This study was conducted to investigate the possible influencing factors involved with the Hispanic female population that lives on the Texas and Mexico border and how those factors influence the completion of an Associate of Arts degree at a community college. "Presence in higher education is increasing by all minority groups, except for one; while other ethnic groups--including African Americans--have gradually increased their college graduation rates, Hispanics have seen almost no such progress in three decades" (Montalban, 2015). The border area in southernmost Texas is severely limited by lack of education, parental communication, language background, financial problems, and other influential factors. The poverty level of Hispanic families is one of the most crucial factors that contribute to the lack of Hispanic females obtaining their Associate of Arts degree. The acquisition of a higher education degree could be considered to contribute to a stable environment for social change. This quantitative study explored how Hispanic females' degree acquisition may be affected by socioeconomic background, educational aspirations, culture and language background, availability of financial aid, gender role and socialization, mentoring, stereotyping and discrimination, family responsibilities, and childbearing. These contextual mitigating factors play a major role in students' progression in higher education. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]