Hispanic Families in Barrio Logan face challenges when it comes to reaching a higher education. With only 6% of the Barrio Logan Community with a bachelor's degree or higher, navigating college applications, scholarships, and financial aid can be difficult without the proper guidance. Within this, language, cultural, and financial barriers make reaching for a higher education even more daunting.
Organizations like Barrio Logan have been supporting families for years making a big difference in the Barrio Logan Community. But with the lack of support of these organizations who are helping not only students but parents navigate their student's further education, Hispanic students' future could be at large risk.
How can we ensure these “lifelines” continue to have the opportunity to support their students and why is it that Hispanic families struggle to navigate college applications?
6% of people in the Barrio Logan Community have attended college with a Bachelor's Degree or higher. This leaves 94% of the population who have not attended college. This doesn’t just mean a statistically lower income but also leaves many Hispanic families “blindly” navigating the college application system, financial aid, and further career opportunities. Families not only struggle with applications but many are scared away by the fear of college debt, language, and cultural barriers.
Language barriers have been a significant issue in the Barrio Logan community not only due to being Immigrants but also living in a predominantly Spanish-speaking community. The 2000 Census shows that 1/3rd of the Barrio Logan population struggles with English and that 38% of the Barrio Logan population is linguistically isolated.
Hispanic families have used Spanish and Mexican culture to form their community and feel connected. This has brought a lot of power within the community but outside leads to a bigger struggle.
Even with translations in college application school meetings, webinars, and documents, getting a quality translation that is simple to understand can be difficult, especially with college applications being new to Immigrant parents and first-generation students.
With the average 393 to 1 student-to-counselor ratio in local Barrio Logan schools, relying on school counselors to help students navigate college applications, financial aid, and scholarships in a different language can seem like a nightmare. This limits students and families to the support and information they can access.
In the 2008 data submitted by the Economic Research Associates, the median household income in Barrio Logan in 2008 was $23,506. This is over a 71% difference from the City of San Diego's median household income of $49,422 in 2008.
Educationdata.org says the total cost of attending a 4-year public college in California for in-state students is $24,925. The average cost for 4 years of private college as an in-state student in California is $58,515.
Paying for college can seem impossible for Hispanic families in Barrio Logan largely due to the median household income. Without the knowledge of possible scholarships and financial assistance, applying to college isn’t an option for many. Even simple applications and forms can require English, further strengthening the barrier between students pursuing further education.
Money isn’t always every family's barrier, but to some, it's the fear of losing their families. Forbes said that students had been afraid of sharing their parent’s undocumented status on their FAFSA because they believed the government would use the information to deport them. This fear afflicts a student's future and can also negatively impact a student's mental health.
Support for families in Barrio Logan has been worked on for years by outside organizations. Rosales Media For Change aims to make a change by helping students voice their struggles and need for change. There are also “vets” in the support of Barrio Logan families. Barrio Logan College Institute has been helping support Barrio Logan students and parents for many years. (BLCI) has helped over 750 students and has had a 100% graduation and college enrollment rate and an 88% college retention rate for its students. (BLCI) has never charged families for providing weekly workshops for students, tutoring, college visits, field trips, etc. Families only need to dedicate their time to the program. One of the ways parents can complete their hours is by attending workshops such as FAFSA application guides and guides on college applications. These workshops are instructed by Spanish Speakers and members of the Barrio Logan and Hispanic community.
The issue today is that the lack of support in recent years has led to the decline in support of Hispanic students in Barrio Logan.
Support of these institutions and students leads to a better San Diego future. Volunteering time to tutor, support teachers, and monetary support makes a world of difference for Hispanic students. Supporting the Rosales Media For Change scholarship fund and institutions like the Barrio Logan College Institute will lead to Hispanic Students having higher careers and higher representation which will lead to better support for our San Diego Hispanic communities.
Sources used:
Rosales Media For Change January 20, 2025