Cultural Identity and College Success
Challenges for Hispanic/Latino students
—By Michael Sanchez
Walking into Physics 140, my very first college class, was an overwhelming experience. In high school, I was surrounded by Mexican and African American classmates, a familiar and comforting environment that felt like home. Stepping into this new space, filled mostly with white and Asian students, felt like being in a different country. The sudden shift magnified the feeling of being away from home, making the transition from high school to college even more challenging.
Many have heard of the “American Dream,” but for many Hispanic and Latino families, achieving it often involves navigating unique challenges. For Hispanic/Latino students, the journey to higher education can be particularly daunting. Many of their parents have not attended college, leaving them without a roadmap for guiding their children through the complexities of academic life. When these students make it to college, they often encounter significant cultural and academic barriers that can make the path forward challenging.
Culture
Hispanic/Latino students have great difficulty because of these cultural shifts. In an article called “Academic Achievement Among Immigrants and U.S.-born Latino Adolescents,” the authors highlight key challenges these students face.“One possible barrier to academic success for many Latino youth may be acculturative stress. Acculturation is defined as the process of learning and adapting to a new culture.” Latino/Hispanic students can thus feel a sense of being behind. A first-generation student with a Latino background, a freshman, Maddie Albaran, a nursing student at U-M, says, “Coming into college, I’ve had a hard time meeting others and being able to make lots of friends.”
Cesar Barboza, a Junior at University of Illinois studying economics, says, “During my first two years, I struggled with fitting in. I always felt like everyone knew how to do everything, and my parents had no college experience, so I had difficulty finding anyone to talk to. Being away from home was also super difficult because I’ve relied on my mom so much, and going away for college just meant she kind of just disappears.”
Being in a Mexican-American household, Barboza struggled to adapt because his support system was missing. He also says, “I didn’t explore many programs that could really help me; I would just call friends back at home because I was never really taught how to ask for help.” This is a big issue in Latino culture, where students can have difficulty asking for assistance, which results in creating more difficulties for them and can directly lead to dropouts. A factsheet from Excedencia, called Latino College Completion: Colorado – 2023, finds that in Colorado, the percentage of students no longer enrolled in a 4-year college is 9% higher for Hispanic students compared to their white peers. In addition, this study finds that at four-year institutions, the graduation rate for Hispanic students was 15% lower than that of their white non-Hispanic peers.
The difference in cultures could play a significant role, as Barboza mentioned that he struggles with asking for help. This challenge reflects a common trait observed among many Latino students, who may inherit cultural values from their families where seeking help is often not encouraged. In some cases, asking for help can be perceived as a sign of weakness and not aligning with the traditional notion of being “macho.” This cultural expectation can hinder students from reaching out for academic or emotional support, further complicating their ability to succeed in a new environment.
Being the first
While I, as the writer, feel the weight of completing college, my older brother, Nathan Sanchez, an Aerospace Engineering graduate from the University of Michigan, had an amplified amount of weight on his shoulders. Sanchez explains, “I always wanted to set the example, without even thinking about it, for you guys [his siblings]. I felt that finishing college would increase your likelihood of completing college.”
The pressure extends beyond cultural struggles, including the weight of someone’s background. Many Hispanic/Latino families have big families, so being the first in your family to attend college marks the beginning of a new chapter, not just in your own life but in the lives of those around you. As mentioned earlier, Hispanic/Latino students are often driven by a desire to achieve the “American Dream.” However, due to the close-knit nature of family relationships, there is also a strong desire to see one’s family succeed as well. The pressure to uplift both oneself and one’s loved ones can feel overwhelming, as success can often be seen as not just an individualistic achievement but also a family/collective achievement.
Continuing on the topic of achievement, the tightly knit nature of Latino families often results in multiple generations living close to each other, frequently within the same city. This dynamic can make it particularly challenging for students to attend school far from home, as they may feel a deep sense of responsibility and connection to their families. In an article exploring Latino family dynamics, “The Powerful Role of Family in Hispanic Culture [Unlike U.S. Culture],” the author states, “Latinos have the moral responsibility of helping other family members in need by loaning money, offering their house as a place to live, or taking care of a sick person, for example. Support and security among the extended family is the backbone of Hispanic family values.” This reinforces the cultural emphasis on mutual support and collective growth, aligning with the idea that achievement is not solely about individual success but uplifting the entire family. For many Hispanic/Latino students, navigating these dual responsibilities of personal advancement and familial obligation is both a source of motivation and a significant challenge.
Albaran, the oldest child in her family, feels a significant weight of responsibility. For her, higher education is “a gateway to reach my life goals,” a sentiment shared by many Latino students pursuing college as a path to personal and family advancement. However, it often comes with unique challenges. An article for Inside Higher Ed, “Latino Students Face Major Barriers to Higher Ed Access,” describes how Many Latino and Hispanic students face financial struggles, including the emotional difficulty of asking their parents for money, knowing the family is already under financial strain. This dynamic is a common reality in many Latino households and adds another layer of pressure for students striving to succeed in higher education.
Prior education
A student’s academic foundation plays a critical role in their success in higher education, often influenced by the varying academic backgrounds of their parents. Research can highlight how disparities in prior education have a correlation with the struggles that many students face in University settings, specifically first generation college students.
When comparing students who are first-generation college, prior education is something that can factor into why students in University are struggling. With so many backgrounds, there could be a correlation between poverty levels and educational success. An article called “First-generation College Students: A Literature Review,” describes a variety of access issues.
A significant portion of first-generation college students—those whose parents did not attend college—come from less educated backgrounds. Among the class of 1992 high school graduates, 27% fell into this category, and only 59% of them pursued higher education. In contrast, the enrollment rate was 75% for students whose parents had some college experience and 93% for those with at least one parent holding a bachelor’s degree. These statistics highlight the significant role of parental education in shaping both college enrollment and readiness, underscoring the need to address preparation gaps for equitable access to higher education.
Luckily, bridge programs are something that lots of universities have for people with different backgrounds. My brother, Nathan, says, “Even though my summer bridge was online, connecting with people becomes very easy, and being able to connect with peers early on could have helped a lot had I been on campus. I can see how adapting slowly on campus would’ve made an even greater impact.”
A 2017 report from the Georgetown Center on Education and the Workforce, “The Struggle of Representation,” highlights that while Latino college enrollment in the U.S. has risen, college outcomes for Latinos still fall behind those of white and Black students. This disparity stems from unequal and inadequate academic foundations. Nearly half of Latino students attend overcrowded, underfunded community colleges, often compounded by low-income backgrounds and the challenges of being first-generation college students.
Exploring testing
The history of standardized tests such as the SAT and ACT has compounded the difficulties many first-generation Latino students face, particularly due to gaps in prior academic preparation. These tests have not only proven to be a barrier for underserved groups but also reflect deeper structural issues in the education system that disproportionately affect students from marginalized backgrounds. For Latino students, who often come from underfunded schools or families with limited educational experience, the emphasis on test scores can detract from more meaningful forms of academic development. Academic preparedness—particularly from rigorous coursework like AP and Honors courses—has a far more significant impact on college success and degree completion than standardized test scores alone. By shifting the focus from test performance to fostering challenging, skill-building academic experiences, high schools can provide better tools for Latinos to succeed. This approach not only addresses gaps in academic readiness but also aligns with the broader goals of equity and inclusion that society aims to fix.
Support programs
Colleges and universities across the country recognize the challenges faced by minority and first-generation students. At the University of Michigan, for instance, students have access to clubs and organizations specifically designed to support first-generation students and those from minority backgrounds.
One notable example is Ericka Mendez, an accomplished University of Michigan alumn who studied Aerospace Engineering. As a first-generation student herself, she had deep emotions to create supportive environments for her peers. Mendez founded an aerospace club dedicated to fostering a sense of belonging among minority students in STEM fields. She states that her goals were to “significantly improve the retention and graduation rates of these students while fostering greater unity between them and the broader University of Michigan community.” Beyond the efforts of individuals like Mendez, many colleges provide clubs and organizations that serve the diverse needs of their students. For Latino and Hispanic students, culturally focused organizations often create spaces for shared experiences and cultural celebration while providing academic and professional support. Importantly, these spaces are not exclusive; they frequently collaborate with other minority-focused groups to create broader coalitions advocating for equity and inclusion on campus.
Mendez says, “The biggest piece of advice I’d give to any young student going to college is: Yes, academics are important, but don’t get caught in just academics. This is the time to explore where you fit into the world. Keeping true to yourself and your background will always allow you to find the place in the world where you belong.”
Feature photo: Photo of graffiti by DJ Johnson