Chapter 2: The Choices Project: Methodology

The CHOICES Project was originally developed to examine the historically low college-going and college graduation rates among Latina/o and African American high school graduates. CHOICES evolved to examine the college preparatory experience of a range of underserved populations including, of course, African American and Latina/o students, Asian American students, immigrant students, and those from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds and/or with limited parental educational experience. Additionally, those from more privileged backgrounds, including White students and students with higher SES status and parental college experience, were included to provide comparisons to the experiences of underserved students and to offer a more complete understanding of the diverse experience of Los Angeles high school students. Eventually, the project expanded to include a sample of high schools in Northern California for comparative purposes. Overall, our study provides a comprehensive, systematic examination of the academic plans, achievement, and performance of under-represented students during the critical last two years of high school. The goal was to identify key factors and processes related to educational success, particularly focusing on preparation for postsecondary education.