An Investigation of Academic Self-Concept and its Relationship to Academic Achievement in African American College Students

This study examined the academic self-concept construct in a sample of 206 African American students attending historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and predominantly White colleges and universities (PWCUs). Institutional, gender, and class status (i.e., year in college) differences in academic self-concept were investigated as well as factors that predict academic self-concept. Participants completed the Academic Self-Concept Scale. Findings indicated that the best predictor of academic self-concept for students attending PWCUs was grade point average, whereas the best predictor of academic self-concept for students attending HBCUs was quality of student-faculty interactions. Additional analyses indicated that grade point average is significantly more important for the academic self-concept of African American students attending PWCUs than African American students attending HBCUs. Implications for psychologists are discussed.