Source: Inside Higher Ed
A recent study found that minority and first-gen students are more likely to feel like they “belong” at two-year colleges, compared to students at four-year universities.
The study also found that first-year students are more likely than older students to feel that they belong at their higher education institutions – whether two or four year colleges.
Researchers of the study hoped to find if the data on whether students felt they belonged or not could predict future outcomes of their education down the line.
“We find that underrepresented ethnic minority students and first-generation students do report a lower sense of belonging than continuing-generation students or white students,” said Maithreyi Gopalan, an assistant professor of education at Pennsylvania State University, as reported by Inside Higher Ed.
“The difference is not dramatically big — it is pretty small — but there is this difference which I think institutions should pay attention to.”
Researchers found that students who reported feeling more like the “belonged” were more likely to do better in school, reporting lower levels of mental health stress, and performing better academically.
Read Full Story: Inside Higher Ed