The purpose of this study was to identify policies and practices that impact the
admission and retention of Hispanics in higher education. The study did this by
identifying those policies and practices that are currently being used and that facilitate
or hinder institutions of higher education in the recruitment, admission, retention, and
graduation of students, particularly Hispanic students. The researcher utilized the
Delphi method to conduct the study. This research method produces a consensus of
opinion from a group of individuals identified as experts in a given field.
Three structured surveys were conducted. Each round of surveys had two
questionnaires: (a) policies and practices that positively or negatively impact the
admission of Hispanics in higher education and (b) policies and practices that
positively or negatively impact the retention of Hispanics in higher education.
Conclusions
The Texas Academic Skills Program (TASP) is negatively affecting Hispanic
students admission into Texas colleges and universities. Further, it is affecting the
retention of Hispanic students in Texas institutions. If students do poorly on the TASP,
they are placed in remedial courses. Even though students successfully complete all
remediation courses (even with AÂs & BÂs), if they do not pass the TASP after
remediation, they cannot continue college level work. This causes many students to
become discouraged and leave college.
Although college test makers, such as the Educational Testing Service (ETS),
state that the SAT should be used as an assessment instrument, many Texas collegeÂs
continue to use it for admissions and awarding scholarships; both of which are contrary
to test-makers recommendations. College admission tests are hindering the admission
of Hispanic students into colleges and universities.
Tuition costs, particularly where students depend heavily on loans, are keeping
students from entering college, from continuing in college, and from pursuing graduate
and post-graduate degrees.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:tamu.edu/oai:repository.tamu.edu:1969.1/3185 |
| Date | 12 April 2006 |
| Creators | Cantu, Linda Valdez |
| Contributors | Whetten, Clifford L. |
| Publisher | Texas A&M University |
| Source Sets | Texas A and M University |
| Language | en_US |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Book, Thesis, Electronic Dissertation, text |
| Format | 991073 bytes, electronic, application/pdf, born digital |
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