. Findings suggest that the Saudi women studying at Oregon State University developed intercultural competence due to their strong personal desire to succeed in their studies abroad. These Saudi women also proved to have strong levels of motivation and desire to succeed academically in hopes that they will return to their country and assist in improving the status of women. / Graduation date: 2012

The purpose of the study was to describe factors that influence black females to choose engineering as a career. It transpired from the literature study that enabling environment, gender of role models, self-efficacy and socialization are important factors in terms of causing and attracting females into the fields of science and engineering study. From the empirical study it came out clearly that family members, female role members, and confidence in mathematics and science were factors that caused the females in engineering group to choose it as a career. Findings also revealed that gender stereotypes did not deter them from choosing engineering and that they were content with their career choice. For the above factors to be addressed incentives exclusive to females should be launched by government so as to attract more females to the fields of science and engineering. Schools also need to pursue programmes that expose learners to these fields. / Educational Studies / M. Ed.