The Impact of the Advisor Selection Process Among Black and Latinx STEM Gradaute Students Overtime

An advisor is often the most central person influencing the trajectories of students of color throughout graduate school. The purpose of this study is to explore the factors that affect how and why Black and Latinx students in STEM graduate programs select their advisors and the impact it has on their graduate experience. Critical Race Theory (CRT) was used to explore participants' experiences at Predominately White Institutions as it provides an in-depth understanding of the issues in postsecondary settings [1]. Using a qualitative research approach, data was collected through six individual semi-structured interviews over three years with each participant. The interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed with emergent coding. This study's data emerged from a larger study focusing on the experiences of underrepresented minority students enrolled in STEM/SBE graduate programs at three Predominantly White Institutions in the Midwest. Purposeful sampling was used from this larger population to identify 19 Black and Latinx students in STEM graduate programs. Findings suggested from this study provide evidence that Black and Latinx students selected their advisors based on research interest, lab rotations and research experiences for undergraduates (REU), lab space and funding availability, and personality compatibility; these factors can significantly impact the student’s overall experience.





































1. Patton, M. Q. (2002). Two decades of developments in qualitative inquiry: A personal, experiential perspective. Qualitative social work, 1(3), 261-283.