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Lewis, Jonathan S. and Hernandez, René A. (2024) "Master Narrative of College Access Belies Reality for Today’s Students," Journal of College Access: Vol. 9: Iss. 1, Article 6.
 

Abstract

Master and alternative narratives offer a useful framework through which to consider contemporary issues in college access. Implicit and ubiquitous, the master narrative of a linear progression from high school through a residential college toward a fulfilling career has long been dominant. Meanwhile, alternative narratives of fluid, dynamic, alternate pathways are ascendant, having received a boost from the Covid-19 pandemic and the stubborn lack of affordable postsecondary options. Observing a decline in a shared cultural narrative about college, the authors recommend that advisors help students to sort through possible storylines and then write their own.

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