Standing on the Outside Looking In: Underrepresented Students Experiences in Advanced Degree Programs

Compared to the literature on the impact of post-secondary institutions on undergraduate institutions, the literature on the academic experiences of graduate students from underrepresented populations is comparatively meager.This book remedies this gap by gathering a rich collection of personal narratives and empirical research to provide a comprehensive account of the actual lived experiences of graduate students of color and their perception of the campus climate.This volume examines issues of access, retention, and transition; and explores the personal experiences of students of color in advanced-degree programs. The contributors cover issues such as financial aid; the culture, mission and racial climate at doctoral granting institutions; the transitional challenges STEM undergraduates face on entering graduate programs; mentoring; the distinct concerns and challenges that African, Asian and Latina/o students encounter in doctoral and professional programs; and the need to acknowledge and support their spirituality.Franklin Tuitt concludes the book by summarizing the issues raised, and making recommendations to faculty, administrators, and directors of graduate programs about what they can do to promote the well-being and success of graduate students of color.