Rising to the Challenge: Hispanic College Graduation Rates as a National Priority, by Kevin Carey with Mark Schneider, and Andrew P. Kelly

In this report, Carey argues that, in order to reach our nation’s college completion goal, we must ensure that Hispanic students are better prepared to complete college.

“Better Consumer Information. Hispanic students and their families often suffer from a lack of information about the true cost of college, the type of college they are qualified to attend, and college practices and culture. Hispanic students are especially likely to be “undermatched,” or to enroll at a college that is less selective than they are qualified to attend. Given the relationship between selectivity and graduation rates, undermatched Hispanic students are more likely to leave college without completing their degrees than if they had attended more selective schools. Reforms that help to disseminate information about which schools are within students’ reach, both financially and academically, and which schools have a successful track record with Hispanic students could lead to a better match between the qualifications of Hispanic students and colleges and universities. This would in turn increase graduation rates. Better counseling about available financial aid also would likely lower the rate at which Hispanic students drop out of college for financial reasons.”

Education Sector/American Enterprise Institute, March 2010

The Educational Crisis Facing Young Men of Color: Reflections on Four Days of Dialogue on the Educational Challenges of Minority Males

Participants in the College Board Dialogue Days felt strongly that a significant effort must be made to advance educational outcomes for young men of color.

Four steps will help move us forward:
• The federal government, foundations and concerned organizations should convene a national policy discussion about these issues to heighten public awareness and explore policy options to improve the performance of young men of color.
• The federal government, foundations and civic and community organizations should fund and support additional research to explore and clarify issues that have an impact on minority male achievement.
• K–12 schools, colleges and universities, and state higher education coordinating bodies should forge partnerships to help males of color get ready, get in and get through college. [Emphasis Added]
• The states, federal government and foundations should identify and “scale up” the most successful model programs designed to ensure the success of males of color by funding their replication and expansion. (p. 3)

The College Board, January 2010

With their Whole Lives Ahead of Them: Myths and Realities About Why So Many Students Fail to Finish College, by Jean Johnson and Jon Rochkind with Amber N. Ott and Samantha DuPont

“The number one reason students give for leaving school is the fact that they had to work and go to school at the same time and, despite their best efforts, the stress of trying to do both eventually took its toll. More than half of those who left higher ed before completing a degree or a certificate say that the “need to work and make money” while attending classes is the major reason they left. Balancing work and school was an even bigger barrier than finding money for tuition. Those who dropped out are almost twice as likely to cite problems juggling work and school as their main problem as they are to blame tuition bills (54 percent to 31 percent).” (p. 5)

“This study revealed that these students often bear the full responsibility of paying for school: Nearly 6 in 10 students in our study who left higher education without graduating say that they had to pay for college costs themselves, rather than being able to count on help from their families. In contrast, more than 6 in 10 of those who completed their degrees say they had help from parents or other relatives to cover the costs of school.” (p. 9)

“But according to this survey, many young Americans—and especially those who fail to get a diploma—barely go through any college selection process at all. Their options may be quite limited because they do not have the financial resources to go away to school and/or they are able to consider only those options that mesh with their job schedules and family responsibilities. In many instances, college selection is more constrained and happenstance than deliberate choice. Among those who did not complete college, two-thirds say they selected their school primarily for its convenient location, nearly 6 in 10 because its schedule worked with theirs and 57 percent because the tuition and fees were affordable. A third based their choice on the academic reputation of the school and only a quarter on recommendations from friends and family.” (p. 12)

“This study and others have shown persuasively that most young people acknowledge that having a college degree will pay off in the end. Most also say they have received a fair amount of encouragement to go to college from family, school and other sources. Yet the findings here suggest that young people who leave college before finishing are somewhat less likely to hold these views passionately. That is, as a group they are less likely to strongly agree that their parents always instilled in them the importance of college, less likely to strongly agree that people who have a college degree make more money and less likely to say they would still go to college if they knew they could get a good job without a degree.” (p. 15)

Public Agenda, December 2009

IES Practice Guide: Dropout Prevention, by U.S. Department of Education

Geared toward educators, administrators, and policymakers, this guide provides recommendations that focus on reducing high school dropout rates. Strategies presented include identifying and advocating for at-risk students, implementing programs to improve behavior and social skills, and keeping students engaged in the school environment.

“Knowledgeable and supportive advisors can assist students in navigating the college and financial aid process and help overcome barriers associated with first generation college attendance. Counseling regarding the college and financial aid application process is an important component to assist students at risk of dropping out. Specific types of support might include providing postsecondary counselors to assist with the college application process and financial aid applications, offering seminars about college admission requirements and financial aid opportunities, and offering SAT/ACT preparation programs.” (p. 37-38)

What Works Clearinghouse, September 2008

Opening the Door to the American Dream: Increasing Higher Education Access and Success for Immigrants, by Wendy Erisman, PhD, and Shannon Looney

“Lack of information about postsecondary education. Lack of information about college admissions and financial aid processes can be a formidable barrier for immigrants who wish to attend college. Immigrant high school students who are not enrolled in the college preparatory academic track—including many English as a Second Language (ESL) students—may not receive adequate college counseling, and access to information about higher education is even more inaccessible to adult immigrants who wish to attend college.” (p. 6)

“Many of the barriers immigrants confront are similar to the ones generally faced by low-income and first-generation college students in the United States, and policies intended to benefit that population as a whole will also help immigrants. These include adequate investment in higher education grant aid and support programs such as TRIO and increased efforts to broaden public awareness of the steps traditional age students need to take to be prepared for college.” (p. 7)

Institute of Higher Education Policy, April 2007