Latino parents bridge the achievement gap

Includes bibliographical references (leaves 57-61)The purpose of this graduate project is to construct a resource for connecting the parents of first-generation college-bound students to the college-going process. The target audiences for the resources are high school and college counselors. First-generation students do not matriculate to college and persist through to graduation at the same rate as their non-first-generation peers. This discrepancy, also known as the achievement gap, is prevalent among the Latino population in the United States. This thesis-project offers a series of nine workshops designed for Latino parents about college admissions, financial aid, and transitioning to college within a culturally meaningful framework. The framework, individualism (associated with mainstream schooling and individual achievement) is contrasted with collectivism (associated with immigrant Latino families and emphasizing the well-being of the group or family). Three counselors reviewed the nine workshops, and recommendations for implementation and future directions are offered