Up for Grabs: The Gains and Prospects of First- and Second-Generation Young Adults

Young adult Hispanics who are immigrants or the U.S.-born children of immigrants are making consistent generational gains in education and employment, a Migration Policy Institute study finds. Most interestingly: College enrollment rates are particularly strong for second-generation Hispanic women. But while these young women are enrolling in college at the same rate as third-generation non-Hispanic white women, they trail their white counterparts significantly when it comes to completing an associate’s degree or higher by the age of 26. These disparities in college completion represent just one reason why the future for the population of first- and second-generation young adults (ages 16-26)-–who account for 1 in 4 young adults in the United States today-–remains up for grabs. With immigrant-origin young adults more likely to be nontraditional learners from low-income families, policymakers and educators should consider greater use of successful strategies such as dual enrollment in high school/college to compress learning time and save fees; flexible scheduling and financial assistance; and programs that reduce students’ time in remedial courses.

This event is a discussion on these issues, which are fully explored in MPI’s study, Up for Grabs: The Gains and Prospects of First- and Second-Generation Young Adults.