The Haves and the Have Nots: How Disparities in Social Capital Impact the Postsecondary Decision Processes of Seniors at a Midwestern High School

High school is the time when final preparations are made prior to embarking on postsecondary opportunities—enrollment in two or four-year colleges/ universities or vocational training programs, enlistment in the military, or employment. These decisions become based on resources, information, and networks—forms of social capital. By conceptualizing within-school differences among the student population, the experiences of the haves and have nots are shared to highlight the impact of social capital disparities on the postsecondary decision-making process. Through qualitative research, the researcher analyzed data culled from interviews with both student and parent participants in a medium-sized Midwestern high school by examining postsecondary planning and advisement through a social capital framework. Findings from 27 student and 11 parent interviews reveal the complexities of dismantling barriers to school-based social capital for all students. Finally, these findings problematize staff failure to leverage support, agency, and empowerment for a heterogeneous population of students in suburban contexts replete with resources