In Search of a “Good” College: First and Second Generation Asian American Students Describe Their College Choice Process

Through in-depth interviews, 14 Asian American college students at an elite, private Northeastern US university were asked to describe their experiences and relationships with family, friends, teachers, and counselors during their college-choice process. The results suggest that students considered their social networks, especially family and peers, to be most important in making decisions about where to apply and attend. The type of support students received from high school guidance counselors mainly depended on the kind of secondary school they attended. Students also relied on external sources of information provided by various media outlets. Implications of the findings for conceptualizing access and choice in higher education for Asian American students are discussed and recommendations for future research and practice are offered.