There
is a striking discrepancy between the number of Hispanic students who express a desire to continue onto a higher level of
education, and the number of those actually go on to attend college or university. The National Research Center for College and University Admissions (NRCCUA), the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF), the Hispanic College Fund,
and Excelencia in Education joined forces today at a press conference with Senator Joe Lieberman (IN-CT) and Congressman Ruben
Hinojosa (D-TX), to reveal and discuss findings of a new study examining this dilemma.
The NRCCUA-HHF College
Preparation 2007 Study found that 98 percent of Latino high school students say they would like to attend college, and nearly
95 percent predict that they will earn a college degree.
These
findings were consistent across all ethnic groups. Unfortunately, though interest in pursuing a higher education was strong,
U.S. Census Bureau data indicates that Latino students attend college less often than their peers from other ethnic groups.
In fact, Latino student enrollment at higher-level institutions reached a mere 25 percent in 2004. By contrast, white student
enrollment remains consistent at 40 to 41 percent, and black student enrollment remained in the 31 to 32 percent range during
the same period.
"We
need to reach out to Hispanic students earlier in their high school careers to ensure they have accurate information about
the college planning process," said Don Munce, President of NRCCUA in a statement released today.
"The
reality is that many Hispanic students are the first in their families to explore higher education. As a result, they cannot
rely as often as some other ethnic groups on parents or family members to give them direction. They are more likely to rely
on third party resources to aid them in their college search, application and financial aid processes. That is why it is so
important to disseminate information to these students about higher education opportunities and bolster the work of key groups
to open doors for Hispanic students into the higher education community," Munce said.
"We
need to embrace the unique needs and challenges facing today's Hispanic students and make certain that they have all the tools at their disposal to pursue
higher education," Munce continued. "Reaching out to these students in the early stages of their education decisions is vital
in creating an environment where they can be successful in their higher education endeavors."
