What We Know about Latina/o Student Access and Success
in Postsecondary Education
A Report to the Lumina Foundation
Raymond Padilla, Ph.D.
108. Despite negative stereotypes and
unfriendly environments, Latinas found ways to carve out safe
spaces for themselves through their relationships with other
Latinas and Latina/o organizations. These efforts helped them
to maintain and nurture a positive sense of racial/ethnic
identity while being successful college students. Latinos also
encountered unfriendly environments and negative stereotypes but
unlike the Latinas, they experienced opportunities and privilege
through sports. These Latinos often were mentored by White
coaches who encouraged them to do well academically. The study
claims that the Latinos paid a psychological price for their
opportunity and privilege that results in a strong focus on
individualism and ambivalence toward their racial/ethnic
identity.
109. Yet, another study concludes that
positive correlation exists between cultural congruity and
perceptions of college environment. Latinas had higher levels
of cultural congruity and more positive perceptions of the
university environment than did the Latinos.
110. An in depth study of two Stanford
Latino graduates it was pointed out that peer pressure, racism,
language difficulties, alienation, and poverty are all barriers
to the college success of “in-need” students. Many of the
challenges students face are interpersonal rather than academic
or require cultural knowledge that is not readily available.
111. The Latinos in another study felt
that they were consistently policed in society and at school.
This included a type of “academic policing” where teachers
questioned Latino students’ intellectual abilities and their
physical presence in advanced placement classes. For several
students in the study, the criminalization of males led to
cutting classes. For one Latino student, however, being active
in a community activist organization and mentored by an older
caring Latino helped him to resist the criminalization and
eventually enroll and do well in college.
112. What eased the situation of parents
permitting Latinas to leave home for college was an acquired
understanding by the parents that there would be support systems
within the university readily available to their daughters. In
a few cases, the students’ siblings, who had gone to college
before them, served as advocates for the Latinas by reassuring
their parents that they would have the social and emotional
support necessary to succeed in college. The support systems
that eased the apprehension of parents took the form of Latina/o
faculty and staff on campus, the presence of a church on campus,
and other Latina/o college students on campus.
113. Stereotype threat negatively affected
students’ sense of belonging and morale but did not affect their
self confidence in analytical skills and orientation to the
campus.
114. Lack of access and availability of
Advanced Placement classes for many Latina/o students may be an
indication of a school’s lack of a college-going culture making
college enrollment less likely for their students.
115. A study showed both positive and
negative examples of teachers and how they influenced student
success or failure. When teachers demonstrated negative actions
(which included lack of cultural understanding, use of
stereotypes, assumed lack of understanding by Mexican-descent
students, and excluded Mexican-descent students from class
activities) students’ academic success was hindered. Students
were helped when positive actions (that included the complete
opposite of the negative actions) were demonstrated by teachers.
116. In one study, over half of the Latino
students had family incomes less then $25,000 per year. Only 14
percent of the Latino students had parents with a bachelor’s
degree as compared to 30 percent for White students. Twenty-two
percent of Latinos, as compared to 41percent of Whites, enrolled
at a four-year institution. Over half of the Latino students,
as compared to 39 percent of all other student groups, were
enrolled part time.
117. In a California study, the proportion
of teachers with emergency credentials at Latino high schools
was twice that for White and Asian-American high schools.
Students attending Latino high schools were less likely to
apply, be admitted to, or enroll in the University of California
system than students attending predominantly White or
Asian-American high schools.
118. In one study, some of the
participants reported being negatively impacted by the standard
social studies curriculum and pedagogy. This included not
knowing that Mexicanos/Chicanos contributed to U.S. society in
significant ways, that Mexicanos/Chicanos were capable of
attaining a higher education, and by internalizing negative
feelings about their personal selves, their culture, especially
the Spanish language and ideals of beauty. The author advocates
a postcolonial critical method of education, especially in the
area of social studies.
119. In a study of admissions policies at
the University of California system, the author notes that merit
currently is defined as a reward for prior high school
achievement rather than a combination of both achievement and
the potential beneficial outcomes for society. He suggests that
a more comprehensive definition of merit would acknowledge K-12
inequities and potential, as well as actual achievement.
120. One of the clear facilitators of
student adjustment involves the nature of affiliations that
students develop with peers (both within ethnic groups and
across ethnic groups).
121. Gates Millennium Scholars were more
likely than non recipients to exhibit behaviors and receive
support that is important to their adjustment to college and
long term academic success.
122. In one study, only family support
uniquely predicted emotional, academic, and overall adjustment.
Only general peer support uniquely predicted social adjustment.
123. Students who reported higher levels
of psychological well being also reported higher levels of
cultural congruity. Those with higher levels of cultural
congruity also perceived fewer educational barriers and tended
to use the coping strategy of finding out more about a situation
to take positive, planned action to overcome barriers.
124. An increased sense of self-efficacy
was related to the increased perception of social support from
friends. Although previous findings point to finances as a
significant stressor predictive of nonpersistence, finances were
not found to be predictive of nonpersistence in this study.
125. In one study, Latino students were
primarily concerned about their grades, study skills, and family
relationships. Other areas of concern included career choices,
job searching, and relationships with friends. Primary sources
of support were friends, parents, and significant others.
Sharing concerns with parents, friends, siblings, and
significant others was seen as preferable to seeking
professional help.
126. The two coping responses most
utilized by Latina students were talking about their problems
with others and taking positive, planned action when dealing
with high stress situations.
127. A fitting in factor extends beyond a
matching of academic credentials with institutional attributes
and includes positive personal and social feelings that
facilitate social interactions and relationships with other
students and faculty.
128. A study of school dropouts concluded
that attendance and credits for classes posed a major problem
for students that for various reasons could not attend classes
regularly. Often these students were told that they would have
to make up lost time and credits and this escalated into
feelings of hopelessness and helplessness and eventually to
dropping out. Students also reported not feeling included, as
well as being deliberately excluded from participating, in
extracurricular activities. This contributed to students not
feeling that they were a part of the school community and to
feeling marginalized from school.
129. Most extracurricular activities were
correlated with a much higher likelihood of retention in high
school. Non athletic extracurricular activities had a greater
positive relationship with school retention, but athletics also
correlated with a higher likelihood of retention.
130. In a study of Latina/o college
students, it was reported that there is a positive relationship
between perceptions of the university environment and having a
mentor. The prediction that students with a mentor of the same
ethnic group would have higher levels of cultural congruity and
more positive perceptions of the university environment than
those students with a mentor of a differing ethnicity was not
supported. There was no difference between the perceptions of
Latinas as compared to Latinos about being mentored.
131. In a study of the racialized
experiences of Latina/o students, it was concluded that the
mentoring of a caring older Latino helped one student to succeed
in education.
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