Entry Barriers for Academically-Underprepared African American Students at American Institutions

The impact of systematic racism within the education system has been a web that researchers have aimed at detangling for many years. The myriad effects that racial oppression have had on the education system are numerous; one area of overwhelming concern is the impact on incoming students' readiness to do college-level work in math and English language arts. The purpose of this chapter is to explore the historical implications that race has had on systems of higher education and to describe the perceptions of a subset of African American college students in Texas regarding barriers to college access and program completion during times of crisis. The researcher will use the historical context of racial oppression and the establishment of higher education systems. The demographics shifts to provide a lens through which the perceptions of a sample of African American college students' experiences can be viewed. Ultimately, this chapter aims to share the lived experiences of these students and give voice to college success data.