Latinx Undocumented Students College Choice

ABSTRACT

Hossler and Gallagher’s college choice model is a foundational model for understanding students’ college choice experience. Various scholars have critiqued the model for assuming that all students have equitable access to college information and resources. Therefore, building on the literature on Latinx undocumented students college access experience, this paper offers a reconceptualization of Hossler and Gallagher’s linear college choice model that centers the experiences of Latinx undocumented students. The model highlights findings from the literature, such as how undocumented status, immigration policies, family, high school networks, and financial aid are fundamental to Latinx undocumented student’s college choice experience. The reimagined non-linear model focuses on three stages: predisposition phase, search phase, and choice phase. Two key aspect throughout the model is: undocumented status consciousness and fear and trust immigration status disclosure. The revised model serves a conceptual framework for practitioners, policymakers, and college access scholars to create equitable access opportunities for Latinx undocumented students.

KEYWORDS:

• Latinx undocumented students
• college choice
• college access
• policies

Acknowledgement

The author is thankful to Patricia Marin for her support and advice in writing this paper.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

¹ The term “Latinx” is used as a gender-inclusive term for people who self-identify as having racial or ethnic roots in Latin America. The “x” in Latinx is used to disrupt the Spanish language as it continues to hold gender norms (Gonzalez, 2021). It is important to note that the terms “Latinx” continues to evolve as “Latine” has emerged as gender-inclusive word as it is easily pronounceable among Spanish language speakers. We have to continue being critical about the term and reflect the importance of it (Gonzalez, 2021). Thus, for this paper I use the term “Latinx”.