African American Students' Career and College Readiness - (Race and Education in the Twenty-First Century) by Jennifer R Curry & M Ann Shillingford

About the Book

This book provides a strengths-based, multi-systemic solutions approach for higher education administration, school counseling, and urban education scholars and practitioners to promote the post-secondary options of African American youth. It is unique in its focus on the orig...

Book Synopsis

This book provides a strengths-based, multi-systemic solutions approach for higher education administration, school counseling, and urban education scholars and practitioners to promote the post-secondary options of African American youth. It is unique in its focus on the origins of inequity while naming evidence-based pathways for future success.

Review Quotes

At last someone has addressed the issue of African American youth's career and college preparation in a comprehensive manner. This volume does an excellent job of addressing why career and college preparation is necessary; especially in light of the barriers African American youth face. What is more, the text provides numerous resources and interventions to support African American youth. This book is a must have for counselors and educators.

The contributors (editors included) of the 16 essays in this collection are in the field of counseling or preparing to enter it. They write about problems that can make it difficult for African American students to make the transition from high school to college--problems related to cultural development, course choice, financial literacy, and wellness support. In the lead essay, Curry notes that pervasive disadvantages for African American high school students include poor support for counselling to direct them to colleges and inadequately rigorous courses in programs leading to college entrance. An interesting comparison arises from two essays that describe the experiences of African American students at, respectively, historically black colleges/universities and predominately white institutions. . . .Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students, researchers, professionals.

This book provides a comprehensive discussion of the issues undergirding African American students' vocational and collegiate success. The chapter authors cite current scholarship in the areas of STEM, special education, and educational policy to critically analyze the environmental influences affecting these students' career readiness and offer evidence-based solutions for school personnel and policy-makers. A must for school counselors, in particular.

About the Author

Jennifer R. Curry is associate dean for Programs and Services and associate professor in the counselor education program at Louisiana State University.

M. Ann Shillingford is assistant professor of counselor education at the College of William & Mary.