Social and Cultural Capital, Race and Ethnicity, and College Student Retention

Abstract

This study addresses the role that social and cultural capital play in first-to-second year persistence in higher education and examines how race and ethnicity are associated with initial levels of such capital. Using logistic regression analysis, the results show that social and cultural capital are positively significant for persistence in higher education across all racial and ethnic groups. However, results also show that certain groups, especially Hispanics, have lower levels of normatively valued forms of social and cultural capital than others. The effects for social and educational stratification are discussed, as are implications for higher education retention policies and further research.