Influence of an Identified Advisor/Mentor on Urban Latino Students' College Experience

Abstract

This study considers the scales previously used by Nora, Kraemer, and Itzen (1997) and Torres (2006) as contributing to the retention of Latino/a college students. T-tests were used to compare the scale means between students with an identified advisor or mentor and those that have not identified one. The data is from Latino college students at three urban universities who were surveyed each spring for 3 years. Using longitudinal data, the results indicate that students with an advisor/mentor consistently have higher levels of institutional commitment, satisfaction with faculty, academic integration, cultural affinity, and encouragement.