Factors Influencing Latino Dropouts

"Where are you from? Where were you born? You speak good English! Can you teach me Spanish?” Has anybody ever asked you one of these questions? If so, did it make you feel like you’re not American, or less intelligent? These are just a few examples of a recently understood issue known as microaggressions, and microaggressions are just one of a handful of reasons why Latino students struggle to enroll in and complete postsecondary education. Another reason has to do with financial concerns. As we began our research, having grown up in a Latino community, we knew that poverty also played a role in whether students entered or remained in college. In fact, Davila and Michaels
(2016) describe this in their research. They explain that “according to the Pew Hispanic Research Center, 37.3 percent of poor children were Latino “and these constant “economic constraints hinder Latino children’s academic success;” illustrating how poverty really impacts a person’s opportunities- young or old. Continuing our research into some of the influences that cause Latinos to fail to enroll in college or leave without finishing their degree, we discovered that there are a plethora of influences that impact Latino success in higher education. This poster will explore not only microaggressions and poverty, but also family and cultural influences. It will explore the pressure associated with making an immigrant parents’ sacrifice worth it, some barriers associated with language, and financial discouragement related to attaining a postsecondary education. Last but not least, it will explore some new trends in Latino education and the positive impact that this could have on the growing Latino community in the United States.