The human capital liabilities of underrepresented minorities in pursuit of science, mathematics and engineering doctoral degrees

A version of this paper also appears on the website of Making Strides, a publication of the American Association for the Advancement of Science INTRODUCTION Throughout their lifetimes, students accumulate assets in the form of knowledge and cultural and social experiences that, when taken together, become their human capital. Their social-class standing and the quality of their schooling and non-school related activities during childhood and adolescence contribute to their asset accumulation by providing access to knowledge and opportunities for social and cultural involvement in society. As students progress through successive stages of life and education, they build more capital for use in future stages of life and education. Higher social-class status and better quality of schooling allow students to develop and accumulate more human capital ; to gain greater access to high-quality colleges, universities, and doctoral programs; and to be better prepared to succeed in doctoral programs. Human capital development may be a critical element in the race group differences that we observe in higher education and in the workforce. The greater the extent to which important components of human capital and racial differences can be identified, the greater the likelihood that colleges and universities will be able to attack them as barriers to equality in access, performance and achievement. This paper presents some of the findings from a national study of doctoral students sponsored by the Spencer Foundation and the National Center for Postsecondary Improvement ; the study examined many components of human capital and their effects upon student experiences and achievement. The research was aimed toward assessing the backgrounds, finances, experiences, progress, and performance of doctoral students, and the relationship of their backgrounds and finances to the quality of their experiences and performance in doctoral programs. The research was also structured to identify race, sex, social class, and other demographic distinctions among doctoral students and to show how these differences relate to differences in students' progress and performance. The study grew out of a need to fill the existing void in data and information about human capital assets of doctoral students, such as their current and past family and personal characteristics and educational processes and experiences. The necessary data and information also include the types of support students have received as well as their satisfaction , performance, opinions, and behaviors while pursuing their doctoral degrees. Much is known about people who seek to enter graduate programs through the …