Abstract:
This qualitative study explores the educational experiences of African American students from the rural region of Alabama commonly known at the Black Belt and how the resources they received helped them prepare and gain access to higher education. The purpose of this study was to examine how factors such as rurality, race and class impact rural African American students access to higher education. Rural African American students are an underrepresented population within the realm of higher education and their experiences are often missing from research. The aim of this study is to provide greater insight into the barriers rural African American students face accessing higher education. Through individual in-depth interviews, this study examined the educational experiences of six African American students and their reflection on living in a rural community, schooling and ways they navigated the college enrollment process. This study adds to the limited literature on the experiences of rural African American students and college access. Results of the study reveal how the intersectionality of rurality, race and class must be considered when addressing the college access problem for rural African American students.
