Attracting--and RETAINING--Low-Income Students

Student Lounge College Life
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<p>This new article in the Christian Science Monitor is about efforts, especially by "elite" colleges, to attract more low-income students. See Too</a> few low-income college students? | csmonitor.com</p>

<p>But what happens to these students when they arrive on campuses where classmates often have plenty of cash for extras: weekend diversions, spring break trips, unpaid summer internships, the best computers, other electronic gizmos, etc.? Is it hard to stay afloat without more money than a work-study job can provide?</p>

<p>If you're a low-income student in a high-income college environment--or have friends in that situation--what advice can you share? </p>

<p>And what are colleges doing to bridge this gap for the low-income students who do enroll?</p>

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<p>As a low income student from the class of 2009, I would love to hear from fellow low-income college students about this topic.</p>

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<p>When I worked at Smith College, I served on the board of an organization called "The Smith Students' Aid Society." The goal of this fund-raising group was to help bridge the gap between the haves and have-nots on campus. SSAS provided low-income students with money for such extras as summer study, pricey art supplies, even dental work. They helped out in emergencies, like when a student had a fire in her off-campus apartment. </p>

<p>Other colleges do have similar groups--and it's worthwhile to inquire about one on your campus--but the focus is typically on one-time expenditures. They don't address the ongoing discrepancies among students from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds. </p>

<p>In addition, when I was at Smith, there was a student-led organization called the "Association of Low-Income Students." The club's goal was to not only address practical concerns (e.g., how to get more money or spend less of what you've got) but also--and perhaps primarily--to provide a supportive environment where low-income students could meet similar others. </p>

<p>I don't know if the group still exists at Smith, but it does seem like a good idea for a campus club. This is not to suggest that low-income students only want to interact with others like them, but this sort of group could provide a welcome respite when needed (like when everyone else is out shopping for their spring-break-in-the-Bahamas wardrobe :) )</p>

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<p>BTW, I am a high school student who will soon be in college. I thought I should have clarified that.</p>

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<p>At Cornell they have a program called COSEP, which is not specifically geared for low income students, but which in practice involves many. COSEP is for minority students (google it for definitions etc), and as such may take in non financial aid recipients, but it is my understanding that many receive financial aid.</p>

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<p>I'm a low-income high school student, too, and I'm curious about what college life would be like in financial situations similar to mine. Getting all of my needed aid covered would be great and I would be very thankful, but I would also really love to do summer study. Do many colleges have programs to help low-income students afford summer study, like the aforementioned program at Smith?</p>

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<p>My 2 cousins, my sister, and myself all attend an elite universities. Although we are greatful for the grants that we recieved to attend colege, having a social life is nearly impossible without either a high paying wage or two jobs. Now our school has a program that subsidizes campus events and makes them discounted for students and no one knows ( well not really) who is qualified for these discounts. There is also a program for financial aid students to recieve a stipend to pay for winter clothing. Campus programs have also started a petition to give some sort of stipend for books. Each of us were credited $3,000 for the year for personal expenses. But personal expenses include textbooks $1,000 - $1,200 a year, transportation twice a year ($700-$1,200) and will probably be higher than predicted this year. So we are left really with $600- $1,300 a year to pay for school supplies, food , traveling ( the T) , dorm room supplies, and entertainment~ not to mention clothes. </p>

<p>It's tough. All my relatives have averaged 2 jobs since 2nd semester freshman year on top of having worked in the summer. Yet what many administrators fail to realize is that we can't ask for an allowance or $50 here or there from our parents because they need the money for important things like rent and food so we are forced to just get by. Sometimes, its hard to be surrounded by such affluence but when I think of all that my family has gone through and what an oppurtunity it is to go to a great university,my animosity subsides.</p>

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<p>Then the problem of scholarships arise. My sibling and I are both Gates scholars, yet the most we can actually recieve through the Gates program is only $2,500. Low income students need to seriously look into the Outside award policy of schools while they are applying for financial aid because you'll be surprised how little money you truly have when your scholarship is sent to your school.</p>

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<p>I can't speak as to what todays low-income college students are doing, but I know when I was in college there were students from all over the spectrum. And what happened at my college was that the poor kids tended to hang out with the poor kids, and do free stuff, while the rich kids hung out with other rich kids. I don't know that it was deliberate snobbery or prejudice, but kids want to be with people who are able to do similar things. </p>

<p>I do recall being unhappy about not being able to do the spring break trip, things like that, but it wasn't the end of the world.</p>

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<p>All I can say is I'm quite thankful Princeton (and others) have started doing a great a job addressing this. My completely optional Princeton pre-orientation event is completely paid for, for example, and that's just the first step I will personally experience.</p>

<p>Knowing that my income would not limit what opportunities I could take advantage of at Princeton was a huge motivator for me to apply and ultimately decide to attend. I hope more schools with the appropriate endowments follow these examples.</p>

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<p>Here's my perception as a low-income student:</p>

<p>While many of the top colleges reach out to such students heavily in admissions (in fact, I think my situation had something to do with the likely letters I received from some top privates), they don't seem to do much beyond that. The biggest effort, obviously, is financial aid; typically these universities will give plenty of aid for the student to attend. Increasingly, these days, low-income students at the nation's leading colleges don't even have to take out loans, or take out very little, as is the case at schools such as Princeton and Stanford.</p>

<p>As a student, I wasn't even aware of what Stanford offers to its low-income students, other than a generous financial aid package. According to an article in the Daily Stanford, though, Stanford does, or tries to do, more than that to retain these students.</p>

<p>
[quote]
She said that efforts to identify transition concerns for such students have been housed primarily in the community centers, with which many low-income and first-generation students identify.</p>

<p>“In the Freshman Dean’s Office, we’ve only recently begun to focus on the community of kids we see [as] being first-generation,” she said. “I’d say we have a lot of work to do to complement what is already being done elsewhere. We’d like to join that effort to reach out to first-generation and low-income students.”</p>

<p>Director of Freshman Programs Koren Bakkegard also applauded the efforts of the Multicultural Education Training Organization (METrO), the group that facilitates “Crossing the Line” — a residential program in which students can self-identify with diverse groups.</p>

<p>...</p>

<p>“I am eager for first-generation and low-income kids to let my office know about how we can construct programming efforts, outreach efforts, resource efforts,” she added, “so as to help them make a successful transition into Stanford.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>While these efforts are noble, I see little improvement. Milton Solorzano's comment that accepting but providing no support for low-income students gives little benefit is especially true. Perfect example: Stanford's pre-orientation trips (SPOT) are fun experiences for students, but they're pricey: $500 per student. They do offer "financial aid," but it's only a reduction of $100. I don't know about you, but neither I nor my family can dish out $400 for a luxury like a trip such as that. Contrary to popular belief, Stanford does not make 100% effort to stomp out socioeconomic hindrances among the student body.</p>

<p>I suppose it's all about getting the word out (re: opportunities for low-income students), but even that's difficult in a university of roughly 20,000 students. However, if we're assigned all kinds of advisers, why not expand their role and connect students with staff and faculty on a socioeconomic basis?</p>

<p>It's interesting, also, that applications tend not to be very tailored to help out low-income students. There's very little area to expand on one's circumstances--an actual essay topic would prompt that very well, I would think. One remedy is QuestBridge, whose application is designed specifically for that. On that note, I would say that those institutions who are involved in QuestBridge are truly the leaders in this expansion of low-income student populations.</p>

<p>Apparently, other students feel the same:</p>

<p>
[quote]
Kim agreed with Solorzano that more needs to be done on campus for first-generation and low-income students. She wished that faculty mentors who shared socially mobile experiences were provided for students.

[/quote]
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<p>For more on the subject:</p>

<p>Admissions</a> dept. seeks rise in low-income students - The Stanford Daily Online</p>

<p>I personally plan to try to increase these efforts on Stanford's campus, and hopefully it can spread to other campuses from there. The issue of affirmative action has gotten too much attention for too long; socioeconomic diversity is the issue that needs action now.</p>

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<p>In line with what has already been said in this thread, the efforts of our nation's best universities HYPSM--to completely eliminate parental contribution and loans for families making under a generous cutoff--are admirable. These initiatives should be adopted by as many other top national universities and liberal arts colleges as well, so that the upper echelons of higher education will be more realistically accessible for those people who deserve it. Obviously, not every college or university is as well-endowed as HYPSM, but it's the first and most important step to take.</p>

<p>In the same vein as what kyledavid80 mentioned concerning Stanford's problems with making students from lower socioeconomic backgrounds feel welcome and accepted... I admit that's one of my greatest fears embarking on my journey to college this coming fall.</p>

<p>I went to a high school where a vast majority of my classmates were both first generation immigrants and from the middle and lower middle classes. My closest friends are Ecuadorian, Italian-Irish, Indian, Polish, Filipino, and Puerto Rican, so "diversity" is an empty word to me. But, when I read about my own college, that only 14 percent of the entire student body was middle class, I honestly don't know what to expect. I'm afraid that I'll be in a sort of segregated--racially and socioeconomically-- community where I'll feel uncomfortable and not accepted.</p>

<p>Can anyone else with first-hand experience offer some positive encouragement?</p>

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<p>Colleges do not want low income kids unless they have test scores, grades and have taken the rigorous courses that the majority of the students at those schools have had. Even then, we are just talking about the very top schools, very much the minority who are seeking such kids. Most schools have more low income kids than they can accomodate and more often than not will not accept such kids unless they have something to make their cost worth while.<br>
A problem that many schools that do take these kids on a borderline qualification basis has is that these kids too often do not do well. Much, much more needs to be done to keep these kids "in the game" during the academic year. If the standards for research, writing, maths were not what most college prep schools have, these kids are going to be in trouble at schools that have these standards. I know that at my alma mater, this is an on going problem. I remember from my days there, that many of the truly low income kids did not make to graduation, whereas the grad rate for the school is very high overall. Having spoken to some old friends now in the administration, it is very much the case that the low income group is at high risk for not making it through that college. Some of the problem is money, but a lot of it is being completely unprepared for a difficult academic experience. I remember working with some classmates who had never done a mathematical proof in high school. A big problem when you are taking courses that assume you know the basics of that. THere were kids who could not write a simple essay with topic sentences and supporting ones. They did not know what a theme is. Yet these were very smart kids who had worked hard and learned what they were taught. They just were not taught enough. Many of them were pre med and they did not have a chance in the complex lab courses my school had in the sciences. Kids in this predicament, need someone to be right with them that entire first year for them to get the basics that they need or they are not going to make it. Schools need to look at how programs for athletes are designed, and have them available for any kids who are not ready to take the courses that a college has.</p>

<p>This comes before even addressing the social and recreational disparities. I was a middle income kid who was on a full ride. Though my family's income was low, my father was a college graduate, an educator even, and my high school had decent courses. However, I came from a family that was always on a tight budget, and recreation and fun did not figure much in the $ column. Had to find free or cheap things to do. I can tell you that I did not have much problem with that disparity in college. Had friends at both ends of the economic spectrum, but there were definitely clusters of kids who knew each other before college and many of them were from the well to do families. The other clusters tended to be on racial and ethnic lines back then, and like activities-athletes tended to stick together, Greeks were together, ROTC kids.</p>

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<p>^I'm sorry if I'm just confused but are you saying that many of the low-income kids didn't make it to graduation because of money or because of other things such as motivation? i thought that most colleges that are need-blind do offer full fiancial aid all through four years?</p>

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<p>
[quote]
I remember working with some classmates who had never done a mathematical proof in high school.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>I learn more and more everyday on these forums about things I should've learned and had no idea others did. Hope I don't become one of those students! I'll be interested in checking back on this thread once I start this fall.</p>

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<p>
[quote]
This comes before even addressing the social and recreational disparities. I was a middle income kid who was on a full ride. Though my family's income was low, my father was a college graduate, an educator even, and my high school had decent courses. However, I came from a family that was always on a tight budget, and recreation and fun did not figure much in the $ column. Had to find free or cheap things to do. I can tell you that I did not have much problem with that disparity in college. Had friends at both ends of the economic spectrum, but there were definitely clusters of kids who knew each other before college and many of them were from the well to do families. The other clusters tended to be on racial and ethnic lines back then, and like activities-athletes tended to stick together, Greeks were together, ROTC kids.

[/quote]
</p>

<p>This is a very important point. Not only do low-income students deserve the same academic opportunities as their college classmates, but they also deserve similar social opportunities. My college charges an all inclusive 'activities' fee which grants students access to every college-funded event on campus, whether it's a concert or a party. While some might scoff at the idea of a college paying for parties, this practice gives students access to social opportunities that probably wouldn't be available to them otherwise. However, this practice is only possible in a college with a sizable endowment.</p>

<p>Ultimately, it should be economic diversity that colleges seek in affirmative action plans. As presidential candidate, Barack Obama said, minorities who have been fostered in an affluent environment don't necessarily deserve the positive discrimination they often receive in college admissions, especially when they have had the same advantages as many of their white peers, who some argue are afflicted by affirmative action. Furthermore, affluent communities often are free of the discrimination that other less fortunate minorities too often face, making the 'minority experience,' which colleges believe benefits their communities, not so different from the experience of the majority. Accordingly, colleges should reformulate their affirmative action policies to give greater weight to economic disadvantage.</p>

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<p>I wish the motivation of the elite schools like Harvard and Yale to increase aid to low-income students and families was truly noble, but a big part of it is trying to avoid a Congressional mandate. Schools with endowments of $10 billion and more (Harvard is #1, Yale is #2) have been subpoenaed by Sen. Charles Grassley, in order to review how endowment money is spent. Charities are required by law to spend at least 5% of their endowment each year, but universities are not, even though they function as tax-free entities too. These wealthy schools could easily afford to make tuition free for all, but the recent changes may insidiously cause admissions committees to actually favor low-income applicants so the schools can spend more money "voluntarily". Do schools really need more sleek athletic centers, condo-like dorms, etc.?</p>

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<p>It's a great thing what the top privates are doing, but let's not turn this into a great thing for the poor. It's not as if they're attracting any students that wouldn't otherwise be at their flagship on a full or nearly full scholarship.</p>

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<p>The question of how elite colleges that attract mostly rich students should bridge the gap between lower-income and upper-income students once they arrive is ridiculous. The lower income students are often getting a free or nearly free education at these top schools, and people are worried about them not fitting in with the rich kids? Come on. While the college I'll be attending isn't exactly elite, believe me, I think that I will "fit in" just fine. </p>

<p>What about the low-income students who will attend universities without huge endowments? The students who don't have amazing GPA's and near-perfect SAT scores, and will therefore be left paying for the majority of their education through loads of loans and on-campus jobs.</p>

<p>Low-income students who have superior GPA's and SAT scores (the ones who will be paying very little at elite institutions) have plenty of options and are just fine when it comes to choosing a school. Worrying about how they will fit in once they get there just seems, relatively speaking, pointless, and I think colleges are aware of this.</p>

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<p>So, I'm relatively low income (I know that some people have it worse than I do, but I still had a 0$ EFC). I'm going to an upper private LAC, and so far my lack of money has inspired one awkward moment. I think all my roommates are going to a concert but I'm definitely not paying 100$ for a couple of hours. I'd have to really really like the band.</p>

<p>I pay for my own tuition (I can do this because of amazing financial aid), books, and I provide my own "spending money." Sometimes I buy my own food/clothes. I have enough left over to go out for dinner or to the movies or to the bookstore. Maybe not spring break to Spain, but that's okay. My advice is to ignore it and to realize that there is value in not being dependent on the allowance from Mommy and Daddy.</p>

<p>And, really, college isn't the only place where low income people have to deal with not having a lot of money to blow. People can be really insensitive. They take what they have for granted or make some comment, or whatever. No matter what a college would do, it can't protect anyone from that sort of stuff. It happens everywhere.</p>