Patricia M. McDonough

Understanding Latina and Latino College Choice A Social Capital and Chain Migration Analysis

Through interviews and focus groups with 106 high school juniors and seniors, this research examined the college choice process for Latina and Latino students in the greater Los Angeles basin. Using chain migration theory within a social capital framework, the results indicated that as primarily first-generation college students, the students in this sample relied heavily on siblings, peers, relatives, and high school contacts for purposes of postsecondary planning and for creating a college consideration and application set. Esta investigación examinó el proceso de selección de universidad para estudiantes latinas y latinos en el área de Los Ángeles a través de entrevistas y grupos de enfoque con 106 estudiantes de preparatoria. Usando la teoría de cadena de inmigración con un marco de capital social, los resultados indicaron que como estudiantes universitarios de primera generación, los participantes en esta muestra dependían fuertemente de hermanos, compañeros, parientes y contactos en preparatoria para planear sus metas universitarias, y considerar diferentes solicitudes.

The Meaning of Money Perceptual Differences Between College Counselors and Low-Income Families About College Costs and Financial Aid

A sociocultural understanding of affordability is essential to understanding the college cost deliberations of low-income African American and Latino students and their families. Habitus shapes and informs college affordability decisions for students and their families. Using interviews with 63 college counselors in urban secondary schools, low-income underrepresented students’ assessments of affordability were framed by a highly individualized assessment of need, an internalized calculation of costs versus benefits, and an acute awareness of the competing demands resulting from financial scarcity. The perceptual differences concerning college affordability are an unintended consequence of differential tastes between middle-income counselors and low-income families.

Parent Involvement in the College Planning Process: A Case Study of P-20 Collaboration

Parents who have not had opportunities to attend college themselves have neither experience with the process of college preparation and college going nor sufficient access to needed information.This article describes a collaborative venture between a university department of education and a cluster of local schools designed to help parents of first-generation students become active participants in their children’s college preparation and planning, shedding light on the importance of parental involvement in the college-going process. Padres que no han tenido oportunidad de ir a la universidad no tienen experiencia con el proceso de preparación, con la asistencia a la universidad, ni con el acceso a información necesaria. Este artículo describe la colaboración entre el departamento de educación en una universidad y un grupo de escuelas locales designadas a ayudar a padres de estudiantes universitarios de primera generación a participar activamente en la preparación y planeación universitaria de sus hijos; ésta iluminó la importancia de la involucración paternal en el proceso universitario.

Establishing a College Culture in Secondary Schools Through P-20 Collaboration: A Case Study:

This case study examines a P-20 action research partnership involving a university, a nonprofit organization, and several middle and high schools with sizeable enrollments of underserved students. The partnership’s goals were rooted in a cultural change model designed to encourage college awareness and attendance among largely Latino and African American students. The research reveals the barriers and opportunities inherent in a collaborative model from the perspective of school counselors and administrators. Este caso examina una investigación colaborativa de una universidad, una organización no-lucrativa, y varias escuelas medias y preparatorias con un número amplio de estudiantes apoyados pobremente. Las metas de esta colaboración fueron ancladas en un modelo de cambio cultural designado a fomentar la concientización y presencia universitaria de estudiantes latinos y áfrico-americanos. La investigación reveló las barreras y oportunidades inherentes en el modelo colaborativo de acuerdo a la perspectiva de los consejeros escolares y administradores.

The Role of Social Trust in Low-Income Latino College Financing Decisions

We consider the role of social trust in mediating student loan decision-making among Latino students and their parents. Using interview and focus group data from 112 Latino students and 48 parents, we examined how the historical interactions of Latino families with bureaucratic entities shaped perceptions around student loans.