Class, sex, and the role of involvement on Black collegians degree attainment

Within postsecondary education, we often equate students’ need for support with socioeconomic status (SES). There is also recognition of the challenges faced by Black students while navigating higher education. Programmatic and policy efforts to address these issues often focus on singular aspects of students’ identities, particularly for low-SES students and Black male students. The purpose of this study was to explore SES and sex differences in the relationship between Black college students’ involvement and their educational outcomes, as measured by graduation. Results show statistically significant differences between Black male and female students in the impact of involvement on degree attainment. Findings also have implications for the impact of high-impact practices, as a specific form of involvement, on students’ outcomes. There are significant implications for policy and practice based on findings that can improve efforts to improve collegiate outcomes for all Black students.