The “lost boys” of higher education: African American males from basic skills through university transfer

UnrestrictedTen African American men, who began their college career in Basic Skills courses at an urban community college in California and successfully transferred to a four-year college or university, share their life stories through that process in this case study. Their experiences differed from the literature in peer group interaction and definition, in their social and extra-curricular engagement, and in their faculty relationships. Interaction with peers on campus was limited to course-related work. Extra-curricular engagement was either unintentional or minimal. One made the Dean’s list but did not know what it meant. Relationships with faculty were uneven—acknowledgment or recognition from faculty mattered immensely when it happened, but most interaction with faculty was limited to coursework. Participants used metaphors and poetry to make meaning of their experiences and largely attributed their success to self-determination. They embraced the bootstrap philosophy even though their college preparation, for the most part, left them with no boots. Family support and being a role model in their communities were motivators. School felt like a competition, but they also cautioned that “education was like a bug”—where, without guidance, one might choose courses that did not serve one’s goals