The process of pursuing a higher education degree can be particularly complicated for undocumented students as they navigate the K-16 pipeline. Ganas, or the desire to succeed, is a cultural value that can serve a motivation to overcome educational obstacles. Using portraiture, this article highlights the ways students demonstrated ganas in the…

The purpose of this multi-institutional qualitative study was to understand the educational pathways of Latino males by underscoring the unique role female family members play in their academic pursuits--through the voice of these young men. Findings demonstrate female family members were identified as being primary supporters of their educational…

This study predicts Latina/o student attrition at two phases in the college-going pipeline. Findings suggest that academic achievement mediates Latina/o students' attrition from expectations to college application. Preparatory commitment behaviors mediate attrition from application to attendance. Results also indicate that Latina/o students…

This study examines the reasons for underrepresentation in enrollment of Latinos in comparison with all students at a predominantly White public university. Using a quantitative analysis of student enrollment data, including residential location and grade point average, combined with a more qualitative analysis of household survey responses, this…

This article challenges the notion of underachievement of Latino male collegians by examining those who successfully enter higher education. Using in-depth interviews, we analyze the way three different institutional types contribute to the racial/ethnic identity salience of Latinos, looking specifically at the curricular and co-curricular…

Understanding the challenges of Latino undocumented students in high school is crucial to improving their success rates in college. Based on interviews with 60 Latino undocumented youths, I explore the barriers to proper educational guidance for this population. Results indicate that undocumented youths often lack accurate information about…

This study explores the influence high-stakes testing has on Latina/o student aspirations and subsequent college enrollment. It quantitatively examines the critical juncture of high school exit and college entry at a school district serving a predominately Latino population. Findings confirm a strong correlation between the math and English…

This study examines the relationship between academic undermatch theory and the college-going decisions, experiences, and aspirations of first-generation, rural Hispanic community college students in the new destination meatpacking town of Winstead, Kansas. Ethnographic data from rural high school guidance counselors, community college faculty,…

Data from a focus group of nine Latina parents, specifically mothers from a South Texas border region known as the Rio Grande Valley, were analyzed using a qualitative methodology. Grounded in the theory of social capital, the purpose of the study was to understand the perceptions and experiences of Latina parents related to accessing information…

We surveyed literature on factors that may influence Hispanic students academically including generational status, gender roles, and use of language in the Southeastern United States and North Carolina. We discuss how risk factors can be addressed (e.g., increasing awareness of risk factors, tutoring, mentoring, and after-school programs). We…

Redistricting, the redrawing of electoral district boundaries to reflect the latest population counts, occurs for most electoral districts after each decennial census. While normally a topic of concern mainly to politicians and politicos, redistricting can alter the opportunities for representation and policy alternatives. For a number of reasons,…

In many public U.S. universities, Hispanic undergraduates are underrepresented in terms of enrollment and graduation. This mixed-method geographical study investigated whether some public universities outperform others in recruiting and retaining Hispanic undergraduates. The quantitative findings showed that the effect of financial aid and…

This article sought to identify factors related to high school completion rates and college enrollment among Hispanic students. Hispanic students were found to have high attrition rates in institutions of higher education. Implications for the development and implementation of retention programs for Hispanic high school students, such as…

This study evaluates the recent political context in which foreign-born noncitizen immigrants in the United States exist, their traditional and new settlement locations of residence, and where they are most likely to use public policies that encourage college enrollment. Legislative trends indicate that state activity continues to evolve around…

Latino male students are "vanishing" from the American education pipeline, a trend that is especially evident at the secondary and postsecondary levels. The question of why Latino males are vanishing from America's colleges is complex, and this scholarly article explores some of the socio-cultural factors, peer dynamics, and labor force demands…