Perceptions of College Readiness Among Somali First-Time College Students in Minnesota: A Community Cultural Wealth Analysis
Abstract
This qualitative study explores perceptions of college readiness among Somali first-time college students in Minnesota who graduated from public high schools in 2023 and 2024. Utilizing Yosso (2005) Community Cultural Wealth (CCW) conceptual framework, this research investigates how these students perceive their academic skills, social-emotional skills, and college knowledge during their transition to postsecondary education. The Minnesota Career and College Readiness Resource Guide (MDE, 2018) serves as an evaluative framework to analyze the alignment between participants’ community cultural wealth and the state’s vision for readiness. Key findings revealed that Somali first-time college students drew upon aspirational, familial, social, navigational, and resistant capital to prepare for postsecondary education. Notably, participants made no reference to using their home language for their college readiness, revealing a gap in the recognition of linguistic capital. This absence suggests a need for future research on how public schools can better affirm Somali students’ linguistic capital within their educational experiences. The study’s findings inform equity-centered CCR initiatives within Minnesota public schools, supporting practices that integrate community cultural wealth into CCR programming.
