03/22/2010
Hispanics are less likely to graduate from public and private universities compared with whites in Texas and nationwide, a new study finds.
The nonprofit American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research used data from six-year graduation rates from the National Center for Education Statistics.
The study, entitled Rising to the Challenge: Raising Hispanic Graduation Rates as a National Priority, found that 51 percent of Hispanics who started college earned a bachelor's degree within six years, compared with 59 percent of whites.
The Texas figures indicate that 40 percent of Hispanics graduated within six years, compared with 45 percent for whites, according to results released last week.
"When the students aren't graduating it suggests there's something going on there at the institutional level," research fellow Andrew Kelly said.
The study recommends a greater focus on retention and graduation rates, along with better financial information for students and their families. Hispanic students were less likely to be aware of loan and scholarship assistance, the study found.
Southern Methodist University in Dallas graduated 71 percent of