Running head: WHO GOES TO COLLEGE?

Who Goes to College?

Shakira Moreta

Salem State University

WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? 2

Who Goes to College?

The United States has always been viewed as a country for opportunities. The

opportunity to earn a higher education tends to open various doors for students. Typically it is

believed that earning a college degree will present better job opportunities. Although many

students attend college in order to find a “good job,” it presents people who come from

underrepresented backgrounds with other opportunities as well. For example, students of color

who attend college may be trying to prove that what society believes of them is wrong. Earning a

higher education allows students to move past feeling inferior to those who are privileged.

Receiving a college education has not always been an opportunity that was available to

everyone. Race, socioeconomic status, religious beliefs and gender influenced who attended

college. Access to a college education remains an issue in higher education however it has

improved compared to college in the colonial era.

During the colonial era, access to higher education was limited. At the time, students who

attended college were white Christian men from privileged families. According to the 1655

Harvard College Laws, admission depended on the student’s ability to read, whether they were

competent in the Greek language and their ability to speak and write in Latin. In order to remain

a member of the college, students had to acknowledge God and Jesus Christ in their lives by

committing to morning and evening prayers as well as individual praying (Green, 1876).

Socioeconomic status in the colonial era was a factor of who attended college, just like it is a

factor of who attends college today. However during colonial times at Harvard College, a quarter

of the expenses and Steward Security had to be given to the college by the family prior to the

student’s admission (Green, 1876).

WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? 3

The European settlers wanted to convert Native Americans to Christianity and assimilate

them to the European culture (Wright, 2007). The Puritan settlers had brought up the idea of

creating an Indian college; however the money they had collected never went towards the college

for Native Americans (Wright, 2007). In 1660, a Native American entered Harvard College and

throughout four decades, only four Native American students had attended Harvard College, the

last Native American attending in 1685 (Wright, 2007). It wasn’t until 1968 that the first Tribal

College was established (Gonzalez, 2008). Unlike what the Puritans had done in order to

assimilate Native Americans to the European culture, Tribal Colleges were designed to meet the

cultural and educational needs of Native American students (Gonzalez, 2008).

Because of the thirteenth amendment and the end of the Civil War, African Americans

viewed education as an opportunity to remove themselves from their past in slavery and become

a part of American society (Allen, Jewell, Griffin & Wolf, 2007). Prior to the end of slavery,

African Americans in the south were not allowed to learn how to read or write (Allen, et al.,

2007). Institutions were created over time in order to educate African Americans, mainly in the

south (Allen, et al., 2007). Historically Black colleges were among the first colleges to allow

women to attend college (Allen, et al., 2007). Although women had access to college at HBCU’s,

that did not mean men and women were treated as equals; women still fought for equality in

terms of the resources and courses that were offered only to men Historically Black colleges

were among the first colleges to allow women to attend college (Allen, et al., 2007). At the time,

African American women attended college more often than white women due to the mission of

HBCU’s (Allen, et al., 2007). Historically Black colleges continue to be a place that represents

social equality for underrepresented students (Allen, et al., 2007).

WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? 4

Women during the colonial era were excluded from higher education (Thelin, 2011).

They were expected to take care of the children and perform the household duties (Gordon,

1991). Some women were considered eligible for the entrance examinations and even if they did

well on the exam, they were not admitted to the college; they simply received a document that

stated their achievement (Thelin, 2011). Women’s colleges were introduced between 1880 and

the 1920’s (Thelin, 2011). The goal of women’s colleges was to educate daughters and future

mothers with Christian beliefs (Thelin, 2011). Women’s colleges also created organizations and

associations that provided activities for women (Thelin, 2011). Normal schools were created in

order to train teachers (Ogren, 2003). Women who entered college typically attended normal

schools, which many focused on teaching women to become teachers (Thelin, 2011). Most

normal schools were coeducational, however women made up a majority of their enrollment

(Ogren, 2003).

Latinos began to attend college during the Gold Rush of the 1840’s and 1850’s. These

students came from the privileged Mexican families in the new American territories acquired due

to the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848 (MacDonald & Garcia, 2003). Sons of privileged

families in northern Mexico were also sent to colleges in the new territories of the United States

in order to receive bilingual education (MacDonald & Garcia, 2003). Unfortunately Latino

students were not prepared for college level work at the time and the amount of Latino students

began to decline (MacDonald & Garcia, 2003). After 1970, the population of Latino students in

college began to increase once again (MacDonald & Garcia, 2003). After the acquisition of

Puerto Rico in 1898, the United States introduced American education and the English language

in Puerto Rico (MacDonald & Garcia, 2003). Just like the European settlers wanted to assimilate

Native Americans to their culture, Americans brought poor young men with good conduct form
WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? 5

Puerto Rico to the United States for American assimilation (MacDonald & Garcia, 2003). Lack

of English language proficiency limited the amount of Latino’s who received an education

(MacDonald & Garcia, 2003). The GI Bill helped Latinos back into higher education. During the

1930’s through the 1950’s, Latinos from middle and working class families began to attend

higher education once again (MacDonald & Garcia, 2003). More Latinos are attending college

due to the increase of the Latino population in the United States (MacDonald & Garcia, 2003).

Today students are told that pursuing higher education is what will help them succeed in

the future. However access to higher education isn’t available to everyone. As previously

mentioned, socioeconomic status continues to influence whether or not a student attends college.

Many students do not attend college at all or enroll and do not graduate because of financial

reasons. Although financial aid is available, there are many students who may work full time in

order to help support their families. Where students grow up can also influence their decision to

attend college. Depending on the schools they went to prior to going to college they might not be

adequately prepared for college level work due to lack of resources.

While there are still limitations to having access, a college education continues to

symbolize opportunities for many people. HBCU’s remain relevant for students of color. They

continue to help students learn about their past and feel socially accepted. Hispanic Serving

Institutions, unlike HBCU’s weren’t created to serve Hispanic/Latino students specifically;

however they provide Hispanic/Latino students the opportunity to attend college. Tribal colleges

allow Native Americans to maintain their traditions and native language, along with

incorporating some American educational techniques. Although there is still work that needs to

be done, access to higher education has come a long way from simply allowing white Christian

men from privileged families to have the opportunity to better their lives.
WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? 6

References

Allen, W. R., Jewell, J. O., Griffin, K. A., & Wolf, D. S. (2007). Historically Black Colleges and

Universities: Honoring the past, engaging the present, touching the future. The Journal of

Negro Education, 76(3), 263–280.

Gonzalez, R. G. (2008). From creation to cultural resistance and expansion: Research on

American Indian higher education. In. In J. C. Smart (Ed.), Higher education: Handbook

of theory and research (Vol. XXIII) (p. 299-327). New York, NY: Springer.

Gordon, L. D. (1991). From seminary to university: An overview of women's higher education,

1870 - 1920. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press.

Green, S. A. (1876). A Copy of the Laws of Harvard College 1655. Cambridge: Press of Johnson

and Wilson.

MacDonald, V-M., & Garciá, T. (2003). Historical perspectives on Latino access to higher

education, 1848-1990. In J. Castellanos & L. Jones (Eds.), The majority in the minority:

Expanding the representation of Latina/o faculty, administrators and students in higher

education (pp. 15-43).

Ogren, C. A. (2003). Rethinking the “nontraditional” student from a historical perspective: state

normal schools in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The Journal of Higher

Education, 74(6), 640-664.

Thelin, J. R. (2011). A history of American higher education (2nd ed.). Baltimore, MD: Johns

Hopkins University Press.

Wright, B. (2007). For the children of infidels. In H. S. Wechsler, L.F. Goodchild, L. Eisenmann

(Eds.), The History of Higher Education (3rd ed.) ASHE Reader Series (pp. 101-111).

Boston, MA: Pearson. (Reprinted from American Indian Culture and Research Journal,
WHO GOES TO COLLEGE? 7

1988, 12(3).