They have to support their families financially because they keep bringing new babies into the family.

My daughter worked 3 jobs AND went to college.

You have a point there witterpitters. There's no excuses, stop having so many kids, plain and simple, not saying all Hispanic family's are like that but it happens. 

The average Hispanic family in the U.S. is only slightly larger than the average of all U.S. residents and certainly not as large as some might think. 

"The average Hispanic family, though, is still larger than the national average: 3.87 people per Hispanic family, while the national average for all families is 3.19 people."

The rest of this article is at: http://www.pop.org/00000000...

You gotta be kidding me. It's always about hispanics or blacks. Now that I am the minority, what about me?  Growing up they said race does not matter, now that I am older race is a factor. I applied for aid and was denied. Reapplied and marked OTHER for race and was approved. This is wrong.. Now when asked my race I write in OTHER  or HUMAN..

Banana...thanks for the advice!

I am not sure if I buy the survey's findings that the achievement gap between Latinos and Whites is due to financial hardship alone.  Ten years ago, after high school, I went to community college in Monterey for 2.5 years and a year Bakersfield College because I relocated with my folks to run a family business they had purchased in 2001.

Three and a half years in community college prior to transferring to a 4-year university couldn't have cost me more than 2000 dollars in tuition and books.  After a year, I dropped out of university to go back home, but it wasn't due to financial hardship.  Three years later, I returned to Bakersfield College to pursue a different a major and transferred out to CSUB in August 2008.  A year and a half worth of tuition (5 quarters including two summers) and book fees at CSUB cost me nearly 8000 dollars.  In those 4.5 years I've gone to school (not including my time spent at the 4-year university) I also worked to for my tuition  and to support my family, while making hard sacrifices.

And guess what, I am a son of South Korean immigrants.  My folks worked their way up in California for 30 years before currently owning their third business.  Both worked as laborers and saved money for 10 years before purchasing their first business in 1992. 

Can the Pew Hispanic Center offer any explanation why there are percentages of Whites, Asians, and Blacks in similar financial hardships as Hispanics able to attend college after all?  I guess the moral of the story is, while it is true that financial hardship can be an obstacle to those wanting to obtain a degree from college, it doesn't make it entirely impossible. 

Last stats I heard about 25% of h.s. grads go on to a college degree. Here in Kern County the rate is a dismal 13%. Getting a college degree takes a level of maturity and commitment a lot of youngsters don't have. Getting a college degree is not easy; nor should it be. But it is not impossible. There is more opportunity than ever for higher education, despite the financial hurdles we all ways hear of.

My grown nephew got his degree in civil engineering at Cal Poly with support from friends and family. He told one inquiring h.s. student wanting to know the best way to get to college, "First of all, you've got to want it."

I don't think a college degree is necessrilly the definition of success.  It would be nice if Young adults could attain  viable skill.  A degree should be one of many options.  One could have employment options in KC by learning a trade or attaining credentils to work in the oil and ag industries.  Honestly, there is not a large market demand for people with degrees in Kern County, unless you are in education, law, or engineering.  Kids with welding skills or HAZMAT certification are more employable than I am in Bakersfield, and I have a Master's degree.

Are there any studies on "brain drain" in KC?

I have to agree, jfrancais, a degree is no guarantee nor does it translate to being smarter or successful nor is it a trump card.  No doubt, mine got me a couple of jobs I otherwise would not have had. One of my employers was a h.s. dropout. Obviously didn't stop him from reading books and acquiring experience. 

Best advice I'd give a college student is know why you are going and keep it in perspective. 

Great post JF and catpaw

and  witterpitters I am hispanic and have one child, even though I come from a big family 21 brothers and sisters me included, we as siblings have 2-4 children..and not one welfare. And when I was 15 I started working 70 hrs a week to help me and the family, I have to mention my mom had 12, my dad had the rest with someone else,,,I bought everything I needed for school clothes, etc the rest went to my mom for the house, when i left home and worked i still help with the younger kids, like buying shoes, clothes etc. that's family helping, and when the younger kids went to school, we olders ones help all we could.  I now go to a class at West for that freshman academy, and i am going to make sure i have the skills to help my child go to college, right now he is a freshman, and i am also going for the help in financial aid and funds that are available. whether he goes to college or not he will learn a trade.

I'm less idealistic now, but the idea of going to college just to get a good job seemed a bit foreign.  I probably could have got a job working in the oil fields or being a mechanic (Maybe even Southern Pacific like my grandpa) and made more money.  I always saw academia as a calling to search for truth and self.  Maybe if I studied more in engineering or economics (i.e. a field of study that pays better in the corporate world than mine), my outlook would be different.

I applied for aid and was denied. Reapplied and marked OTHER for race and was approved. LUCKY YOU. back in the late 60's I broke my arm, was divorced, had a 3 yr old to care for, no child support, no job. I applied for aid and was denied - because I am white. Right behind me were black and hispanic women who came to get "their" checks.  I was told to "go get a job". I asked how I was supposed to do that with a broken arm - the person said, "not my problem".

go figure.

Oh ya - I taught myself to write left handed and lied like hell to get a job.