Many students can tell you about their hopes and dreams, especially as they are growing up. Many of these hopes and dreams include goals such as attending college to better themselves and to help out their families, but only a few actually have the opportunity to accomplish these goals. Many people believe that Latinos have the same amount of or even more opportunities when it comes to going to college compared to white middle-class students. Some would say that affirmative action helps Latinos greatly, but that is not the reality; the reality is that the educational path for Latinos is still very skewed, making it quite difficult for them to attend or finish college. There are several factors that hinder their path to success including: attending
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When someone believes in a person, he or she usually feels the need to achieve greater things and not let them down. In the film Precious Knowledge, several different students talk about how having Mexican-American/Raza Studies helps them believe and achieve greater things in school. A Latino student in the film said, “at the end of the day, you just feel like so much stronger when you learn something, it has just built such a confidence up inside me” (Precious). With this confidence, a student can more easily focus on bettering their education and themselves. Some people might argue that groups like these tend to divide students into racial categories, but all students are welcome into these groups. Sometimes being the only student with a different culture can be intimidating, but having a support system of students who share the same culture or beliefs can empower one’s self. This makes it a whole lot easier for students to confidently participate in class or any other …show more content…
Again, that is not the case because very few Latinos can actually apply to these scholarships. According to Associate Professor and Senior Research Associate Heller from Pennsylvania State University, “the groups of students least likely to be awarded these scholarships are the populations who have traditionally been underrepresented in higher education. Data on college participation rates by race indicate a large disparity between white and Asian American students, who have higher college-going rates, and African Americans and Hispanics, who attend college at lower rate” (Ford 31). Anyone can usually apply for any scholarship as long as they fit into the criteria. The criteria usually does not include race but instead includes several other factors such as high school grade point average, rigor of high school courses, alumni relationships, quality of the required essay, leadership and service, and several others (Bollinger 543). Once again, most Latinos do not rank very high up in the criteria, not because they do not care but rather because they may not have the resources for advanced classes, they may have other priorities before school such as working to support their home, or may not receive the support they
When someone believes in a person, he or she usually feels the need to achieve greater things and not let them down. In the film Precious Knowledge, several different students talk about how having Mexican-American/Raza Studies helps them believe and achieve greater things in school. A Latino student in the film said, “at the end of the day, you just feel like so much stronger when you learn something, it has just built such a confidence up inside me” (Precious). With this confidence, a student can more easily focus on bettering their education and themselves. Some people might argue that groups like these tend to divide students into racial categories, but all students are welcome into these groups. Sometimes being the only student with a different culture can be intimidating, but having a support system of students who share the same culture or beliefs can empower one’s self. This makes it a whole lot easier for students to confidently participate in class or any other …show more content…
Again, that is not the case because very few Latinos can actually apply to these scholarships. According to Associate Professor and Senior Research Associate Heller from Pennsylvania State University, “the groups of students least likely to be awarded these scholarships are the populations who have traditionally been underrepresented in higher education. Data on college participation rates by race indicate a large disparity between white and Asian American students, who have higher college-going rates, and African Americans and Hispanics, who attend college at lower rate” (Ford 31). Anyone can usually apply for any scholarship as long as they fit into the criteria. The criteria usually does not include race but instead includes several other factors such as high school grade point average, rigor of high school courses, alumni relationships, quality of the required essay, leadership and service, and several others (Bollinger 543). Once again, most Latinos do not rank very high up in the criteria, not because they do not care but rather because they may not have the resources for advanced classes, they may have other priorities before school such as working to support their home, or may not receive the support they