Getting In: How High Achieving, Low-Income Black Students Defy the Odds and Enroll in Highly Selective Colleges

Academic undermatching—when students enroll in colleges that are less selective than their academic credentials would permit—is a pervasive but largely understudied phenomenon in the field of higher education that disproportionately affects Black students. Although research in this area is growing, few scholars have focused on protective factors and processes that prevent or reduce the likelihood of undermatching. The purpose of this qualitative study was to identify the protective factors that influence high-achieving, low-income, Black high school seniors (N = 18) to enroll in highly selective colleges. Three main themes emerged: (a) a network of high-achieving friends, (b) supportive adult-student relationships at school, and (c) racial socialization messages about education. Implications for school counselors and educators are discussed.