Douglas Olsen
Education in Puerto Rico is compulsory between the ages of five and eighteen, with instruction provided in either public or private schools. The island has a literacy rate of 93%, and around 30,000 students graduate from high school each year. However, only about 51% of those graduates go on to college, and of those who enroll, fewer than half earn degrees even after six years. The path to higher education for Puerto Rican students is challenging, especially when it comes to pursuing opportunities outside of the island. While Puerto Rico is a US territory, its students are not considered international students, which creates a unique set of complexities in the college admissions process, particularly for those aiming to attend mainland universities in the US.
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What You'll Learn
Puerto Rico's unique status as a US territory
Puerto Rico is an unincorporated territory of the United States, with a unique status that has evolved over time. Despite being US citizens, Puerto Ricans do not have the same rights as those living in mainland America. They cannot vote in presidential elections and lack voting representation in Congress.
The territory has a republican form of government, based on the American model, with separation of powers subject to US jurisdiction and sovereignty. All governmental powers are delegated by the US Congress, with the head of state being the US president. The governor of Puerto Rico, currently Jenniffer González-Colón, heads the executive branch.
The territory has a degree of autonomy in its internal affairs, with its own constitution, a democratically elected government, and universal suffrage. The Puerto Rican government has complete autonomy in economic, cultural, and social matters. The territory has its own legislative assembly, with an elected lower house and an upper house composed of appointed heads of executive departments and other appointees.
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The PAA test and its limited acceptance
Puerto Rico faces a challenging situation when it comes to the pursuit of higher education. The territory has a low high school graduation rate, with a third of students quitting before graduating, and even among those who do graduate, only a small percentage go on to college. For those who do aspire to attend college, the options are limited, as the territory's own universities are scarce, and students face obstacles when applying to mainland universities in the US.
One significant hurdle is the limited acceptance of the PAA (Prueba de Aptitud Académica) test. The PAA is a standardized test for university admissions, offered by College Board Puerto Rico y America Latina (CBPRAL), a part of the College Board. While the CBPRAL is based in San Juan, Puerto Rico, the PAA is administered in various Spanish-speaking countries across Latin America. The test assesses students on three main components: Verbal Reasoning, Mathematical Reasoning, and Indirect Writing (or Reading and Writing, Mathematics, and English as a Second Language in its fourth generation). Each section is scored on a 200 to 800-point scale.
The PAA's limited acceptance becomes an issue specifically when Puerto Rican students seek to attend mainland universities in the US. Almost none of these universities accept the PAA for admission from Puerto Rican students, even though they may accept it from international students. This discrepancy arises from the unique status of Puerto Rico as a US territory, where students are citizens of the US but are not considered "international." As a result, Puerto Rican students are at a disadvantage compared to their international peers who can take advantage of the PAA for university admissions.
The situation is further complicated by the fact that other standardised tests, such as the SAT and ACT, are not easily accessible to Puerto Rican students. In the case of the SAT, while it is offered in Puerto Rico, the number of students taking it is relatively low compared to the total number of high school seniors. The ACT, on the other hand, has closed some of its test centres in Puerto Rico, reducing the options for students wishing to pursue a mainland university education. These challenges highlight the difficulties faced by Puerto Rican students in their pursuit of higher education, particularly when it comes to standardised testing and university admissions.
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Low high school graduation rates
Puerto Rico is a US territory, and its citizens are American citizens. However, Puerto Ricans are not considered international students for the purpose of college admissions. This is despite the fact that mainland US universities often treat them as such.
Puerto Rico has a low high school graduation rate. The exact rate is unclear, with one source citing 60% in 2012, while another gives a rate of 73.9% as of 2016. A third of high school students quit before graduating, more than double the proportion in the rest of the US. The Youth Development Institute of Puerto Rico reports that 51% of high school graduates go on to college, compared to 67% of suburban American high school graduates and 63% of rural and urban graduates.
There are several factors contributing to the low high school graduation rates in Puerto Rico. One factor is the low median household income in Puerto Rico, which is less than $20,000, with 43% of people in poverty. This has led to the closure of many schools, with 283 schools closed by 2018 due to the government-debt crisis, damage caused by Hurricane Maria, a shrinking population, and deteriorating infrastructure. The lack of schools has resulted in approximately 38,762 students being left out of the school system since May 2017. Furthermore, some of the remaining schools lack basic utilities like running water or electricity.
Another factor contributing to low graduation rates is the quality of education. According to the Economist Intelligence Unit, 95% of public school students in Puerto Rico graduate at a sub-basic level. Studies by the United States National Center for Education Statistics found that Puerto Rico falls below basic levels when compared to the United States. Specifically, 39% of public school students performed at a basic level in Spanish, 36% in Mathematics, 35% in English, and 43% in Science.
The performance of students in Puerto Rico is also affected by the lack of standardised tests recognised by mainland US universities. While the SATs are available in Puerto Rico, the PAA, a Spanish-language edition of the SAT, is not accepted by most mainland universities. This creates a barrier for Puerto Rican students wishing to pursue higher education in the US.
To address the low high school graduation rates in Puerto Rico, several strategies have been proposed. One strategy is to implement interventions to increase the percentage of students who achieve proficiency in Spanish. This is because Spanish language proficiency is a critical milestone for students, impacting their future opportunities and success. Another strategy is to lower the student-teacher ratio for students living in poverty and those in special education. Additionally, contrary to expectations, studies have shown that having more qualified teachers does not necessarily lead to higher graduation rates. Instead, schools with fewer highly qualified teachers have higher graduation rates overall and for specific subgroups, such as male students, students living in poverty, and students in special education.
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Lack of encouragement to take the SAT/ACT
Puerto Rico is facing a unique challenge in its education system, with a lack of encouragement for students to take the SAT/ACT. This is due, in part, to the existence of the Puerto Rico-specific exam, Prueba de Aptitud Académica (PAA), more commonly known as "el College Board". The PAA is administered by the College Board, which offers the SAT, but almost no mainland universities accept the PAA for admission. This creates a barrier for Puerto Rican students wishing to attend college in the mainland United States.
The College Board introduced the PAA in the 1960s as a Spanish-language version of the SAT, with Puerto Rico serving as the base of operations for expansion into Latin America. While the PAA is given to every 11th and 12th grader in Puerto Rico, and almost all students take it, the mainland colleges and universities do not generally accept it. This means that students wishing to study in the mainland US must take the SAT or ACT, which are used for recruitment and admissions decisions.
The result is that very few Puerto Rican students take the SAT or ACT. In 2017, around 3,000 students took the SAT, which is less than 15% of the total number of high school seniors. In contrast, over 43% of graduating seniors in the US took the SAT that year, and over 50% took the ACT. This disparity has a significant impact on the recruitment of Puerto Rican students to mainland universities, as these institutions rely on SAT and ACT data to identify and recruit top students from rural or poor communities.
The unique admissions process in Puerto Rico, which relies solely on the PAA score and high school GPA, further contributes to the lack of encouragement for students to take the SAT/ACT. This process differs from the traditional US admissions process, which can be challenging for Puerto Rican students to navigate, especially with limited guidance and support.
To address this issue, the College Board, mainland colleges and universities, and the Puerto Rican government must work together. The College Board can start by making PAA data available to mainland universities and collaborating with admissions offices to incorporate this data into their recruitment strategies. With this knowledge, mainland institutions can actively target Puerto Rican students for admission and increase the overall number of Puerto Ricans attending their universities.
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The impact of hurricanes on education
Puerto Rico has faced a series of hurricanes in recent years, including Hurricanes Irma, Maria, and Fiona, which have had a significant impact on the education sector. The hurricanes caused extensive damage to schools and infrastructure, leading to prolonged school closures and disruptions to education. The storms accelerated existing declines in school enrollment, with many students relocating or leaving the island altogether.
The impact of the hurricanes on education in Puerto Rico has been wide-ranging. Firstly, the storms caused physical damage to school buildings and infrastructure. This included damage to the electricity grid, resulting in prolonged power outages and affecting the basic functioning of schools. The hurricanes also disrupted transportation systems, making it difficult for students and staff to travel to and from schools.
Secondly, the hurricanes exacerbated existing financial strains on the Puerto Rican education system. The government estimated that it would need billions of dollars to repair and replace damaged infrastructure. Schools faced limited resources and challenges in obtaining funding for repairs and upgrades. Federal funding was primarily directed towards early response and emergency work, rather than permanent infrastructure improvements.
Thirdly, the hurricanes took a toll on the mental health and well-being of students and staff. Research shows that nearly half of Puerto Rican children's homes were damaged by Hurricane Maria, and many experienced fear and trauma during the storm. Students relied on school resources to help cope with crisis-induced stress, but the disruptions to education further compounded their challenges. The break in education, coupled with the stress of recovering from a natural disaster, had lasting impacts on their educational journey.
Furthermore, the hurricanes impacted standardized testing and college entrance exams. The ACT closed two of its five test centers in Puerto Rico after the hurricanes, reducing access to college entrance exams for Puerto Rican students. The disruptions also highlighted the challenges faced by Puerto Rican students in gaining admission to mainland universities, as their test scores are often lumped in with international students, despite being citizens of a US territory.
To support the recovery of the education sector, various strategies have been proposed, including rebuilding and upgrading school infrastructure, expanding out-of-school learning opportunities, and strengthening the government's K–12 system reform. However, the recovery process has been slow and challenging, with limited progress observed even years after the hurricanes. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns further strained the island's economy and education system, delaying in-person classes and affecting tourism, a vital source of income for the island.
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Frequently asked questions
No, Puerto Rican students are not considered international as Puerto Rico is a US territory. However, Puerto Rican students face challenges when applying to mainland US universities due to differences in the admissions process and accepted entrance exams.
The College Board, which administers the SAT, created a separate admissions test for Puerto Rico called the Prueba de Aptitud Académica (PAA) or "el College Board". This test is not accepted by most mainland universities, which instead require the SAT or ACT. As a result, Puerto Rican students are at a disadvantage in the admissions process as they must navigate different requirements and may not have access to the necessary exams.
The parallel admissions system and lack of access to standardized tests like the SAT and ACT create barriers for Puerto Rican students seeking to attend university on the mainland. This contributes to a lower rate of college attendance among Puerto Rican high school graduates compared to their peers in the US. Only 694 local high school graduates from Puerto Rico attended college, either on the island or abroad, in 2016.
