Earning Autonomy While Maintaining Family Ties: Black Women’s Reflections on the Transition Into College

Abstract

African American women have made great strides in their college enrollment and graduation rates despite social and economic barriers. This study explores Black women’s reflections on their college adjustment processes during their sophomore year at a predominantly White university. The findings indicated that the way participants coped with the new situation was to use the strategy of maintaining familial support while developing an autonomous sense of self.