Pathways to reach higher education: Reflections of college knowledge development for first- and second-generation Latino men college goers.

Abstract

The college admission process is often stacked against racially and ethnically minoritized student populations. However, some students earn access to the most selective colleges and universities. This article expands the empirical discourse on the college pathways for Latino men by examining similarities and differences between 23 first- and second-generation college-going Latinos. Participants recall “who” and “how” they prepared for selective colleges and universities during secondary school. We draw from two theoretical frameworks, community cultural wealth and validation theory, to understand how individual and structural forces shape how and who shared college knowledge during high school. Our findings highlight (a) student interactions with counselors based on generational status, (b) counselors facilitating college opportunities, and (c) students’ participation in college access programs.