Abstract
At Lucky Banks High School (LBHS), there is a high attrition rate of diploma candidates; most often in females, and their grounds for changing academic course plans is family. This investigation aims to fins out: How do the familial expectations of female students participating in the International Baccalaureate Program Diploma Program at Luther Burbank High School, shape their academic experience during the final high school years? And how might family shape their post high school goals and aspirations? The methodology used in this study is a qualitative data collected from two focus group interviews. The six female participants in the study are recent graduates of LBHS and participated in the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program during the junior and senior year. Familial expectations of female diploma candidates greatly influence their academic experience. Family is a motivation factor for academic achievement. The LBHS IB program must create a support system for diploma candidates in order to increase the program’s retention rates.