Exploring the Views of Rural Colorado High School Students About CollegeAbout College

University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2009 Exploring the Views of Rural Colorado High School Students About College Kathleen McMahon Klug University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Higher Education Commons Recommended Citation Klug, Kathleen McMahon, "Exploring the Views of Rural Colorado High School Students About College" (2009) Electronic Theses and Dissertations 851 https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/851 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU For more information, please contact jennifer.cox@du.edu,dig-commons@du.edu Exploring the Views of Rural Colorado High School Students About College A Dissertation Presented to the Morgridge College of Education University of Denver In Partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Kathleen McMahon Klug June 2009 Advisor: Dr Kent Seidel Author: Kathleen McMahon Klug Title: Exploring the Views of Rural Colorado High School Students About College Advisor: Dr Kent Seidel Degree Date: June 2009 Abstract Exploring the views of rural high school students about college has significant implications for the question: “Why are Colorado’s kids not choosing college in greater numbers?” Since the State of Colorado has one of the most highly educated adult populations in the nation, yet consistently underperforms in sending its high school students to college this dissertation is topical in presenting the opinions and perceptions of 1,012 rural high school students By including the voices of rural Colorado students through a survey, by investigating what the students are thinking and feeling about their future, and by learning what their level of awareness is regarding options and choices, this study contributes to a wider body of knowledge about how rural high school students access the information that makes college choice possible The survey which is at the heart of this dissertation was designed to examine the students’ possession of collegegoing assets, such as knowledge about standardized tests, access to college materials, articulation of options, expectations, and awareness of college costs and financing One of the major findings in the Exploring Rural Views study was the difference between students who had been continuously exposed to college counseling and those who had not There are statistically significant differences in the group’s identification of their assets The ii survey results pointed out that these two groups act differently; the college counseled group had more agreement, and more assets Other findings included: information about college is not reaching everyone who needs to be reached—approximately 11,000 kids on the Western Slope alone are identified as the “paradox group,” and more needs to be done to understand why these kids not go to college, to capture their voices and better measure their understanding of the college attainment process College fairs, college representative visits, the internet, virtual tours, college view books, college visits, parent and teacher expectations as well as information distribution are all necessary components of the college access continuum These necessary components are not enough unless they are in concert as an established part of a college access culture iii Acknowledgements The logistics of completing a dissertation while living and working in the mountains are complex DU made it possible and I give thanks to all who helped as I traveled back and forth from Aspen to Pueblo and Denver I dedicate my work with teenagers and their futures to all the people who gave me encouragement to keep searching for answers to paradoxes in spite of my detours and delays in the writing of this dissertation Thank you… To my “INSPIRAWRITER” Warren, who is my best friend, great love, and my true inspiration to keep teaching and working with teenagers; he is the most optimistic and hopeful person I know Warren sees value in every human being and has great enthusiasm and energy to celebrate all of life’s moments with me and our amazing and fabulous family, Jim, Christopher, Hillary, Jason, Hilary, Missy, Julie, Carson, Finn, and Jupiter, Barbara, Marian, Beth, Boo, Karen, Dick, & Jimmy B To my dear Mother, Anne (1926-2002) who never stopped learning She secured her first job at 50 and learned to use a computer at 70 She kept me alive by allowing me to debrief my class work on the car speaker phone; she talked me back and forth to Pueblo so I would stay awake and have someone listen to my questions, hopes and dreams She loved teenagers and encouraged me to help them tell their own stories The mother of eight distinct children, she celebrated our commonalities and our uniqueness She encouraged us to be the best people we could be, through education and experiences I tested my theories with her, counting on her good instincts and natural ability to see a path to solutions iv To Dr Joanne Ihrig, my professor, mentor, and friend who introduced me to life-long teaching with Teachers Across Borders in Cambodia Dr Joanne continues to partner with me each summer as we teach the teachers of this emerging country Dr Joanne Ihrig has the best attitude in regard to sharing our gifts with others She has a service-mind and a gentle spirit and great joie de vivre Her encouragement has been remarkable and her counsel wise To Dr Ellie Katz, my other professor and friend who keeps the important parts of life, family, friends, faith, and community clearly prioritized Ellie Katz is warm and bright and a model for all women who want to balance a life in teaching with a life in good order To Dr Kent Seidel, my chairman, and a guy who takes ABD as a gauntlet He understands hard work, research, and above all, completion of a task Thank you for the personal time you take to put on “boot camp” and to help struggling scholars To Lin Ma, Graduate Assistant at the University of Denver for all her statistical assistance To Laura Kornasiewicz, Board of Education member and friend who helped make data entry possible To Lucia Weihe, J.D my editor and friend: Lucia inspired me when she passed the Colorado Bar and was then willing to help me realize my academic goal To Susan Walter, my professional partner and friend Susan has been part of my story and life with her good guidance, intellect, great humor, and friendship v Table of Contents Abstract ii Acknowledgements .iv List of Tables viii List of Figures ix Chapter I Introduction to the Problem Significance of the Study 13 Definitions, Operational Terms and Abbreviations 14 Chapter II .21 Literature Review .21 Student Perspectives: Why student voices matter 22 College Culture Fundamentals 31 Historical Perspective 34 Intervention and Transition Pre-Collegiate Literature 40 Chapter III 52 Methodology .52 Research Design 53 Theoretical Model .54 Research Site 55 Research Population 58 Role of the Researcher 59 Instrumentation 61 Response Rate 62 Data Analysis 63 Significance 63 Limitations 64 Chapter IV 66 Presentation of the Data and Findings 66 Constructs 67 Sample Group Sub-sets 68 Designated College Counselor vs No Designated Counselor 74 First Generations vs Non-First Generation Groups 77 The General Group vs Groups & (College Counseled and First-Generation Students Combined) 83 The 9th and 10th Grade Students vs The 11th and 12th Grade Students 84 Data Chapter Summary 86 Chapter V .89 Conclusions and Recommendations 89 Impetus for the Study 89 Conclusions 91 vi Recommendations 93 The Steps to the College Steps 94 Implications for Application and Further Research 97 Bibliography 101 Appendix A 113 Appendix B 114 Appendix C 115 Parents 117 Mission .118 Services 118 The Curriculum for Success .119 Process Components .122 The Road Ahead Series 124 The Primary Client in College Counseling .125 Senior Year .127 Communication Tools 129 Students 130 vii List of Tables TABLE DATA POINTS OF GEAR UP 42 TABLE AVID STUDENT ENROLLMENT IN COLORADO 46 TABLE FAIR ATTENDEES BY GRADE DEMOGRAPHIC INFORMATION OF THE FAIR ATTENDEES 68 TABLE NUMBER OF STUDENTS IN EACH GROUP .70 TABLE 33 ATTENDING HIGH SCHOOLS OF COLORADO’S WESTERN SLOPE 2008 CWSCF FAIR 71 TABLE SCHOOLS WITH A COLLEGE COUNSELOR VERSUS SCHOOLS WITH NO COLLEGE COUNSELOR 75 TABLE FIRST GENERATION VS NON-FIRST GENERATION STUDENTS 80 TABLE GENERAL GROUP VS GROUPS & 81 TABLE 9TH AND 10TH GRADES VS 11TH AND 12TH GRADES 82 TABLE 10 ASSETS OF THE RURALS 90 viii List of Figures FIGURE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO DESIRE TO GO TO COLLEGE….72 FIGURE TEACHERS BELIEVE I AM GOING TO COLLEGE………………… 73 ix ... the Views of Rural Colorado High School Students About College Advisor: Dr Kent Seidel Degree Date: June 2009 Abstract Exploring the views of rural high school students about college has significant.. .Exploring the Views of Rural Colorado High School Students About College A Dissertation Presented to the Morgridge College of Education University of Denver ... its high school students to college this dissertation is topical in presenting the opinions and perceptions of 1,012 rural high school students By including the voices of rural Colorado students