Not 'Just Black' Policy Considerations: The Influence of Ethnicity on Pathways to Academic Success Amongst Black Undergraduates at Harvard University

Abstract

This study attempted to determine the ethnic background of 170 non-international black students who attended Harvard College during the 1999-2000 academic year, and to identify the influence of ethnicity on the paths that they took to reach Harvard. Results indicate that Harvard College enrolls a disproportionately large number of biracial/biethnic students, and first and second-generation immigrant students from the Caribbean and Africa. The following themes were important in establishing the influence of ethnicity on the paths that students took to reach Harvard: Self- and cultural identity patterns, the presence of opportunities to excel academically during the pre-college years, and familial educational ideolo­gies. Ethnic differences in these areas may help to explain why relatively few black American students are enrolled at Harvard College. The conclusion of this paper poses several policy recommendations that address the ethnic and racial concerns raised by this research.