Nearly one in five college students are Hispanic, but college-going rates among Latinos still lag behind the national average, data show.

A new report — Breaking Down Barriers: Understanding Hispanic High School Students’ Perceptions on the Transition to College—offers recommendations to boost attainment rates. The research, which consisted of interviews with Hispanic students and parents, was conducted by ACT’s Center for Equity in Learning in conjunction with Univision Communications.

“The Hispanic population is growing rapidly in the US and we think it’s essential to ask parents and students about their experiences, listen to their insights, and then examine what we can all do to improve outcomes,” ACT’s Jim Larimore said in a press release.

The report offers three recommendations to policymakers:

1: Improve opportunities for students to discuss the transition to college with counselors or other high school staff.

2: Provide opportunities for parents to be included in the college application process and have questions answered.

3: Increase resources to ensure first-generation or minority students’ college success.

View the full report and read NACAC’s 2015 report College Counseling for Latino and Underrepresented Students.

Admitted writer/editor Mary Stegmeir welcomes additional comments and story ideas at mstegmeir@nacacnet.org.