Drawing on qualitative data collected through in-depth interviews with 11 academically successful Black male college students formerly in foster care, the purpose of this study was to explore and identify protective factors that have contributed to their academic resilience. More specifically, this study sought to identify the environmental resources and supports that have helped mitigate against school failure and enabled educational success. The two major findings relate to the role and importance of having an extensive support network and the significance of participating in independent living programs, which served as protective factors for participants in this study. This article presents implications for school counseling practice.
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