Gen Z Latinos are aware they have more educational opportunities than those before them and plan to seize them. A report by My Code and Remezcla shows that over 75% of respondents plan to enroll in a post-secondary educational program and two out of three plan to pursue a higher degree regardless of where they are in their journey.
However, the cost of tuition and family responsibilities are among the main challenges they face to achieve their goals. Here are the main conclusions of the report:
-56% say of Latin Gen Zs believe they have more opportunities to pursue higher education than the generation before them.
-As the decades go by, a greater number of Latinos have enrolled in college in the U.S.: the figure goes from 2.9 million in 2010 to 4.1 million in 2021.
A vehicle to success
The report also emphasizes how this Latino generation are driven by the certainty of embracing opportunities that their parents did not have. At the same time, they feel grateful for the sacrifices that past generations went through for them. "They look to education as a vehicle to provide more career options and to achieve financial stability for their future." says the report.
However path to higher education is not one-size-fits-all. While a bachelor's degree is viewed as important, a meaningful proportion are opting to attend trade schools and community colleges instead.
Some relevant data emphasizes these statements:
-Half of Latin Gen Z surveyed say they are the first in their family to continue their education beyond high School.
At the same time, these past generations are a fulcrum that propels and supports Gen Z's Latinos toward their future: "with the support of their family and the optimism for more opportunities, they are uniquely positioned to navigate their education and careers with confidence; self-aware of their cultural power and the impact their voices have on the future of this country", says the report.
- 53% of those surveyed indicate that their family has influenced their decision to pursue higher education. 52% responded that they do it for better job opportunities.
-Overall, more than 3-quarters of Hispanic Gen Z's surveyed are embracing education: 77% of Latin Gen Z are enrolled or plan to enroll in a post-secondary educational program.
-53% believe a that bachelor's degree is the most important degree to have and 66% plan to pursue a higher degree regardless of where they are currently in their educational journey.
Beyond self-confidence, reality is filled with obstacles
The report also focuses on complexities that may hamper their goals: the cost of tuition is a big challenge for many students, as well as family responsibilities: concretely, 57% of those surveyed indicated that the cost of tuition is a great challenge to developing a high academic education and 47% said that the challenge is family responsibilities.
"The cost of tuition and family obligations make it challenging for many in this generation to maintain the healthy, stress-free mindset needed to thrive in educational environments."
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