HIGHER EDUCATION AND AFRICAN AMERICANS.   Term Paper ID:30077 Click to get this paper

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Paper Abstract: Discussion of positive and negative experiences. Cites research that contends that the quality and quantity of education Blacks receive make a difference in I.Q. outcomes. Gives examples from various universities (Harvard, University of Virginia). Increase in black students at four-year colleges. Role of Black colleges. Lawsuits brought by Whites regarding affirmative action and admission policies. Paper Introduction: The experience of African Americans in higher education is varied, with some reporting very positive experiences and others negative ones. A study by researchers at Washington University in St. Louis found that Blacks who graduate from college increase their IQ scores more than four times as much as Whites while in college (Blacks make higher IQ gains, 1997), and actually narrow the gap between scores for the two groups. This is significant, since the researchers report that in high school, this gap usually gets wider. The study was initiated in response to a controversial 1994 book, The Bell Curve, that contended that Blacks are genetically less intelligent than Whites, and that the difference could not be reduced by education. The researchers attributed the changes in Black IQ scores to the relatively poor quality of pre-college education many Text of the Paper: The entire text of the paper is shown below. However, the text is somewhat scrambled. We want to give you as much information as we possibly can about our papers and essays, but we cannot give them away for free. In the text below you will find that while disordered, many of the phrases are essentially intact. From this text you will be able to get a solid sense of the writing style, the concepts addressed, and the sources used in the research paper. Higher learning. A Rhodes scholarship is considered one of theworld's highest and most exclusive academic honors. It is the reverse of the case at Maryland University. With medical school admissions, it isestimated that only seven Blacks nationwide would meet the entrancerequirements without affirmative action. Jet, 86, p. You have proved that you can succeed on your own, they feel.Also, they say that the more successful a Black male, the more he looksoutside his race for companionship. 23. (1995). This strongsupport is thought to be one of the reasons for the success of Universityof Virginia Black students. Wright joined the fraternity for the right reasons -community service, brotherhood, etc. Shapiro, J. U. Walker, N. Yet in fullyintegrated White colleges, only at the University of Maryland, where Blacksrepresent almost 15 percent of the student body, does the proportion ofBlack students on a predominantly White campus rise above 1 percent.White students are actually courted by state legislatures pumping resourcesand programs into the historically Black schools they once ignored. Wright, G. An ACE Status Report on Minorities in Higher Education in 1994 showedthat only 32 percent of African American college students earned abachelor's degree in six years (College graduates, 1994). (1997) Jet, 92,pp. 2 . Essence, 25, p. Wesleyan U. The school makes a concertedeffort to reach Black students through peer advisors, faculty mentors, andparent advice services, and these efforts are thought to result in such ahigh success rate. Jet, 92, p. millionaire Theodore L. Theyfelt that racism contributes to poverty, the lack of educational andeconomic opportunities, the lack of property ownership and dwindlingcommunity support for African Americans today. ManyBlack students feel more comfortable in Black colleges where they representfrom 78 percent to 96 percent of the student body, rather than two percentto 12 percent in White colleges, because they feel they have more supportand are valued more there. The University of Maryland faced a lawsuit in 1995 over the awardingof Banneker scholarships to Black students (Shapiro, 1995). In the name of brotherhood. 128. Higher Ed., 4 , p. At the same time, the NAACP was fighting another case for the right totake proactive steps to increase African American admissions to law schoolin Texas (Jones, 1995). Jet, 91, p. Despite all the problems, it is fairly well agreed that Blacks can dowell in higher education, given the necessary support, and if needed,financial aid. The studyfound that, without affirmative action, standardized tests would dominatethe admissions decision, yet on these scores, Blacks tend to rank 15percent or more lower than Whites. It was a disappointing experience for Wright, whoadds that only two or three of his fellow pledges actually ended upgraduating. (1994). 2 -21. (1996). 226. Essence, 25, p. The University of Virginia has an excellent record for Black students. The group also voiced concerns about sex, and the way it isportrayed by the media, especially to children. Ifthis is not bad enough, U. Cole, J., & Simmons, R. The idea is that once you have an education, what more doyou need? 48. R. They both believethat the student should have a say in which college they want to attend,and that the parents should not force their wishes on the child. 22. Maryland University isconsidered very supportive of Black students, who run their own programs,including a lecture series and two newspapers. The Fayetteville State University was recently heavily criticized byBlack students for a recruitment letter it sent out to White studentswhich, the Black students say, was too aggressive and contained derogatorystatements about Blacks (Recruitment letter, 1994). Chron. Those who do are still the exception. 21. The new generation speaks out: student leadersdiscuss racism, love, sex and the black male-black female thing. A2 . Not only do Blacks have a hard time in White universities, but Whitesare now dominating some Black universities (Delaney, 1998). (1994). Black colleges at the crossroads. The universitystarts connecting with Black students the summer before their freshmanyear, and Black upperclassmen peer advisers correspond with the studentsduring the summer. They believe that thedemise of affirmative action will only make matters worse in the years tocome. They were a history graduate from Harvard, anelectrical engineering graduate from Rutgers, a East Asian Languages andCulture graduate from the University of Kansas, and an English graduatefrom Morehouse College. Louis found thatBlacks who graduate from college increase their IQ scores more than fourtimes as much as Whites while in college (Blacks make higher IQ gains,1997), and actually narrow the gap between scores for the two groups. Higher Ed., 42, p. Delaney, P. How much is enough? (1996). Of 11 , Blacks who took the SAT in1997, only 141 scored above 75 on the math SAT and 25 scored above 75 onthe verbal SAT. Recruitment letter to whites insults blacks at Fayetteville State U.Jet, 85, p. S. News & World Report,118, pp. Cross has justlaunched "The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education" - with an all-Whitestaff (Magner, 1993). 38-39. (1995). S. (1997). OP. Astudy by researchers at Washington University in St. Acommitment to hard work, and to the determination to succeed are theprerequisites of a successful higher education for Blacks. Of morethan 8,6 Blacks who took the Law School Admission Test in 1996, only 17scored sufficiently high for admission, while 2,5 students of other racesscored at this level or higher. One Blackcollege graduate described his experiences as a pledge for a Greek-letterfraternity at a university in the East as anything but what he had expected(Wright, 1995). A Black graduatestudent at Alabama State has challenged in federal court a scholarshipprogram designed to attract Whites to two historically Black schools -Alabama State and Alabama A&M. (1997). Ebony,53, pp. Black schoolsin Texas, Tennessee, North Carolina and other places which until nownurtured the disadvantaged Black student now produce few Black graduates,and offer fewer jobs to Black educators and administrators. When the students arrive on campus in the fall, mentorsmeet with Black freshmen weekly for meals, social events, or studysessions. They alsoprovide substantial financial aid to their students. (1998). Jet, 92, pp. A score of 75 is required for college admission. There are 87 Black four-year colleges in the United States, andenrollment increased 25 percent between 1987 and 1992 (O=Connell). (1993). At the end of their freshman year, students are encouraged tosign up with a faculty mentor in their field of study so that the personalattention they receive in their first year can be continued. How can we encourage our children tostay in college? To attract students, Black colleges tend to charge lower tuition fees- less than half the national average for private colleges. The ruling that the programdiscriminated against Whites could have serious repercussions for theschool. He says he should have known from the beginning that there wassomething wrong: the Big Brothers were all in their sixth year of a four-year college program! A merit scholarshipprogram for blacks is under attack in court. In a form of protest against this "whitening" of Black universities,about 4 students at Wesleyan University protested in 1996 against theassignment of 9 non-Black students to the Malcolm X House dormitory (Shea,1996). He claims the program takes money away fromall races, but particularly from Blacks with higher academicqualifications. Essence, 28, pp. Protesters claimed that the assignment meant the school wasdefaulting on its commitment to the dormitory, established to give AfricanAmericans a place to nurture their cultural heritage. The researchers attributed the changes in Black IQ scores tothe relatively poor quality of pre-college education many Blacks receive,and proved that the quality and quantity of education Blacks receive canmake a difference in the outcomes. College graduation rates lower for blacks: annual status report.(1994). He does say he intends to recruit a journalist teamof African Americans and an advisory committee of Black academics. With many Black women achievingsuccess, this makes many Black men feel inferior. The previous year, sevenBlack applicants had been accepted and three of those had enrolled. 25. The main reasonfor failing to graduate was the high dropout rate of students for financialreasons, compared to Asian and White students. An interview with a group of African American student-body presidentsand student-group leaders at colleges and universities cited racism, sexand relationships as major concerns of campus life (Walker, 1997). of Virginia transcends past to earn higher graduation rate ofblacks among state schools. But they all agreed, agood relation is still rewarding. Journal on blacks in higher education makesits debut with all-white staff. Indeed, in 1994, four Black males were named Rhodes scholars (Fourblack students, 1994). 1 4-1 5. 158-163. A47. Chron. Asharp drop was also seen in admissions of minorities to all threeUniversity of California law schools once affirmative action was dropped.It is clear that without affirmative action, or financial and emotionalsupport, it is difficult for many Blacks to even enter college, let alonesucceed. Magner, D. Thescholarship program was initiated in 1979 as part of the school's effortsto answer a federal desegregation order. Males were less likely tograduate than females. O=Connell, V. Four black students named Rhodes scholars. Critics of the lawsuit pointed out thatthe scholarships have enriched the campus, which recruits outstandingAfrican American students who often become campus leaders and help bridgethe gap between Black and White students. The whitening of our black state colleges.Essence, 29, p. Jet, 85, p. U. During theinitiation period he found himself handing over money for Big Brothers tobuy cocaine, buying flowers and gifts for their girlfriends, being punchedalmost unconscious, and kept up late at night being grilled and taunted tothe point where he was falling asleep in class. (1995). But problems do not stem just from the White students. The experience of African Americans in higher education is varied,with some reporting very positive experiences and others negative ones. Shea, C. In 1997, nearly 2 Blacks applied for admission to the University ofSan Diego medical school, and with the end of affirmative action, not oneof them was accepted (No black applicants, 1997). Fortunately, Wright hadenough sense to drop out of the fraternity during initiation despite thetaunts of the Big Brothers, because he had too much self-respect and knewhow hard it was for his mother to send him to college. In 1997, a study looked at the impact of a ban onaffirmative action on the nation's Black students and found that most ofthem would be kept out of most of the highest-ranked universities as wellas graduate schools of law and medicine (Study reveals, 1997). He could not lether, or himself down. Jones, E. The study was initiated in response to a controversial1994 book, The Bell Curve, that contended that Blacks are genetically lessintelligent than Whites, and that the difference could not be reduced byeducation. They feel that as more andmore Blacks get a higher education, problems arise in male-femalerelationships. Ruth Simmons, President of Smith College believes that parentsare responsible for making sure their children graduate from college, andthat they are more likely to succeed if they are made to work hard (Coleand Simmons, 1997). Part of the reason was also thought to be the lackof support felt by Black students at mixed colleges, in sharp contrast tothe findings at the University of Virginia cited above. 38-39. Of Virginia, 1996). Thisis significant, since the researchers report that in high school, this gapusually gets wider. Study reveals that abolishing affirmative action would exclude mostBlacks from top schools. References Blacks make higher IQ gains in college that whites. The university, in Charlottesville, only began admitting Blackstudents in the 196 s, and now has the highest graduation rate among Blacksof any high-ranking state-supported school in the nation. She also believes studentsshould begin doing volunteer work early so that they have built up asupport team by the time they are ready for college. The only problem withthis is that these colleges then do not have the financial means to providethe laboratories, research materials, and computers available at Whiteuniversities. asks white students not to live inblack dormitory. - or so he thought. 22-23. The suit was filed by a whitestudent, who claims racial bias. The scholarships payall academic fees and a stipend for expenses while studying at Oxford. The university has a Black enrollment of about 11 percent, and about 84percent of these students graduate, giving it the highest rate of Blackcollege graduates (U. Admission is based ongrades, test scores, interviews, references, socio-economic background,extracurricular activities and volunteer work. No black applicants accepted for fall at University of California, SanDiego=s medical school. K. The questions is, what does it take to keep them incollege? (1997). It is estimated that about one quarter of African Americancollege graduates earn their bachelor's degrees at Black colleges, butfinancial problems are threatening state-supported Black colleges withclosure as states cannot afford to fund two colleges. Cole believes that the government should play a rolein stressing the importance of education. Money, 23,pp. If this paper is not what you are looking for, you can search again: Search for: or Click here to request an essay written just for you.

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