Latinos have surpassed whites in terms of students from the class of 2012 enrolling in college this fall, a new report shows. Experts say the number of Latinos enrolling in college is the highest it has been in 30 years.
Pew Hispanic Research Center said that seven out of ten, or 69 percent, of Hispanic students enrolled in college this year, as opposed to 67 percent of white students, NBC Latino reported.
Richard Fry, who is the lead author on the study, said that until this year, Hispanics were less likely to be college-bound than whites. The figures are the highest they have been in 30 years, he said.
According to the report, the 2008 recession could be a turning point in Hispanic college enrollment trends. It is possible that Hispanics enrolled in college “because of the bleak job market.”
Latino families also value education, Fry said, which could be another motivating factor for Hispanic students.
“The wider Latino community understands the importance of education for the future of education when it comes to advancing future generations,” he said.
However, despite the uptick in Latino enrollment, 56 percent of Hispanics enroll in four-year colleges, the report said, as opposed to 72 percent of whites.
Fry said, “Latino high school graduates are more likely to go to community colleges, and whites to private four-year colleges.”
Also significant is the fact that while more Latino students are enrolling in college, they are still behind other groups in terms of college graduation rates and completing their education.
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