More focus on finances needed to increase Latino science and math graduates

A report released by the University of California, Riverside, indicates that more attention needs to be placed on finances to increase the number of Latino students graduating in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.

The authors of the report found STEM majors receiving more financial support from their parents were more likely to graduate from highly selective institutions than students with less support.

According to the authors, the findings reveal yet another way that Latina and Latino students are disadvantaged in the current context of rising college costs and falling non-loan financial aid.

The report, “Tapping HSI-STEM Funds to Improve Latina and Latino Access to STEM Professions,” comes at a time of increased attention on the number of Latino students trained in the STEM fields.

The report divided Latino students into three categories – self-support, parental support and balanced support – based on sources of financial support they used to pay for college.

Only 26 percent of self-supporters graduated from a research university, compared to 46 percent of those parentally supported and 42 percent with balanced support.

Similarly, self-supporters attended institutions of lesser prestige. Only 21 percent of self-supporters attended highly selective institutions, compared to 32 with parental support and 34 percent with balanced support.

Source: UC Riverside News Room, “More focus on finances needed to increase Latino science and math graduates”, December 1, 2010.