Early Determinants of Postsecondary Education Participation and Degree Attainment

Abstract

Early determinants of college attendance and degree attainment for economically disadvantaged minority youth were examined in the present study. The study sample ( n = 1,379) was drawn from the Chicago Longitudinal Study (CLS), an ongoing investigation of a panel of low-income minority children born in 1980, growing up in high-poverty neighborhoods in Chicago. Regression findings indicated that three factors in elementary grades can potentially improve both college attendance and bachelor’s (BA) degree completion for economically disadvantaged minority students: better classroom adjustment, high parent expectation in child’s education, and better academic performance. Findings have implications for schools, educators, and policy makers.