Barriers to college access for Latino adolescents: A comparison of existing theoretical frameworks

A comprehensive description of barriers to college access for Latino/a adolescents is an important step toward improving educational outcomes. However, relevant scholarship on barriers has not been synthesized in a way that promotes coherent formulation of intervention strategies or constructive scholarly discussion. The goal of this article is to synthesize the barriers literature briefly as a basis for comparing and evaluating possible frameworks for addressing barriers. The bridging multiple worlds model, social capital theory, and social cognitive career theory are 3 possible frameworks for addressing barriers to college access for Latinos/as. Implications are given for future barriers research and programmatic interventions