Social and economic capital can provide advantages to students in higher education1. Factors such as home country education, socioeconomic status, and other currencies of cultural capital have an affect on immigrant student success in college2.
One form of capital that students are able to use is language. In the context of the United States, students who are born into families fluent in the standard academic English used in universities are more equipped to meet the demands of higher education. Additionally, linguistic minority students with formal education in their first language will be able to learn standard academic English faster than other linguistic minority students. Language ability, especially for linguistic minority students, is crucial for academic success because insufficient language acquisition results in poor academic performance.
Another form involves the academic skills and cultural mores used in higher education. Students with a family history in higher education will be more likely than their counterparts to succeed in college; both because they understand the habitus of the university, but also because they are more likely to receive adequate support and advice from their family.
tag:#🕮 family supportFor students who lack these forms of capital, socio-academic relationships between faculty and students can provide opportunities to build them.
Help students build networks of support in the community