Underrepresented Populations in U.S. Higher Education, Support for

Underrepresented populations is an umbrella term used to highlight groups of individuals who have low, inadequate, or insufficient presence in certain settings—in this case, higher education institutions, including master’s and doctoral-level academic programs. There are many types of underrepresented populations, including underrepresented minorities: African Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, and Latinos. Other underrepresented populations include gender in specific program areas (e.g., women in science and engineering), socioeconomic background status, or a combination of factors. For the purposes of this entry, underrepresented populations refers to students of color or students from certain ethnic backgrounds. This entry provides an overview of support for underrepresented populations in U.S. higher education and then explores academic and social support, financial support, and career preparation opportunities.