A Study of College Graduation Rates for Black Men and Women
Black Women Outpace Black Men in College Completions
According to the Journal of Blacks in Higher Education, in each of the three years before the turn of the century from 1998 through 2000 there was a one percentage point decline in the overall graduation rate of black men. But for the past five years the graduation rate for black men has improved by one percentage point and now stands at 36 percent. Long-term, over the past 16 years, black men have improved their graduation rate from 28 percent to 36 percent.
This year the college graduation rate for black women rose by one percentage point to 47 percent. And over the past 16 years the graduation rates for black women have shown strong and steady gains. Turning in a powerful performance over the past 16 years, black women have improved their college completion rate from 34 percent in 1990 to 47 percent in 2006. So for black women, we appear to be very close to the point where one half of all students who enter a particular college will go on to earn their degree from that same institution. - www.jbhe.com
C’mon fellas. How can we as black men look our ladies in the eye on this one? It’s reasonable to expect that black women want to marry their match or beyond in terms of education, finances, or social stature. Though we’ve seen some progress over time, we still have some work to do before we can accuse African-American women of being too demanding.
As black men, we often shy away from credible criticism concerning our inability to access higher education. Some cite examples of their primary educational system having too many inexperienced or Caucasian female teachers, who often label us as behavior problems and send us to the back of the class, which limits learning, or God-forbid, “Alternative School,” an arguable precursor to prison.
In other instances, we suggest the lure of streets and its short-term wealth are too much to ignore. As black men living in a socioeconomically depressed community, we have no choice but to hustle and sell dope rather than invest 22 years in a suspect educational system comprised of apathetic teachers, out of date books, and dangerous temptations while walking (or running, depending on the neighborhood) to and from school.
Regardless, our black women are products of the same, struggling school systems; yet, they’ve found some way to motivate themselves to earn a college degree more often than we do. As black men, we owe it to them, our future families, but more importantly, ourselves to take advantage of what our ancestors lacked centuries before-access to higher education.
For those still interested in making excuses, I urge you to use what you have, do what you can, and pray to your God for what you cannot provide. I realize many black families are struggling to make ends meat, let alone pay for a college education. However, Black Blogopolis aims to host weekly webinars, provide online education, and a plethora of tips and techniques to multiply your knowledge and income. In time, you’ll likely become a richer man for it, both personally and financially, such that a college education will be well within your reach and its costs will be covered with confidence.
Until the next one,
Blog Out!
