High School May Not Be Enough - An Investigation of Asian Students’ Eligibility for Post-secondary Education

Oct 15, 2026

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Post-secondary education has grown in importance as economies become more knowledge-based, yet research questions whether a high school diploma is sufficient to meet 21st-century workplace skills in all jurisdictions. Immigration patterns are increasing ethnic and cultural diversity in North American schools, but limited studies examine how language and ethnic groups participate in post-secondary education programs or how eligibility factors shape access. This exploratory study investigates determinants affecting Asian students’ eligibility for these programs.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

Background and problem statement

Study objective

Model minority myth and obstacles

Educational disparities among Asian subgroups

High School May Not Be Enough: An Investigation of Asian Students’ Eligibility for Post-secondary Education Dennis Murphy Odo Georgia State University Reginald D'Silva University of British Columbia Lee Gunderson University of British Columbia Abstract Post-secondary education has increased in importance as the world’s economies become more knowledge-based. Employment trends suggest that a high school diploma may be insufficient in some jurisdictions to meet the skills and demands ofthe 21st century workplace (HRSDC, 1998) . In addition, immigration trends are resulting in more ethnic and cultural diversity in North American schools (cf., Goldenberg, 2006). The problem is that little research has been conducted to explore the participation of students from a variety of language or ethnic groups in PostSecondary Education Programs (PSEPs) or to explore factors that may influence their eligibility to participate. According to Statistics Canada, by 2031, one in four Canadians will have been born in another country. Immigrants from Asia make up the largest group moving to urban centres around North America (CBC, 2010) . This trend has implications for teachers who need to know how to meet these learners’ needs. While participation rates in PSEPs in Canada are steadily increasing (Shaienks, Gluszynski, & Bayard, 2008), it is unclear how immigrant student groups are faring. The goal of this exploratory study was to explore factors that influence Asian students’ eligibility for PSEPs. CANADIAN JOURNAL OF EDUCATION 35, 2 (2012): 249-267 ©2011 Canadian Society for the Study of Education/ Société canadienne pour l’étude de l’éducation Résumé L'importance de l'éducation post-secondaire a augmenté en parallèle avec les économies mondiales qui deviennent de plus en plus des sociétés de la connaissance. Les tendances enmatière d'emploi suggèrent qu'un diplôme d'études secondaires peut être insuffisant dans certaines juridictions pour répondre aux compétences et aux exigences du monde du travail au XXIème siècle (RHDCC, 1998) . En outre, l'évolution de l'immigration se traduit par une plus grande diversité ethnique et culturelle dans les écoles nord-américaines (cf Goldenberg, 2006) . Le problème est que peu de recherches ont été menées afin d'étudier la participation des étudiantsayant des antécédents culturels et linguistiques différents dans les programmes de l'éducation post-secondaire (PEPSs), ou pour étudier les facteurs qui peuvent influer sur leur admissibilité . Selon Statistique Canada, en 2031, un Canadien sur quatre sera né dans un autre pays. Les immigrants en provenance d'Asie forment le groupe le plus important se déplaçant vers les centres urbains à travers l'Amérique du Nord (SRC, 2010) . Cette tendance a des implications pour les enseignants qui doivent savoir comment répondre aux besoins de ces apprenants. Bien que le taux de participation dans les PEPSs au Canada est en constante augmentation (Shaienkset coll., 2008), il est difficile de savoir comment les groupes d'étudiants immigrants sedébrouillent. L'objectif de cette étude exploratoire était d'analyser les facteurs qui influent sur l'admissibilité des étudiants asiatiques dans les PEPSs. High School May Not Be Enough: An Investigation of Asian Students’ Eligibility for Post secondary Education Introduction Post-secondary education has increased in importance as the world’s economies become more knowledge-based. Employment trends suggest that a high school diploma may be insufficient in some jurisdictions to meet the skills and demands of the 21st century workplace (HRSDC, 1998) . In addition, immigration trends are resulting in more ethnic and cultural diversity in North American schools (cf. Goldenberg, 2006) . The problem is that little research has been conducted to explore the participation of students from a variety of language or ethnic groups in Post-Secondary Education Programs (PSEPs) or to investigate factors that may influence

FAQs

Why might high school education be insufficient for post-secondary success in some jurisdictions?

Employment trends indicate that high school diplomas may not consistently meet the skills and demands of the 21st-century workplace in certain jurisdictions.

What gap in prior research motivates this exploratory study?

The study addresses limited research on how students from different language or ethnic groups participate in post-secondary education programs and what factors influence their eligibility.

What does the study aim to understand about Asian students?

It aims to explore factors that influence Asian students’ eligibility for post-secondary education programs, including overlooked obstacles and disparities among subgroups.

Oct 15, 2026

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