Color and gender based differences in the sources of influence attributed to the choice of college major

People of color are not attending US colleges and universities in numbers that are representative of their share of the population. Although state sanctioned privileges of White males, relative to people of color and women, are now prohibited, equal access to education and career opportunities is yet to be realized. White men are paid higher salaries than people of color and women, and in several occupations, inequalities are increasing. Without college education, today's elementary and secondary school students are unlikely to acquire the knowledge and skills that might prepare them for work in which opportunities for advancement and financial reward are greatest and demand is high. An empirical study was conducted in which college students were asked to indicate the importance of various sources of influence on their choice of major. The results indicate that people of color, compared to Whites, and women, compared to men, rely upon different sources. These findings suggest that advising and the media may have an important role to play in achieving diversity in postsecondary education and, ultimately, employment.