Traditional definitions of Grit have diminished the role of institutional actors in student success. Social capital theory posits that students derive benefits like institutional resources, information, and support through their social networks to achieve success in higher education. This study employed social network analysis to operationalize dimensions of social capital. Using a sample of first-generation college students (FGCSs; N = 156) at a 4-year private institution, this study explored the relationship between grit and social capital, and how these concepts relate to FGCS success. This study found that Grit and its two components—consistency of interest and perseverance of effort—do not predict FGCS’ grade point average, while access to social capital with faculty and staff does. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.

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California's Early Assessment Program is designed to notify students about their college readiness, encouraging them to take action to improve their skills during their senior year. The author uses qualitative methods and applies sense-making theory to examine how students attending majority Latino, low-income high schools make sense of the information the program provides. The findings suggest that participants' limited prior knowledge of the program and shared views of standardized assessments influenced students' perceptions of the program. ResumenEl programa de California de evaluación temprana fue diseñado para notificar a estudiantes sobre su preparación para la Universidad, animándolos a tomar acciones para mejorar sus habilidades durante su último año. El autor usa metodología cualitativa y aplica la teoría de significado para examinar como estudiantes latinos en escuelas de bajo ingreso económico hacen sentido de la información que el programa les provee. Hallazgos sugieren que el conocimiento limitado anterior y las perspectivas compartidas de los participantes en el programa sobre evaluaciones estandarizadas influencian las percepciones del programa de los estudiantes.