Document Type
Response or Comment
Publication Date
11-2019
Publication Title
OLLAS Blog
Abstract
Latinos are among the largest and fastest growing minority group in the United States. However, multiple sources point to a disturbing trend in that they also have among the lowest college completion rates. According to The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics (2014), whereas Latino high school graduation rates have improved in the last decade, only 15% of Latino adults hold a bachelor’s degree. To that point, there are a number of challenges facing Latino students in their pursuit of an undergraduate education. One factor that undermines Latino student’s progress in University is the misperception that they are less well prepared for success in college relative to their classmates. Another is time spent on family responsibilities, particularly for women, which translates to less time on campus and therefore less time in class, doing homework or interacting with faculty which decreases their likelihood of eventually graduating. With these challenges facing them, it is crucial to identify the strengths that Latino students have that can help them achieve their goal of completing their degrees. This more holistic view of Latinos in higher education will be increasingly important as the numbers of Latinos in college continues to rise both locally and nationally.
Recommended Citation
DeVries, Kerrie; Santo, Jonathan B.; and Casas, Juan F., "Why Latino College Students’ should Play to their Strengths for College Success: Blog post" (2019). Latino/Latin American Studies Other Publications. 14.
https://digitalcommons.unomaha.edu/latinamstudies_ollas_publications/14