HMONG AMERICAN COLLEGE STUDENTS: A QUALITATIVE STUDY ON THE FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE AND MOTIVATE COLLEGE GOING by Malisa Lee A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctorate of Philosophy (Higher Education) in the University of Michigan 2015 Dissertation Committee: Professor Edward P. St. John, Chair Professor Phillip J. Bowman Associate Professor Deborah F. Carter, Claremont Graduate College Professor Mieko Yoshihama Copyright © 2015 Malisa Lee DEDICATION I would like to dedicate this dissertation to my courageous and supportive parents, Yong Sue and True Xiong Lee, who sacrificed everything to give my siblings and I a better life; my loving and hard working husband Adam Thor, who stood by my side every step of the way; and my thoughtful daughter Sophie who inspires me everyday to be a better person. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation is a culmination of a long educational journey, made possible with the support and guidance of many individuals who invested in my professional and intellectual growth and success. I wish to express my thanks to: To my father and mother, Yong Sue and True Xiong Lee, for their unwavering love and support. I am eternally grateful they did not see my gender as a limitation, even when our community did. They supported my educational and scholarly journey and empowered me to believe I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. Without them, there would not have been a journey to begin with. To my siblings: Tha Lee, Chris Lee, Elizabeth Lee, Mary Lee, and Alex Lee, for being super siblings and always believing in me. They inspired me everyday to work hard and persevere. I am lucky and proud to call them my brothers and sisters. To my heroic sister in-law, Kao V. Lee and courageous brother in-laws Dante Sutera and Charlie Mitchell, for their never-ending support along this journey. To my husband Adam Thor and daughter Sophie Thor, for providing me with the most loving, patient, supportive, and caring cheer team during the dissertation. They add color to my life and laughter to fill my heart. Their encouragement was essential to my success and consistently renewed my commitment to getting finished. To my committee members: Edward P. St. John, Deborah Carter, Phillip Bowman, and Mieko Yoshihama, for their support and guidance during the dissertation process. Thank you for believing in me and providing me with helpful and valuable feedback to improve my dissertation. It is a better dissertation because of you all. To my advisor, Edward P. St John, for believing in me and offering an environment which challenged and supported my growth and development as a student, professional, and a scholar. From day one, I was encouraged to pursue my own ambitions and explore new ideas. I would not have made it through the program if it had not been for Ed’s commitment to my success. It has been a privilege being his student. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to learn from a leader in the field and scholar truly committed to student success. To my CSHPE Cohort: Anat Levtov, Carmen McCallum, Elizabeth Hudson, Woo-Jeong Shim, Shelley Strikland, Pelema Morrice, and Nancy Alee, for their unwavering support and guidance iii which motivated me to keep moving forward with my scholarly journey. Thank you for being wonderful friends and colleagues. To Woo-Jeong Shim, for her helpful roles as a friend, peer-debriefer, collaborator, and scholarly sounding board when I felt lost and uncertain. She provided me with helpful perspectives during data analysis and challenged be to be authentic to myself. To Liesa Hull, for her dedication to seeing me to the finish line and reading (multiple times!) drafts of this dissertation. To all the participants in this study, who put their trust in me and shared their story with me. Thank you. To all others who contributed to my educational pathway and believed in me, thank you. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS DEDICATION ............................................................................................................................ ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ...................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES .................................................................................................................. viii LIST OF FIGURES .................................................................................................................... ix LIST OF APPENDICES ............................................................................................................. x ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................... xi Chapter 1. Introduction ................................................................................................................ 1 Purpose of the Study .................................................................................................................... 2 Background .............................................................................................................................. 2 Statement of the Problem .......................................................................................................... 12 Significance of the Study ........................................................................................................... 14 Research Questions ................................................................................................................... 15 Organization of Dissertation ...................................................................................................... 15 Chapter 2. Literature Review ..................................................................................................... 17 College Choice .......................................................................................................................... 19 Theoretical Underpinnings of College Choice .......................................................................... 23 Economic Perspectives .......................................................................................................... 24 Sociological perspectives ...................................................................................................... 26 Cultural Capital ..................................................................................................................... 35 Asian American: Explanations for Educational Over/Under Achievements and Aspirations .. 39 Cultural explanations ............................................................................................................. 41 Structured explanations ......................................................................................................... 43 Relative Functionalism .......................................................................................................... 44 Factors Influencing the Predisposition to College ..................................................................... 46 Background characteristics .................................................................................................... 46 Cultural Factors ..................................................................................................................... 57 Structural Factors ................................................................................................................... 61 Lessons from the Literature ....................................................................................................... 66 Theoretical Framework ............................................................................................................. 69 Chapter 3. Methodology ............................................................................................................. 76 Aim of Study ............................................................................................................................. 76 Research Approach .................................................................................................................... 77 Pilot Testing .............................................................................................................................. 78 v Data Collection Procedures ....................................................................................................... 79 Participants ................................................................................................................................ 86 Data Analytic Techniques ......................................................................................................... 88 Validity ...................................................................................................................................... 90 Research Ethics ......................................................................................................................... 92 Limitations ................................................................................................................................. 92 Chapter 4. Predispositions: The Role of Family and Culture on the Pathway to College ... 95 A Balancing Act: Conflicting Values/Dueling Priorities .......................................................... 96 Dual Identities ....................................................................................................................... 96 College Major and Career