Influences on academic success in high school that allowed students to matriculate to college were studied among Hispanic American high school graduates. Students were studied from two different settings: suburban public high schools and urban public high schools. The Hispanic American students studied neither spoke Spanish as a first language nor fluently. These students were then designated Meso Hispanic Meso Americans because of characteristics that excluded them from being full members of the Hispanic society or American society.

Data were gathered using semi-structured interviews and narrative story telling. Findings suggest that district policies, school policies and daily bell schedule, and low expectations inhibit academic success of Meso Hispanic Meso American high school students. Conversely, student success was attributed to having at least one strong parental influence, a strong teacher influence, and characteristics of doggedness to continue in education to achieve a four-year college degree.