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Primary Caregiver’s Influence in Student’s Post Baccalaureate Aspirations
Abstract
According to USA Today minority enrollment has increased and yet minorities are still lagging in post-baccalaureate programs. This study predicted that female students whose fathers' are their primary caregiver will more likely attend a post baccalaureate program than male students whose mothers' are the primary caregiver. A sample was collected from St. Mary's University undergraduate students and other undergraduate student volunteers from across the nation. Students were asked to complete a survey online at www.surveymonkey.com, an online survey database to collect participants’ information regarding the students’ post-baccalaureate aspiration and some of the reason as to why they chose to continue their education. A statistical analysis found that there is no significant relationship between the primary goal based on the gender of a student and the students’ primary caregiver.
Primary Caregiver’s Influence in Student’s Career Aspirations
According to an article written by Mary Beth Marklein published in USA Today in the past few years the percentage of minorities entering undergraduate programs after high school has risen by 50.7%. The percentage of enrollment has increased tremendously in just a number of years and although an increasing number of minorities are receiving a bachelor’s degree fewer minorities are pursuing higher degrees. Some researchers have identified variables associated with reasons minorities are not planning on attending post baccalaureate programs. These reasons include low- income, parent’s education, lack of experience or knowledge, and ethnic influences.
One theory of what effects a student’s decision whether to continue education is the lack of knowledge of the college experience. Having this knowledge of the college life enables students to be better prepared for the college experience. One study, (Hertel, 2002) compared college adjustment between first- and second-generation students. Hertel compared these experiences by having 130 first year student complete a total of three surveys The Students Adaptation to College Questionnaire and a Perceived Social Support from Friends and The Self Esteem scale. The study concluded that second-generation students were found to have fewer factors of adjustment than first-generation students. This result is said to hold true because second-generations student have more knowledge of college life because the second-generation students’ parents have had some college experience. This is an important factor because the first- generation students have no one to help with other processes that are involved with the college experience, such as registration and ways of getting scholarships and financial aid.
As the first study has demonstrated parents play a vital role in the reasons as to why students choose to attend college. In another study with a sample that consisted of sixty-four first-generation students who were asked why the student decided to attend college. The study divided the reasons into three categories, family expectations, career goal and, financial goals. The results found that first- generation and second-generation students’ main reasons for pursuing higher education were of gaining respect, bringing honor to the family, and helping out the family financially (Bui, 2002). The results also found that first-generation students tend to be minorities and a statistical test showed the difference between the reason why the student attended colleges, which is the fear of failing the first year. Researchers found that first-generation students were more likely to be pursuing a higher education to later help their family out financially than students whose parents had some college experience. This study leads to another which is that students do not relate to the others who are attending these academic programs study.
A role model is a person who is admired and modeled for the accomplishments and research suggests that students relate more to role models who are of the same ethnic background (Karunanavake & Natuta, 2004). This study also explored the difference between the students role models, who were not a part of the students family, and found the results to be the same that students would relate to a role model who is of the same ethnic background. One reason may be that students feel as if they can relate to role models who are of the same ethnic background. These results are important because the lack of minorities with terminal degree could limit the students from continuing to pursue a higher degree.
Parent- student relationship is another contributor in the decision for students to seek a post-baccalaureate degree. A model of linear relationship found that family input is a direct influence on a students’ career and education decision (Larson & Wilson, 1998). Another study focused on the anxiety that students have when deciding upon a career and how the family relationship is directly related to the anxiety (Urdan, Solek, & Schoenfelder, 2007). These researchers found that some students often suffer from anxiety when trying to decide on a career because of the amount of influence that the students’ family has. An additional study observed forty seven high school seniors who were interviewed and questioned about family influence on educational motivation. Students were motivated through the feeling guilty for the sacrifices that parents made that allowed the students to pursue an education (Hoffman, Hofacker, & Goldsmith, 1992). Another study explored the relationship between students and parental influence on business students. The influence of parents and the business student appears to be due to the closeness between the mothers and the business student and the father and the business student. Although a mother’s closeness is not as influential as a father. The relationships were measured based on how involved the students’ father was in the students’ life. The relationships were categorized into six types of relationships. These were the doting father, the distant father, the demanding/supportive father, the domineering father, the abusive father, and the absent father. Based on the information given by the participant the researchers measured to see how influential a father could be in a daughter’s career decision and life style (Perkins, 2001). The relationship of fathers’ involvement in the daughters’ life was used as a variable to the amount of influence the father would have on a daughter’s career choice. Daughters whose fathers were less involved were stronger in their own decision making than daughters whose fathers are more involved. Other researchers have studied the difference between a mother-daughter relationship and a father- daughter relationship and the amount of influence that each parent has on their daughter (Li & Kerpelman, 2007). This research found that the closeness between the parent and the daughter the increased the likelihood that the daughter is to change career paths to please the parents.
Purpose
The purpose of this study brings insight into the reasons why many minorities are not pursuing a degree higher than a bachelor. According to past research family is one of the major factor that influences a student’s decision to pursue a higher education. This study will focus more on the student parent relationship and how it differs between gender and primary caregiver.
Method
Participants
The sample was drawn from students attending St. Mary’s University and other undergraduate programs throughout the nation. (n=438). St. Mary’s students enrolled in psychology courses received extra credit and other volunteered. Participants completed a survey available through the on-line data collection site www.SurveyMonkey.com. The Participates ranged from under 18 to over 25 years of age. Participants younger than 18 were .5 %, of the sample, 18 and 24 made up 94.7% and, 25 and older made up 4.8 %. Females comprised 63.5% (278) and males comprised 36.5 percent (160) of the sample. The majority of the participants self -identified as Hispanic (216, 49.3%), followed by white (other than Hispanic) (145, 33.1%), African American (44, 10%), Asian American/ Pacific Islander (20, 4.6%), and other (12, 2.7%), and N/A (1, .2%) participant declined to provide their demographic information. 96 of the student reported that they had a single parent and 342 reported that both parents as a primary caregiver.
Procedure
First-generation and non-first-generation students were asked to complete an online survey that would explain the students’ post-baccalaureate aspirations. Student participants gained excess to the survey at www.surveymonkey.com an online database. Some of the participants received extra credit for taking part in the survey and others volunteered their time. The survey took approximately ten minutes to complete and asked for the students’ demographic information, plans and action that have been taken to continue their education. Other questions asked were, what are some of the reasons why the student is choosing to continue to further their education and highest education of the parents? After, the data that was collected and analyzed with a Chi Square Test of independence.
Results
A two (gender: male or female and the students primary caregiver which includes single or both parents) by two (post baccalaureate plan) a Chi Square Test for Independence was used to measure the relationship between student gender and primary caregiver, and students post baccalaureate plans that include; getting a job, to go to professional school, and to go to graduate school (figure 1 & 2). There was no significant relationship between these variables, χ2= (2, N=438) = 29.15; p>.05. A student’s primary caregiver and gender does not influence the students post baccalaureate plan (table 1 & 2).
Discussion
The statistical analysis demonstrated that there is no significant relationship between a students’ gender, primary caregiver and students’ post-baccalaureate aspiration. Even though the studies conducted by found that students are more likely to be influenced by a parent in the career choice. Although the results found that there is no relationship between the pairing of gender, primary caregiver and post- baccalaureate aspiration; an important find is that student are being influenced by factors other than their parents.
Limitations and Future Research
Some of the limitations that this study had were that of the population make up and that by the time the student achieves entrance to graduate school they become more independent from parents. The population at St. Mary’s University is confined of mostly females and Hispanic. This population does not provide an accurate sample of minorities. Another limitation is that this study does not take into account is that many students get married and a spouse may be a primary caregiver, or even that many students have other primary caregivers such as a grandparent or other family members.
Even if this study did not explain one of the reasons why students are not continuing their education it did indicate some of the reasons that do not affect the students' decision. This can help other researcher to find the reason as to why minorities are choosing to extend their knowledge in pursuing a higher degree.
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