Building a Multicontextual Model of Latino College Enrollment: Student, School, and State-Level Effects

Latinos’ college enrollment rates, particularly in four-year institutions, have not kept pace with their population growth in the United States. Using three-level hierarchical generalized linear modeling, this study analyzes data from the Educational Longitudinal Study (ELS) to examine the influence of high school and state contexts, in addition to student characteristics, on Latino students’ enrollment in four-year institutions. Results suggest that academic preparation, navigation of financial aid, levels of school resources, and teacher quality are among the important areas to target to promote Latino four-year college enrollment.