Hispanic students in higher education

U.S.-born children of Hispanic immigrants are nearly as likely as whites to enroll in college, but less than half as likely to earn bachelor's degrees, according to a report released in September of last year. (Kong 2002) Reasons behind Hispanic students being less likely to graduate then other ethnic groups this range from lack of financial support for students to Hispanic high school students entering college from high schools which did not prepare them adequately for the rigors of postsecondary education. Policy makers should try to focus on these two areas to help increase the number of Hispanics who complete their college degrees.

It should be public policy to increase the number grants, loans, and most importantly, scholarships targeted toward the Hispanic students. Many Hispanic students in college are first generation Americans, whose parents are immigrants to the U.S. Their parents, historically, have come to the country to take low paying jobs, which leaves little money for helping to finance and support their children while they attend college. Leaders in the Hispanic communities should develop scholarship programs modeled along the lines of the United Negro College Fund. Additionally cities, counties and states should allocate financial resources for grants and scholarships and target them for the Hispanic community.

Secondly, the quality of the high schools that Hispanics graduate from needs to be examined. Inner city schools have a not undeserved reputation for being less competent in the process of providing adequate education to their students. Getting straight A's in a high school that is at best providing mediocre instruction will only serve to set their students on a course of struggle and failure when they enter the university academic world. The schools need to be improved markedly and local, state and the Federal government all need to be willing to poor in the financial resources necessary to ensure that no child is left behind.