Abstract

This study explores perceptions of the academic, social, and institutional forces that shape success for African American male students attending a 4-year, predominately White public college in southern New Jersey. This study utilized an interview-based qualitative research method to examine African American male students’ social and academic experiences at a small, predominantly White, liberal arts college in southern New Jersey. Attention to the experiences of African American male students attending White colleges is particularly important because issues surrounding social receptivity (i.e., the general acceptance of an individual or group’s presence) are factors that play a significant part of the students’ learning experience. This study found that in 21st-century America, the African American male students’ perceptions of and experiences with social receptivity at a predominantly White institution (PWI) can have a significant impact on the students’ learning experience. The major themes of this study that emerged were “Level of Preparation for College Life at a PWI,” “Lack of Belonging in a New Social Environment,” “Feelings of Social and Personal Isolation,” and “Feelings of Negativity Toward the Faculty.”

Highlights

  • This study explores perceptions of the academic, social, and institutional forces that shape success for African American male students attending a 4-year, predominately White public college in southern New Jersey

  • The comments made during the interview provided a gateway to understanding the experiences of African American male students at a predominately White college

  • The first theme that emerged was the lack of preparation for African American males attending a predominantly White institution (PWI)

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Summary

Introduction

This study explores perceptions of the academic, social, and institutional forces that shape success for African American male students attending a 4-year, predominately White public college in southern New Jersey. Attention to the experiences of African American male students attending White colleges is important because issues surrounding social receptivity (i.e., the general acceptance of an individual or group’s presence) are factors that play a significant part of the student’s learning experience (Bailey, 2006). Black male students include men who self-identified racially or ethnically as Black/non-Hispanic, or African American. The rationale for focusing exclusively on Black males was based on their low college enrollment and academic success rates. Of the 6,312 students enrolled at the 4-year, predominately White public college in southern New Jersey who participated in this study, 8% are African American males

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