Human Capital Investment for Adolescents: Barriers and Opportunities

The decision to attend college is a question of human capital investment, yet resources to help practitioners frame human capital investment decisions remain elusive and few include the “gold standard” of finance: net present value (NPV). Can one discuss human capital investment with an average adolescent using a traditional NPV approach? Motivated by this question, we presented 10 barriers to maximizing education–career NPV (e.g., clarity of costs, immature adolescent brains, individual discount rates). We outline an iterative, research-based approach to education–career investment, including framing the conversation, calculating paired NPVs, and structuring the decision. This multistep framework leverages practitioner expertise to help adolescents consider important lifelong financial wellness implications of human capital investment.

Overcoming the odds

Purpose Black and Latino males face challenges to college-going that may alter their decision to attend college. However, many Black and Latino males have successfully enrolled and matriculated through college. This study aims to explore the precollege factors that influenced the college enrollment and persistence for first generation Black and Latino male collegians (N = 5) at a predominantly white institution located in the Northeastern area of the USA. Two major themes (i.e., pre-college barriers and pre-college facilitators) along with several subthemes emerged from the data. The authors discuss recommendations for teachers, school counselors, and administrators in assisting Black and Latino males prepare for enrollment and persistence in college. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approached was used for this research study. A focus group was incorporated because it enabled participants to discuss their experiences in a single setting with other participants with similar backgrounds and thus through contrast and group dialogue vital insights related the phenomena of interest can be identified (Kitzinger, 1995). Individual interviews were conducted to engage in a more in-depth data collection process with the participants in a one-one-setting. Findings Pre-college barriers and pre-college facilitators were the major themes of this research study. The subthemes originated from the frameworks of Community Cultural Wealth (Yosso, 2005) and Constellation Mentoring (Kelly and Dixon, 2014). Originality/value The paper will contribute to the research literature, as the authors are exploring the experiences of Black male collegians from a Northeastern PWI. There is a dearth of literature in this area of research.

The College Choice Process of African American and Hispanic Women

Studies examining access and college participation have generally focused on racial and ethnic minorities as a group. This study qualitatively examined the college choice process for African American and Hispanic females. Through the voices of these women, three major themes that support their decision to attend college were identified. All study participants were from a single, case study large Southwestern university.

Influential Factors in the College Decision-Making Process for Chinese Students Studying in the U.S.

For more than 1,043,839 international students, the United States is the destination of choice to pursue higher education. Although Chinese students account for almost one in three international students in the U.S., there are many unknowns about the influential factors behind their college decision. This qualitative study explores the self-described most important factors for Chinese students’ decision to attend college in the U.S. and the sources they seek to make their decision. This study found (1) parents are the most influential factor in the decision to attend college in the U.S., (2) students place great importance on rankings, and (3) in hindsight, students wish they focused less on rankings and did not need help from agencies when applying to colleges.

The Economic Cost of Conscription and an Upper Bound on the Value of a Statistical Life: Hedonic Estimates from Two Margins of Response to the Vietnam Draft

This study estimates the cost of the Vietnam draft by applying hedonic methods to the decision to attend college and the decision to voluntarily enlist. In 2009 dollars, the estimated cost of the draft is roughly $115,000 for the marginal military recruit. For the marginal college student, the estimated cost is only $30,000 and probably understates the true amount because men were credit-constrained and college required an upfront cost. Supposing that the costs other than fatality risk were positive, our preferred specifications produce an upper bound on the Value of a Statistical Life ranging from $7 million to $12 million.