Parental expectations and aspirations for their children’s educational attainment: an examination of the college-going mindset among parents.

University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation. June 2008. Major: Educational Psychology. Advisor: Sandra Christenson. 1 computer file (PDF); v, 103 pages, appendices A-B.The purpose of this study was to explore parental aspirations and expectations for their children's educational attainment, in addition to examining parent-reported knowledge and understanding of college readiness and preparation. This study consisted of 598 parents of students in 8th-10th grade from five schools in the Midwest. Parents were administered the Scale of Educational Aspirations and Expectations for Adolescents (SEAEA), and were also asked to answer several questions related to their college knowledge. After a factor analysis of the SEAEA, items reflecting aspirations and expectations loaded onto the same factor; however, further analyses revealed a small, yet significant difference between the two beliefs. Results also indicated a gap between what parents aspire and expect for their children's educational attainment and the knowledge of what it will take for that dream to become a reality. Merits and limitations, implications for research and practice, and directions for future research are discussed