Educational Success among African-American Students in the U.S.

Abstract

Among the factors that characterize academically successful African-American students in the U.S., there are some that stand out. One is interest an education on the part of the student’s family and the support shown for study efforts. The essential factor is not the family’s socioeconomic status but the attention the children receive and, for exanple, how much time the parents spend talking to their children. It is also important that home life be orderly to allow the children to do their homework in peace and quiet. A second factor is that the school maintains order and has high expectations of its students. There are numerous examples of turn-around schools in difficult areas. The renewal is based on several simultaneous measures like a new principal, several new teachers, a face-lift for the buildings and strict enforcement of school rules. A third factor is a strong personal will to succeed, in spite of less than optimal circumstances. On the other hand, if the students do not make an effort to study, they do not get good results, even if they study at a good school and are very intelligent. At university, success depends on previous knowledge, acquired in high school. Affirmative action does not help if the students accepted are not on the same intellectual level as the other students. This study concludes that African-American students rely on individual effort, family support, and schools with high expectations for their study success