Latino Access to Community Colleges and Hispanic-Serving Institutions: A National Study

Abstract

The paper examines the factors that affect Latino students’ enrollment in community colleges that are Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs). The authors analyzed a national sample of first-time, first-year beginning college students to explore the demographic backgrounds, academic characteristics, college choice considerations, and local contexts that are associated with enrolling in community colleges that are HSIs. Community college HSIs appear to enroll students with higher educational expectations but also a higher risk of dropping out of college.