Dennis RomeroWhen we announced last year that Latinos are now the largest minority group on college campuses, some of you Hispanic-haters were quick to latch onto the fact that many of these places were two-year institutions of the community variety.
Sure, they're high schools with ash trays. And Latinos are dumb, so they could never mount a real nerd-like reconquista of the more elite four-year universities.
Well, Cletus, you're wrong:
For the first time Latinos comprise the largest minority at four-year college campuses as well as at two-year institutions, the Pew Hispanic Center announced this week.
Its now annual study of Latinos in education finds that we brownfolk make up 16.5 percent of college enrollments, with total campus numbers surpassing two million.
And yes, we rule the community college circuit too, with one in four such students being of Latino heritage, according to Pew:
Credit: UCLA / Facebook
The new milestones reflect a number of continuing upward trends. Between 1972 and 2011, the Latino share of 18- to 24-year-old college students steadily grew–rising from 2.9% to 16.5%. During the same period, among all public school students, the Latino share grew from 6.0% to 23.9%. In both cases, rapid Latino population growth has played a role in driving Latino student enrollment gains over the past four decades.
The researchers note that more than three-fourths of Latinos ages 18 to 24 are now college eligible (with diplomas or GEDs in-hand).
So look out, fear-mongers. There's more of this intellectual land grab to come.
[@dennisjromero / djromero@laweekly.com / @LAWeeklyNews]
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