For men of color, high academic motivation does not bring academic success

Among male students, Black males are the most engaged, followed by Hispanics, and White males are the least engaged of the three groups. This pattern is consistent across benchmarks and more than 10 years of CCCSE data. When it comes to achievement, the results are reversed—White males consistently have the highest grades and college completion rates, followed by Hispanics. Black males report the lowest outcomes.

“The findings don’t mean engagement isn’t beneficial for Black and Hispanic male students,” said McClenney. “They just signify there are additional factors contributing to these groups’ academic success or failure, and we really need to understand what those are.” 

Using the center’s survey data and past scientific research, the report offers two major reasons for the lower academic outcomes: stereotype threat and college readiness.

Stereotype threat refers to what people experience when they are afraid of confirming society’s negative expectations of someone with their social identity (that identity could be based on race, ethnicity, gender, age or religion, for example).

“Even when the stereotyping is subtle and there are no bad intentions or active prejudice intended, stereotype threat can be triggered and have negative results,” said McClenney. “Research indicates this threat is a significant cause of minority underachievement in U.S. higher education.”

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