College Enrollment and Multiracial Backgrounds: An Exploration of Access and Choice

Abstract

The college access literature has tended to leave out multiracial students. What pathways do multiracial students employ to access postsecondary education? What college access resources do multiracial students perceive as available for use? and How does a student’s multiracial identity interact with college access pathways and resources utilized? A constructivist narrative inquiry was employed to answer these questions and it examined how 13 multiracial students, the majority of whom were from low-income and first-generation college going backgrounds, perceived, interacted with, and benefited from college access resources. The findings of this research are summarized within nine themes grouped into three major categories. College access and choice pathways themes center on community college as an entrance to higher education, impact of school context, and predetermined pathways. Themes for perceived resources available for use and multiracial identity interaction are presented to the degree that the action occurred. Findings from this study have implications for college access organizations and higher education institutions related to how multiracial students are defined and included in current models of outreach and recruitment.