Access, Achievement, and Social Capital: Standardized Exams and the Latino College-Bound Population

Abstract

This exploratory study illustrates the differences in achievement between Latino college-bound students compared to their White counterparts with respect to key background and achievement variables. This research presents the gaps in “inputs” that Latino students possess regarding disparate income, parent education levels, access to Advanced Placement courses, and performance on standardized exams. The author presents descriptive statistics on college-going students, comparing Latino students to other high school test takers in the country.