The Role of Parents in Shaping the Postsecondary Decisions for Their Students

Authors

• Jihye Lee, CUNY Hunter CollegeFollow
• Robert Toutkoushian, University of GeorgiaFollow
• Jennifer Stephens, Texas Southern UniversityFollow

Abstract

Most research on college decision-making frames students as the primary decision-makers, often overlooking the role of parents. Using data from the 2009 High School Longitudinal Study (HSLS:09), this study examines how two dimensions of parental involvement, aspirational alignment between students and parents and family decision-making roles, are associated with students’ postsecondary trajectories. Results indicate that parental involvement operates in stage-sensitive ways: partial aspirational alignment is associated with a higher likelihood of college application, whereas enrollment is most strongly associated with shared aspirations and collaborative decision-making. Overall, the findings highlight college choice as a relational and staged process and underscore the importance of considering family dynamics in understanding students’ postsecondary transitions.

Recommended Citation

Lee, Jihye; Toutkoushian, Robert; and Stephens, Jennifer (2026) "The Role of Parents in Shaping the Postsecondary Decisions for Their Students," Journal of College Access: Vol. 11: Iss. 3, Article 3.
Available at: https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/jca/vol11/iss3/3