Hispanic students are constantly facing challenges that could potentially prevent them from completing higher education. Although it’s been shown that Latino students earned 15% of bachelor’s degrees in 2020, an improvement when compared to the last decade, the need for college and scholarship application awareness remains to be tackled. ScholarPrep Nation is here to support Hispanic enrollment.
Unfortunately, our current education system is not equipped to address the main concerns of most Latino students. Similar to Black students, Latino children are facing racial discrimination, segregated schools, and a lack of tools and resources for a smooth college application process.
In this article, we’ll take a look at some of the ways in which educators and high school counseling could engage Hispanic students and encourage them to pursue a college education.
Acknowledging the Segregation of Hispanic Students
Engaging Latino students and their families starts with taking a look at their tumultuous history. We are certain that you are familiar with the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education landmark decision that ruled against the segregation of Black students. However, you might not have heard of the 1947 Mendez v. Westminster decision.
Known as the first federal school desegregation decision, it protected Mexican children from the damaging effects of ‘separate-but-equal’ schools throughout the nation. As expected, the decision is still being disregarded in certain states.
For instance, Arizona continues to forbid Latino students from bilingual education. The academic achievement gap could be bridged through dual language immersion programs. Hispanic children should continue to speak Spanish and be recognized as English learners (ELs). Naturally, bilingual instruction should be a national priority.
It’s no wonder that Latino students would like to connect with high school counselors who are speaking Spanish. That way, they’ll have more chances of filling out the college application correctly and on time, as early as eighth grade.
Engaging Latino Students Through Culturally Affirming High School Counseling
Quite predictably, only 11% of high school counselors are Latino. The underrepresentation needs to be acknowledged. Only then can we take clear steps toward Latino inclusivity.
Right now, the academic achievement gap needs to be bridged via culturally inclusive high school counseling. It’s a fact that Latino youth long to connect with adults who share their language and ethnic background.
Research suggests that most high school counselors exhibit bias. Hispanic counselors could guide students much more efficiently since they share their native language. By connecting young Latinos to counselors who walked in their shoes, they’ll be much more likely to get a bachelor’s degree.
With Latino teachers retiring earlier than expected due to educator burnout, it’s crucial for Latino families to tend to their children’s education. Consequently, Latino high school counselors are a valuable asset to the Hispanic community.
We are all aware of the fact that the college application process is a winding road. Although there are plenty of scholarships for Latino kids, the kids remain unaware of how to go about their college and scholarship application processes. In fact, even Latino parents are confused about the steps that need to be taken, and rightfully so.
Helping First-Gen Latino Students Attend College
The Pell Institute disclosed that only 11% of first-gen students complete four-year degrees. Combine that with the rampant racism that minority students have to deal with and you get a recipe for low academic achievement. Did you know that the Pell Grant prevents some low-income students from accessing financial aid?
The financial pressure immigrant parents face is immense. The educational performance of minorities remains irrelevant in a country that mystifies the college and scholarship application processes. Sadly, the continuous gatekeeping prevents first-generation students from pursuing their dreams, unlike most white students.
Let’s make families aware of tools, resources, and scholarships for Hispanic students! Thankfully, organizations such as the Hispanic Scholarship Fund or La Unidad Latina Foundation (LULF) positively contribute to Latino college enrollment and completion. Hispanic Serving Institutions (HSIs) are also welcoming students with open arms.
Reaching Out to Experts: Discover ScholarPrep Nation
ScholarPrep Nation takes away the college application anxiety and replaces it with an empowering and inclusive approach. We strongly believe that the college and scholarship application processes can be demystified. How, you might wonder?
Here are the benefits of choosing ScholarPrep Nation:
- Unlimited access to an online & nationwide network
- Academic mentorship services
- Expert advice from ScholarPrep Navigators (coaches)
- Personalized search for scholarships for Hispanic students
- College essay writing
- Personality assessments
- ACT/SAT tutoring
- Monthly webinars for optimal accountability
- …and much more!
Latino College Completion Is Now Attainable with ScholarPrep Nation!
Our country needs more Black and Latino college graduates. For that to happen, we’ve created an innovative and culturally affirming college access program. All minority students need a helping hand. ScholarPrep Nation invites you to build with us as we fight for inclusivity in education.
Contact us now and find out more about who we are and why we do what we do. We’d be happy to hear from you!
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