Apr 10 @ 9 AM
LSC 710
Barriers for first generation Hispanic college students
There are many barriers for Hispanic students trying to make the transition from high school to higher education. Research has shown that parents and family, socioeconomic status, college readiness, peers and friends, location, motivation and transitioning programs are some of the barrier they will encounter. With the use of focus groups this study helped us confirm previous findings. Although parents want to be supportive of their child’s education, their lack of knowledge of the education systems tends to discourage students to peruse higher education. Their socioeconomic status and college readiness are also a barrier due to the fact that sometimes their high schools do not offer as much resources that could help them make the transition easier, without any extra help students do not feel they are ready to start college. If their friends are not going to go to college they tend to follow and not motivate each other. Many Hispanic families live out in rural areas where higher education is not offered making it one of the biggest barriers for them. They might have the motivation to go to college but with the lack of transitioning programs they might feel going to college is too much work and a process that seems almost impossible to get through.