College and Career Readiness of Southeast Asian American College Students in New England

Abstract

This study discusses the college and career readiness among full-time Southeast Asian American college students in a 4-year public university in New England. Our study consisted of surveys (n ¼ 58) and focus groups (n ¼ 35), of secondgeneration (born in the United States) or 1.5-generation (immigrated as a youth) college students. While our participants were fairly strong academically, they still struggled to navigate college and many did not feel prepared for careers. We found some variability by majors in the correlation of academic major and career preparedness, and our findings also suggest that Southeast Asian American students shared a number of concerns, such as lack of finances, inconsistent academic advising, and need for more career preparation. Nevertheless, across this heterogeneity, students agreed that peer mentors and effective faculty mentors are invaluable resources and that more such mentors and programs are needed.

Academic and Career Development: Rethinking Advising for Asian American Students

“…For example, Chen and Fouad () found that East Asian American students’ desire to honor their parents was predictive of educational success outcomes, including retention and persistence. However, Asian American students who perceived parental support as pressure found it very stressful, even when they were succeeding academically (Rahman & Witenstein, ; Samura, ; Uy, Kim, & Khuon, ). For example, AANAPI students indicated to Jill that family approval was contingent upon their success in school and career, which exacerbated their concerns about being “behind.” Thus, exploring with students how their families influence their academic and career decision making—and whether students perceive it as positive and/or negative at different times—is critical.…”

“…Academic and career conversations with family may also be challenging for some Asian American students because of intergenerational family conflict (Ghosh & Fouad, ; Uy et al., ). Some Asian American immigrant parents may not fully understand the U.S. college‐to‐career process and are not able to help their children navigate associated challenges (Mau, ; Uy et al., ). Thus, Poon () has suggested family‐based programs that expose parents to the broad range of academic and career opportunities available to their children.…”

“…Given challenges in discussing academic and career issues with their families, Asian American students often rely on their peers for advice (Uy et al., ). However, Asian American peers may reinforce the same messages from their parents regarding cultural expectations, even if they provide personal support around family conflicts (Poon, ).…”

“…However, some experiences with academic advising have been found to have a positive impact on Asian American students’ career preparation (Uy et al., ). Jill found the needs of AANAPI students varied from basic academic advising to holistic support for their success in college.…”

“…Given the range of topics broached, advising sessions averaged two to three times as long as typical UIC advising appointments, suggesting that more attention is needed to better address the complexities influencing Asian American students’ academic trajectories. It is also a reminder that professional development should promote humanized and holistic advising that can address a wide range of student issues as well as help higher education professionals confront stereotypes to improve their work (Museus & Ravello, ; Uy et al., ).…”