Exploring the Use of College-Conocimiento to Understand College-Going Experiences of Rural Latin* College Students

• In Event: College Access and System-Level Practices

Abstract

This study uses college-conocimiento (Acevedo-Gil, 2017) to explore the college-going experiences of seven Latin* current college students who attended different rural high schools in one midwestern state. Initial findings align with several college-conocimiento areas, such as the importance of family and institutional agents in fostering college aspirations, trusted sources of college information, and choosing a college that aligns with students’ lived realities. Student experiences were also complicated by their rural surroundings in terms of urbanormativity and desire to remain in close-knit communities. These findings provide insight into the unique ways in which Latin* students within a rural context access higher education.

Authors

• Stephanie Sowl, Iowa State University

• Christine Cain, Iowa State University

• Maria L Espino, Iowa State University

• Amanda R. Baker, Massachusetts Institute of Technology