ABSTRACT
Deviating from the case study format of previous chapters, this chapter will identify and discuss personal, psychological, social, and cultural factors that influence college enrollment and academic success among Puerto Rican women. Both qualitative and quantitative data are used as bases for this discussion. Excerpts from interviews with several Puerto Rican women students are used also to explain their perceptions of these factors. Perceptions of the following are highlighted:
determinants of academic success;
the relationship between the participants' personal qualities, sociocultural variables (e.g., family, social networks, friends, school, church, and other community institutions); and
ethnicity, gender, and socioeconomic status as sociopolitical issues.
Profiles of the participants are outlined to suggest guidelines for informing culturally competent counseling, mental health, and other supportive services for this student population.