""Having the right info"": College readiness as college knowledge among minoritized students in an urban education setting

This qualitative study applied a critical race theory lens to understand minoritized students? college readiness experiences at a highly selective research university to inform K-12 and higher education practice. The purpose of this study was to privilege oppressed voices in highlighting specific ways the college readiness gap can be closed for minoritized students, moving toward equity in higher education attainment and completion. The research questions involve understanding these students? college readiness and how they informed their college experiences. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews developed with a critical race lens to encourage counter-storytelling among the participants. Findings indicate participants tend to define college readiness around college knowledge, rather than more traditional notions of remediation. Additionally, even when the women came to college as college-ready by these traditional notions, they often did not feel fully college-ready. Findings imply that high school counselors should focus on college knowledge in their counseling, even if they believe students receive this knowledge elsewhere. Moreover, practitioners should understand that cultural dissonance may exist between students? home cultures and school cultures and work to diminish this dissonance while supporting students in navigating it. Moreover, because involvement in college was important to helping students build the social capital necessary to navigate college knowledge, high school teachers, administrators, and counselors should encourage similar forms of involvement in high school. Conclusions suggest specific ways in which practitioners and researchers can enhance the college readiness experiences for these minoritized students.