Visualizing Social Influences on Filipino American and Southeast Asian American College Choice

Abstract

This study identifies and explores social influences on the college choice process of Filipino American and Southeast Asian American high school seniors in an urban Midwestern setting. In an effort to contribute more depth to the knowledge regarding college choice among Filipino Americans and Southeast Asian Americans, this study engaged seven high school seniors in a photo elicitation study, allowing the students to tell their own stories of their pathways to college. Photos and follow-up interviews indica ted that the students explicitly acknowledged kinship and peer networks as playing the most influential roles in the college choice process. Gender differences were found in how students understood their college choice experiences. Though not explicitly recognized by students in this study, college preparatory support programs and resources in the students’ schools also provided important supports in navigating college -going systems.