The Actuation of College Plans: Explaining Why Some Seniors Make It and Others Don’t

Nikolas D. Pharris-Ciurej, University of Washington
Stewart E. Tolnay, University of Washington

Longitudinal data from the University of Washington Beyond High School study is used to determine the factors that influence high school seniors’ ability to actuate college plans. Special attention is devoted to racial and ethnic variation in the realization of college plans, and in the possible explanations for such variation. Multivariate analyzes reveal an enrollment advantage for Vietnamese students and an enrollment disadvantage for African American and Hispanic students. Also, racial and ethnic variation exists in type of school attended: two-year or four-year. A possible explanation for the African American and Hispanic students’ enrollment disadvantage is weaker academic performance and a contextual high school effect, respectively. Social integration and access to social capital within the Vietnamese community are acknowledged as a possible explanation for the Vietnamese students’ enrollment advantage.