The role of social media in shaping first-generation high school students' college aspirations: A social capital lens

  • Authors:

  • Donghee Yvette Wohn;Nicole B. Ellison;M. Laeeq Khan;Ryan Fewins-Bliss;Rebecca Gray

  • Affiliations:

  • Michigan State University, Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, 404 Wilson Rd. Rm. 409, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;University of Michigan, School of Information, 3443 North Quad, 105 S. State St., Ann Arbor, MI 48109, USA;Michigan State University, Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, 404 Wilson Rd. Rm. 409, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;Michigan State University, Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, 404 Wilson Rd. Rm. 409, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA;Michigan State University, Department of Telecommunication, Information Studies and Media, 404 Wilson Rd. Rm. 409, East Lansing, MI 48824, USA

  • Venue:
  • Computers & Education
  • Year:
  • 2013

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Abstract

Using survey data collected from a sample of high school students in the United States (N = 504), this study examined how different types of social capital associated with parents, close friends, and Facebook Friends were related to students' confidence about their knowledge of the college application process and their expectations about succeeding in college. We found that social media use plays a significant role only for first-generation students - students whose parents did not graduate from college. For first-generation students, finding information about college through social media was associated with higher levels of efficacy about college application procedures. Having access via social media to a broader network of people who could actively answer questions and provide informational support was positively related with first-generation students' expectations about their ability to be successful in college, but was not the case for non first-generations.