AP-Univision Poll: College dreams for Hispanics

Associated Press ^ | July 29, 2010 | RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR and TREVOR TOMPSON

[reaganaut1]

More than 10 years have passed since she gave up her pursuit of a degree in computer science, but Yajahira Deaza still has regrets. She says she feels incomplete. She now works in customer service for a major New York bank, and her experience reflects the findings of an Associated Press-Univision poll that examined the attitudes of Latino adults toward higher education. Despite strong belief in the value of a college diploma, Hispanics more often than not fall short of that goal. The findings have broad implications not only for educators and parents, but for the economy.

In the next decade, U.S. companies will have to fill millions of jobs to replace well-trained baby boomers going into retirement. As the nation's largest minority group, Latinos account for a growing share of the pool of workers, yet their skills may not be up to par. Aware of the challenge, some California State University campuses are reaching out to Hispanic children as early as the fourth grade.

"Aspirations for higher education are very strong among Hispanics, but there's a yawning discrepancy between aspirations and actual attainment," said Richard Fry, an education researcher at the Pew Hispanic Center. Indeed, the poll, also sponsored by The Nielsen Company and Stanford University, found that Hispanics value higher education more than do Americans as a whole. Eighty-seven percent said a college education is extremely or very important, compared with 78 percent of the overall U.S. population.

[reaganaut1]

The average IQ of American Hispanics has been estimated to be about 90, about 2/3 of a standard deviation below whites. Charles Murray has estimated than an IQ of 115 is needed to truly study at the college level. (Of course, colleges and will lower their standards to get grab more tuition money.) Most people of all races are below that level, but the fraction below will be considerably for Hispanics than whites.

[hinckley buzzard]

Hispanics value higher education more than do Americans as a whole. Eighty-seven percent said a college education is extremely or very important, compared with 78 percent of the overall U.S. population.

Talk is cheap. If they meant what they told the pollsters, universities would not have to be "doing outreach" to nine year olds. Their parents would be handling that.

[kearnyirish2]

In my unprofessional opinion, a lot of Indians from south of the border probably share many of the problems of their kin north of the border (and probably for a lot of the same reasons).

[Silentgypsy]

My friends and I worked our way through school. 4-5 hours of sleep—weird work schedules to accommodate classes—the universities were not supportive to part-time students in the 70’s and 80’s. I don’t doubt that they find it difficult.

[Bernard]

Well, that's it, then. Lindsay Graham will have to write in a college degree into his amnesty compromise so these poor downtrodden victims won't have to face the anxiety of actually proving their value by taking college courses.

[goodnesswins]

Colleges are becoming antiquated manure farms filling the heads of many students with composted communism....the only way to avoid that really, is to make a kid PAY THEIR OWN way mostly....unless they are highly motivated and intelligent (doctor, engineer candidate, etc.) The cost of the “education” most get isn’t worth it.

[LibFreeOrDie]

that's why she had to leave her computer studies back in the late 1990s. A single mom-to-be, she was expecting her first child

Ah, the real reason... Not the college's fault, not society's fault.

[bboop]

Here’s how it works: IF she wants to go to college, she can find a way. She’ll probably have to work and not whine, and it may be difficult. Might even have to take out loans. And???? Is a college degree, too, now part of Every American’s Rights?

Give me a break.