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Under-represented college students and extracurricular involvement: the effects of various student organizations on academic performance

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Abstract

Several studies indicate that students who are involved in extracurricular activities during college are more academically successful than are those who are not; however, most studies do not distinguish between different types of activities nor do they adequately consider the unique experiences of under-represented college students. Drawing on Ogbu’s theory of oppositional culture and Tinto’s theory of educational departure, I examine the effect of involvement in six different types of student organizations, as well as involvement in a co-ethnic student organization, on the academic performance of African American and Latino college students attending 27 different selective colleges. I find that student organizations differentially affect academic performance, depending on the type of organization and the race and gender of the students.

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Correspondence to Christina N. Baker.

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I wish to thank Belinda Robnett, Matt Huffman, and Cynthia Feliciano for their invaluable feedback on this paper.

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Baker, C.N. Under-represented college students and extracurricular involvement: the effects of various student organizations on academic performance. Soc Psychol Educ 11, 273–298 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11218-007-9050-y

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