U.S. third culture kids’ identity and college success

Abstract

Third Culture Kids (TCKs), people who spend a significant number of their developmental years in a country other than their parents’ passport (home) country, have many positive attributes. These include the ability to see other points of view, be open to people from different backgrounds, and be adaptable. This phenomenological study, based on interview data, explored how their identity as TCKs helped them succeed in college through an anti-deficit perspective. The population was nine participants (three men, six women) who had all lived outside of the United States of America (their parents’ home country) for at least seven years before the age of 18 and who returned to the United States. for college. The findings indicate a need for updated study on the experiences of Third Culture Kids and how they conceptualize and understand their own identities and its relation to the idea of a third culture. Recommendations are made for TCKs and their families, and institutions of higher education in supporting them.