High achieving African American students: Academic and social integration experiences at a private, predominately white and highly selective university

This study examined the academic and social integration of 94 African American undergraduate students at a highly selective, predominately white university. Sixty-five of the study participants were female, 29 male, and all ranged in age from 18--25.;The primary research question guiding this study was: How do academic and social influences on the university campus affect the academic and social integration of high achieving African American undergraduate students? Of primary concern was the influence of demographic variables, students' psychological sense of school membership, and racial and cultural factors like feelings of discrimination, acculturation, and racial identity development on the academic and social integration of study participants.;Both quantitative and qualitative data was collected. All study participants completed a 19-item demographic background survey and a 150-item survey composed of randomized items from six scales (the Psychological Sense of School Membership Scale, Social Support Scale, Academic Integration Scale, Feelings of Discrimination Scale, the Racial Identity Attitude Scale, and the African American Acculturation Scale). Of the 94 total study participants, 36 participated in the interview portion of the study. The interview was approximately two hours in duration, and interview questions were designed to enrich, supplement, and further explore participants' answers to questions on the quantitative survey.;Multiple regression analyses indicated that demographic variables such as gender and students' academic major, a positive psychological sense of school membership, feelings of discrimination, and levels of acculturation and racial identity development were all significant predictors of academic and social integration. The results also illuminated a bi-directional relationship between academic and social integration, with more academically integrated students indicating higher levels of social integration, and vice-versa. Of particular interest was the conclusion that of all variables examined, Relationships with Black Faculty was the most significant and prevalent predictor of both academic and social integration for African American students. More specifically, students who were both academically and socially integrated into the African American community tended to have stronger relationships with Black faculty.;The qualitative data was largely supportive of the quantitative results. The qualitative analysis also illuminated the diversity within the African American college student population, and revealed distinct differences in the academic and social experiences of participants integrated into the African American and general campus communities. For instance, those students who were integrated into the African American campus community frequently indicated greater interaction with Black faculty and students, as well as participation in both academic and social programs geared specifically to the Black community. On the other hand, students integrated into the general campus community often reported participation in activities and organizations geared toward all students, not just Black students.