The American Council on Education, established in 1918, is currently comprised of and represents more than 1,800 accredited degree granting colleges and universities across the nation. Findings based on U.S. Department of Education data show that between 1997 and 2007, total minority enrollment on U.S. campuses grew 52 percent to 5.4 million, while the number of white students grew 12 percent, to 10.8 million. Hispanics made the largest gains, reducing historical gaps occurring with their black and white counterparts in high school completion from 1988 to 2008.
The report, authored by Mikyung Ryu, also pointed out that while minority women are gaining ground, the educational attainment of males is on the down fall. In total, the findings reveal that post secondary educational achievement has flat-lined. This means that young adults are no better educated than prior generations. Although the report is great news for Hispanics, it also concludes that the enrollment gap that has whites ahead of Hispanics has increased with Hispanic men lagging farther behind young Hispanic women.
Moreover, significant gaps among racial groups remain and are widening. In 2006, among 18- to 24-year-olds, 61 percent of Asian Americans were in college compared to 32 percent of African Americans. Also of note: African Americans had the lowest persistence rates of all groups; 73 percent for those who began at four-year institutions and 47 percent for those who started at two-year colleges would eventually finish. –torrance stephens, ph.d.
