The White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics (WHIEEH) has announced the release of “¡Gradúate! A Financial Aid Guide to Success” to help support Hispanic students in their efforts to enroll and afford a postsecondary education.
The guide, available in English and Spanish, includes recommendations on how to prepare a college application, helpful tips on how to choose the right college, and types of financing options, including resources for students granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals and non-U.S. citizen students.
Determined to help the country reach the President’s 2020 goal, the Initiative has prioritized college access among Hispanics as a key issue. Recent research indicates that the national Hispanic high school graduation rate is at 76 percent – an all-time high. Additionally, a record 69 percent of Hispanic high school graduates in the class of 2012 enrolled in college that fall, two percentage points higher than the rate (67 percent) of their white counterparts, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of new data from the U.S. Census Bureau. The dropout rate for Hispanic students has also been cut in half. Despite these tremendous gains, only 15 percent of Latino adults hold a bachelor’s degree. A significant barrier for Hispanic postsecondary attainment is a financial one.
“We developed the guide in response to feedback that we received directly from students and parents across the country. Our goal is to continue providing the Latino community with the resources and tools they need to be successful from cradle to career.” said Alejandra Ceja, executive director of the WHIEEH.
Access the guide online at ed.gov/HispanicInitiative. The guide will also be housed on the U.S. Department of Education’s new online resource page designed to help the immigrant community navigate the U.S. educational system.
In order to improve opportunities for Hispanic students, President Obama signed Executive Order 13555 on Oct. 19, 2010, renewing the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics. This executive order demonstrates the president’s strong support for the critical role Hispanics play in the overall prosperity of the nation and highlights the administration’s commitment to expanding educational opportunities and improving educational outcomes for all students.
