Developing Self-Authorship: Exploring the Experiences of High-Risk College Students

Abstract

Through interviews with 35 high-risk college students, the author examines two questions: (a) To what degree do high-risk college students possess self-authoring ways of knowing? and (b) What types of experiences are associated with development of self-authoring ways of knowing? Findings suggest high-risk college students often develop self-authoring ways of knowing prior to enrollment in college, especially if the students possess low levels of privilege. Self-authoring ways of knowing appear to arise from students' willingness to process provocative interpersonal experiences. A model of self-authorship is presented to illustrate these high-risk students' self-authoring processes.