Los Angeles Leadership Academy High School

Hispanics and the Value of Having an Education

By Omar Robledo
AP Literature
23 May 2016

Young urban Latino students should consider pursuing a college degree now that the
educational resources are easily accessible and conditions have improved within predominately
Hispanic schools. Being a Hispanic and wanting an education is a wonderful thing; it leads to a
myriad of opportunities; it helps one learn specific skills needed for the future, and because in
the 2000s, a person must have at least a college degree in order to become competitive in the job
market. There is just one problem: many Latinos are not taking advantage of these opportunities!
Many Latinos seem to think that college is a waste of money, or have the notion that a high
school diploma or a G.E.D. (General Education Degree) is enough, but sometimes enough is not
an adequate amount. As the Latino population grows, and schools continue to advance and
improve, the Latino community needs to value education.
During the Civil Rights Movement, there was an educational reform movement occurring
in the Latino community. As described by Francisco A. Rosales in his book Chicano! , On
March 1, 1968, three hundred high-school students walked out of their Friday morning classes
discontent and anger stemming from more profound issues had been brewing in the
predominately Mexican American schools Chicano youths used the walkouts to dramatize
the abysmally poor educational conditions affecting their schools [T]he events were significant
because they affected so many schools, students, teachers and parents [T]he publicity created
by the walkouts reminded the Mexican-origin community throughout the U.S. to examine
educational conditions in their own communities (Rosales 184-185). Latino students in East Los
Angeles high schools decided it was time to change the system that was not providing the help
and resources that the students needed to get a decent education. As an article by the National
Park Service described it, The persistence of subtractive language policies and curricula, few
Spanish-descent public school teachers, tracking of Mexican American and Puerto Rican

students into vocational classes, and lingering segregation of schools led to the fight for
widespread collective and legal rights for Latino educational equity during the 1960s
(National Park Service). Many of the Latinos of that era had to stop speaking Spanish in class,
books were outdated and most teenage boys would take motor repair shop classes, which
basically prepared them for the occupation the school system wanted them to pursue after high
school. After several movements throughout the nations Latino-populated States, educational
reform became a dream-come-true. Most of the conditions started to improve within Los
Angeles and other predominately Hispanic neighborhoods throughout the nation. According to
Rosales, Throughout the decade of the 1960s, more Mexican Americans attended college than
ever before; they formed part of the college-age population created by the baby boom. A sheer
weight of numbers put them on campus, (Rosales 175).
Are Latinos taking advantage of the opportunities offered in the 21st century,
educationally? In the 1970s, Hispanics made up 4.5% of the United States population according
to Census (Census.gov), and approximately 51% of Hispanics, according to a study by the
National Center for Education Statistics, enrolled in a two-year college, four-year college, or
trade school (Then Journal of Education). But, times have changed and the Hispanic population
continues to grow rapidly. According to Steve Phillips in his book Brown is the New White,
Latinos are now the largest group of color in the country, with a population that exceeds 54
million people, making up 17% of the total U.S. population and 46% of all people of color in
America (Phillips 21). Pew research stated, in 2013, 2.2million Hispanics were enrolled in
college, up from 782,000 in 1993a 201% increase, (Phillips 21). That means that
approximately 1,418,000 more Latinos attended university in 2013 than did in 1993. That
number is most likely to rise as the population and improvements increase. This means that the

job market is getting more competitive and a bachelors degree, now, is becoming the equivalent
of a high school diploma in the 20th century since it is a degree most students will have obtained.
The demographics have changed and there is a big reason why Hispanics should value a
college education in the advanced times we are facing. As time passes, our economy is creating
more competition and the job market is becoming more competitive in terms of job positions and
financial opportunity. According to CollegeAtlas.org, individuals achieving the following degree
levels in 2015 earned the following median annual salaries: PhDs, $100,000 or more; Masters,
$63,000; Bachelors, $55,000; Associates, $43,000; High School Diploma, $32,500. That means
one gets paid about $10,500 dollars less than the average person with a Bachelors if they have a
diploma only. This proves my point about the inadequacies of having only a high school
diploma. According to a study by Georgetown Public Policy Institute, 21% of jobs in 2010
required a Bachelors degree and 11% required a Masters (Cognitive Pragmatics). In that same
study, it is projected that in 2020, 24% of jobs will require a Bachelors degree, but the market
will stay at 11% of the jobs requiring a Masters degree. These degrees will soon be mandatory
in order to get a good paying job. Consider the following chart bellow and what it conveys. In a
study by The Hamilton Project, it shows a similar statistic that shows people with a PhD
receiving at least $120,000 on average (Brookings.edu). Compared to a person with a high school
diploma only, who makes $25,000 on average; a person with a Bachelors degree receives about
$20,000 more on average. That is why pursuing a degree in higher education is vital for one who
plans to make a living.

Many Latinos tend to let the costs of an education at a University overwhelm them by
considering the amount of debt they will possibly accumulate by the time they finally finished
their degree. It seems that Latinos feel that community college is the safest way to continue,
financially speaking, but that should not be the case. The United States has a program called
FAFSA that offers financial aid to those applying to colleges who need financial assistance. The
majority of Americans cannot afford a higher education without it. There are also resources for
scholarship opportunities specifically for Hispanics who do exceedingly well. One notable
example is the Hispanic Scholarship Fund. According to the Hispanic Association of Colleges &
Universities, The Hispanic Scholarship Fund and ALPFA have partnered to provide financial
resources to assist outstanding Latino students. Awards range from $1,500 to $10,000
(HACU.net). There are multiple websites and resources that display many scholarship
opportunities, including Zinch.com, Fastweb.com, and Cappex.com to name just a few. In all

honesty, one should not let finances stop them from furthering their education. It is a big step in
opening doors of opportunity for a student.
No matter what, it is possible for an urban Latino to attend a university and people should
take the opportunity to receive a higher education. A Latino should appreciate the possibilities he
or she has now compared to the opportunities that were available to Latinos only a generation or
two ago. It is about making progress to build an educated community for all no matter what
the circumstances are.
The push for Latino students to get an education needs to be made quickly. The number
of Latino students in college has to increase by a higher percentage to keep up with this new
global economy. I cannot stress enough the importance of educating this rising generation of
Latinos who will; I sincerely hope, value their opportunities and utilize the resources available
today. Let us hope that the future will prove to be as promising as it can be.

Work Cited
"5 Facts about Latinos and Education." Pew Research Center RSS. N.p., 26 May 2015.
Web. 27 Apr. 2016.
"EDUCATIONAL PROGRESS OF THE YEAR." The Journal of Education62.5 (1539)
(1905): 142. Web.
Greenstone, Michael "Is Starting College and Not Finishing Really That Bad?" Brookings.edu.
Michael Greenstone and Adam Looney, The Hamilton Project, 7 June 2013. Web.
Phillips, Steve. Brown Is the New White: How the Demographic Revolution Has Created
A New American Majority. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.
Rosales, Francisco A. Chicano! The History of the Mexican American Civil Rights
"SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCE LIST." Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. N.p.,
n.d.
Web. 28 Apr. 2016.
"Table of Contents." Cognitive Pragmatics (n.d.): n. pag. Web.
"The 1940 Census." Population Index 6.1 (1940): 7. Web.
"The Benefits of a College Degree." The Benefits of a College Degree. N.p., n.d. Web.
27 Apr. 2016.
United States. National Park Service. "Demanding Their Rights: The Latino Struggle for
Educational Access and Equity." National Parks Service. U.S. Department of the
Interior, n.d. Web. 27 Apr. 2016.