Parents and teens often cited religious involvement as part of their success, he said. But that does exclude other kids who are successful who come out of single-parent households. The 15 parents and teens interviewed live in Lincoln and Omaha. Researchers hope to interview another 15 to 20 teens and parents to better represent minorities and to add rural Nebraska teens. They plan to increase the survey sample to 500 teens.
Researchers plan to talk with interviewees in two and four years to chart their college success.