Understanding Assimilation within Higher Education

Latino immigrants who often experience discrimination lack assimilation. The purpose of this exploration was to better understand the historical lack of assimilation and the relationship, in particular the access to higher education. In this study, assimilation was measured according to English mastery by Spanish speakers. The research question was focused on what extent the level of education relates to assimilation for Latinos in the US. A correlational design with multiple regression analysis was used in this study to analyze the Latino National Survey of 2006 secondary data (N =8634). Results indicated that education was significant. Further, current trends show an increased opportunity for education in the Latino group. There is also an increased need for higher education beyond 2030 in the US. The implications for social change include research-based information to develop programs for Latinos to adapt into the US population. Lastly, the author’s positionality will be discussed.