Many high-achieving, low-income high school students don't realize that it's actually
cheaper for them to attend elite universities. But a much-discussed new study shows that it's actually quite easy to correct this gap in knowledge. The
New York Times ed board
chimes in:
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| Not as expensive as you think |
Because educational opportunity has much to do with upward mobility, it
is distressing that low-income students who qualify for top-tier
colleges rarely end up there. Flummoxed by the admissions process and
scared off by what they think will be unmanageable costs, many of these
students settle for lesser colleges with lower graduation rates, less
financial aid (which means more debt) and less marketable degrees.
The good news is that the problem is easy to fix and can be done at very low cost, according to a compelling new study
by Caroline Hoxby of Stanford and Sarah Turner of The University of
Virginia. The study focused on nearly 40,000 students from the high
school classes of 2010 to 2012 who had earned grades and SAT scores that
qualified them for more than 200 of the nation’s most selective
colleges.
About 80 percent of these students were mailed customized information
packets and follow-up information explaining application deadlines,
admissions criteria and costs. The packets spoke directly to anxieties
about debt, showing that low-income students often pay significantly
more to attend lower-tier schools than selective colleges, which have
the resources to offer larger scholarships.
The students who received a packet were significantly more likely to
apply to colleges matching their abilities than those who did not. They
also achieved first-year grades as good as the students who went to
lesser schools.
Distributing the information was remarkably inexpensive, about $6 per
student. The study has impressed the College Board, which oversees SAT
tests, which are taken by nearly three million students a year. The
board has now committed itself to making sure that talented low-income
students get the information they need to make informed choices. If it
follows through, these students could see their lives and career
prospects markedly improved.
