Closing participation gaps: exploring the factors influencing Hispanic students' participation in a dual enrollment program

The study examined factors that influenced high school students' participation in a college dual enrollment program. The purpose was to determine why more students from a large high school with a predominately Hispanic enrollment did not participate in a dual enrollment program. The sample design included college-bound high school juniors and seniors participating and not participating in a dual enrollment program. Family and teacher influences emerged as salient predictors of participation, while factors such as a lack of information, academic un-preparedness and a lack of qualified teachers to teach dual enrollment were associated with internal barriers to participation.