Date of Award

2026-08-01

Degree Name

Doctor of Education

Department

Educational Leadership and Administration

Advisor(s)

Erin Doran

Abstract

Early College High School (ECHS) programs have expanded access to college coursework and accelerated degree pathways; however, less is known about how Latinx students experience the transition from these programs into four-year institutions. This qualitative study explored the lived experiences of eight Latinx students who completed ECHS and matriculated to a four-year university between 2022 and 2024 in a Southwest borderland. The location is geographically isolated along the U.S.-Mexico border with a predominantly Hispanic population. Framed through Community Cultural Wealth and Rational Choice Theory, the study examined how students relied on cultural assets and evaluated educational opportunities while navigating secondary and postsecondary educational systems. Using a constructivist qualitative design, data was collected through semi-structured interviews and thematically analyzed. Findings revealed that the participants made intentional educational choices by weighing costs, time, and anticipated benefits while relying on familial, social, and navigational forms of cultural wealth. Although students sought to maximize opportunities through accelerated pathways, institutional structures, including advising, structured degree plans, and limited credit applicability. This often constrained their ability to achieve the outcomes they intended. The study contributes to the literature by connecting culturally informed decision-making with institutional structures during the transition from ECHS to a four-year university. The findings have implications for educational policy, transfer alignment, advising practices, and cross-level collaboration to improve student outcomes. Institutions at the various levels should aim to maximize credit applicability, reduce excess credit accumulation, and strengthen pathways to baccalaureate degree completion for Latinx students.

Language

en

Provenance

Received from ProQuest

File Size

223 p.

File Format

application/pdf

Rights Holder

Daniel Guerra

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