Graduate School Learning Curves: McNair Scholars’ Postbaccalaureate Transitions

Abstract

The federally funded Ronald B. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program (McNair Program) prepares first-generation, low-income, and underrepresented college undergraduates to pursue terminal graduate degrees. This study examines 22 McNair scholars’ transitions into graduate school in an attempt to identify factors that influence alumni persistence and matriculation. The participants in this study were alumni from a mid-sized, Northwestern university's McNair Program. During interviews, participants identified significant “learning curves” experienced in graduate school. Five themes, representing 14 learning curves, emerged: academic readiness, weaving a supportive web, managing the clock, being accepted, and staying financially fit. Researchers incorporated identified learning curves into an on-line survey sent to each participant.

Acknowledgments

Scott Willison is a professor of Curriculum and Instruction at Boise State University, the Director of BSU's Center for Multicultural and Educational Opportunities, and the President of the National HEP & CAMP Association, which serves students from migrant and seasonal farm worker families. Dr. Willison's research interests include the effectiveness of educational opportunities for non-traditional students and the sustainability of K-12 school reform.

Emily Gibson earned a Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction at Boise State University and currently resides in northern California. Her research interests center on equity and access to quality education for all learners, including the impact of school choice on school improvement and the impact of programs aiming to support non-traditional students in higher education.