It’s no secret that Latino students are struggling academically to compete with their counterparts. According to the group Excelencia in Education, 21% of Hispanics in America hold an associate’s degree or higher. This number is significantly less than males in other groups, such as African Americans (30%) and Whites (44%).

This trend holds across age groups as well, demonstrating the cross-generational nature of the challenge. 8% of Latinos who are 18-24 years of age have earned some form of advanced degree, compared with 14% of all young adults. For adults over the age of 25, Whites earn advanced degrees at twice the rate of Hispanics, and Asians are nearly three times as likely to hold a degrees.

Several reports indicate unique difficulties for Latinos that come into play when completing a degree. They particularly struggle with their socioeconomic status. Not only is there a lack of financial resources for Latino students, but the need for all family members to work in order to support their families tends to hinder their opportunities for continuing education. Data shows, in reports such as the College Board’s report on the educational experience of men of color, that Latina women have consistently higher graduation rates than their male counterparts. In large part, this reverts back to the unique culture of the Latino community and their commitment to family, in which Latino males are more willing and face greater expectations that they will sacrifice school and other personal ambition in order to assist their families.

Read more at the Huffington Post