GREAT EXPECTATIONS: THE ROLE OF SELF-PERCEPTION AND EDUCATIONAL EXPECTATION ON THE COLLEGE-BOUND PREPARATORY PROCESS BLACK GIRLS IMPLEMENT

Black girls' participation in the college-bound process is associated with their self-perception and expectations of themselves. Students who expect to achieve their educational goals and possess a positive self-perception engage in activities that can fulfill college aspirations. The role of education in acquiring social and economic capital is complex, but higher education is associated with access to high-quality jobs and greater incomes. Black girls who are confident about their worth and their potential are more likely to enhance their academic potential by engaging in activities that further their post-secondary opportunities.These activities can range from determining the educational requirements for their occupational goals to taking courses of study that are academically appropriate for college readiness. Using the National Educational Longitudinal Study of 1988(NELS:88) which contains a nationally representative sample of school-aged Black, non-Hispanic girls to analyze a variety of measures indicating participation in the college preparation process, this study seeks to explore: the impact of self-perception and educational expectation on Black girls' participation in academic activities that prepare them for going to college. This research will add to the understanding of Black girls' agency in the process of educational attainment.