Introduction
It is hard enough to get by as a first generation young immigrant in one of the most advanced nations in the world without having to compete for entry into an institution of higher learning. For the purposes of this research paper, first-generation students refer to students who have themselves immigrated to the US as opposed to children of immigrants who have been born in the USA. For this students, the journey to adjust to their new country of residence occurs contemporaneously with their academic journey. The situation becomes exacerbated for Latino students who are not only vast in numbers but predominantly from relatively poor families. The higher numbers of Latino students reduce the handicap consideration that they would erstwhile get had they been a substantive minority. Further, the lack of financial security reduces their chances of studying in private learning institutions whose entry qualifications are not extreme. As this research paper reveals, available studies show more challenges than opportunities for first-generation Latino students creating a need for urgent and effective mitigation.
Study 1: Opportunities Available for First Generation Latino Students
According to Boden (2011), first generation Latinos students are accorded a fair opportunity based on the enrollment management programs available in colleges and universities. Further, the immigrants are aware of the opportunities and actively seeking to attain the threshold set within those opportunities. Boden (2011) reports on a qualitative research undertaken on high school students based on their understanding with regard to their preparedness for future college enrollment. The purpose of the study was to create an understanding of whether the students understood the requirements of college enrollment and if they felt prepared for the same. The mode of data collection for the study was in the form of interviews. As a background of the research, the study also includes an elaborate literature review on college enrollment management in the US from the perspective of first-generation Latino students. Based on the results of the research and the discussion therein, fair opportunities exist for first-generation Latino students to undertake college education. However, the handicap that comes with immigration makes it hard for the students to take advantage of the opportunities.
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Study 2: Challenges
According to the study by Becerra (2010), the presence of opportunities for higher learning is overtaken by massive challenges and barriers that face first-generation Latino students who seek a higher education in the US. Further, the enrollment management programs in higher institutions do not adequately compensate for these challenges and barriers. Becerra (2010) is a primary study undertaken by thousands of Hispanic students a cross-section of whom identified as first-generation immigrants. The purpose of the qualitative study undertaken was to establish the perception of these students towards the enrollment management systems of colleges from their perspective as Latino students. The mode of data collection for the study was in the form of interviews. Among the parameters tested by the study were “linguistic acculturation, academic achievement, socioeconomic status, and generational status” (Becerra, 2010, p.190) all of which are pertinent for first-generation immigrants. Based on the results of the research and the analysis carried out therein, each of the four parameters outlined above provides ample challenges for first-generation students, including during the process of enrollment for higher education. For example, linguistic acculturation challenges make it difficult for the students to express themselves when undergoing the enrollment process.
Study Three: Mitigation of the Problem into the Future
A variety of adjustments need to be undertaken in the general enrolment management process to accommodate first-generation Latino immigrants who wish to enroll for higher education (Zarate & Burciaga, 2010). The journal article by Zarate and Burciaga (2010) is a comprehensive literature review that covers the opportunities and challenges that face first-generation Latino students in their efforts to enroll in institutions of higher learning. The study is organized in a manner that opportunities available are matched with the challenges that face the potential students and then followed with what needs to be done to get the opportunities. As outlined in the article, first-generation Latino immigrants are not forbidden from enrolling in academic institutions. However, these students face financial, social, and cultural barriers that make it almost impossible for most of them to take advantage of the available opportunity. The journal article then moves ahead to suggest a legislative solution such as the one engendered in the DREAM Act, a bill that has repeatedly failed to pass in Congress. Under the bill, the opportunity availed for Latino students to enroll in universities and colleges is backed up by active measures to eliminate the challenges that face first-generation Latino students. As outlined in Zarate and Burciaga (2010), providing an opportunity for students without providing the means to take advantage of that opportunity is akin to denying the students that opportunity. Among the key adjustments that need to be made towards the enrollment management process is the provision of financial assistance and mitigation of linguistic challenges for the potential students.
Conclusion
The three journal articles presented above are in consensus that first-generation Latino students are allowed to enroll for higher education but the enrolment management regimen in place denies them the opportunity to capitalize on the opportunity. As par the research, the students are determined to get a higher education and also dedicated to prepare for and attain this goal. However, many barriers including pecuniary, linguistic, and cultural barriers stand in the way of their attaining this goal. If the first generation student is only accorded the same opportunity as the residents or even second-generation immigrants, the former will be unable to compete with the latter for the available opportunity. Legislative measures should be put in place to mitigate the challenges so that the first generation students can effectively compete for higher education opportunities.
References
Becerra, D. (2010). Differences in perceptions of barriers to college enrollment and the completion of a degree among Latinos in the United States. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 9(2), 187-201 Boden, K. (2011). Perceived academic preparedness of first-generation Latino college students. Journal of Hispanic Higher Education, 10(2), 96-106 Zarate, M. E., & Burciaga, R. (2010). Latinos and college access: Trends and future directions. Journal of College Admission, 209, 24-29
