Richard Fry, The Pew Hispanic Center
September 5, 2002
Based on data from the U.S. Census Bureau, this report finds that large numbers of Latino high school graduates-10 percent, as compared to 7 percent of the total population of high school graduates-are enrolled in college-level courses, but Latino students are more likely than any other group to enroll in two-year programs or as part-time students. A greater proportion of Latino high school graduates enroll in post-secondary education after the age of 24, and fewer Latinos pursue graduate and professional degrees. Author Richard Fry is concerned about the number of Hispanics who pursue educational paths associated with lower chances of earning a bachelor's degree, but when he turns to hypothesizing about why this is the case, the ground on which he rests grows shakier. For example, Fry explains the high level of enrollment by Hispanics in community colleges by stating that "an emphasis on close family ties is one characteristic shared by most Latinos...and among Latino immigrants this often translates into an expectation that children will live with their parents until they marry" so they will not choose to enroll in institutions where they might need to reside on campus. The author's assumption here may or may not be true, but if he wishes to boost the number of Hispanic college graduates, he will need more data, and fewer assumptions, about what causes these low graduation rates. "Latinos in Higher Education: Many Enroll, Too Few Graduate," by Richard Fry, September 5, 2002, http://www.pewhispanic.org/site/docs/pdf/latinosinhighereducation-sept5-02.pdf.
