The first round of Early Action college decisions is nearing an end, and it’s clear something is going on with them that, once again, makes them different from last year. School counselors are tearing their hair out over the number of deferrals students are receiving, which will likely suggest we’ll be hearing about record application numbers later this spring. After all, if you get a maybe from your dream school, you have to cover your bet by applying elsewhere—and preferably, lots of elsewheres.
The amount of attention the Early programs get each year, while important, continues to stoke the flames of the argument that college is only for certain students. There’s a point where applying to college turns away from being about the students, and is more about the spectacle of The Glories Of College—and that’s too bad.
So here’s my hope for this year, and I really hope America will consider these ideas.
Stop talking about the New York Times colleges so much It’s bad enough the New York Times thinks there are only 35 colleges in the country. It now seems, once again, there’s some kind of race to become one of them, and a race for the media to try and outdo each other’s coverage of them. There are about 3000 colleges in the US, and most of the college-going occurs outside these schools. Cover the other ones more, so more students will see college isn’t just for 4.5 GPAs who started six corporations before they were 12.
Colleges need to talk college to middle school families This may seem contradictory—if America needs to chill about colleges, why start college discussions sooner?
Data indicates early conversations are important to have to get low-income and first-generation students — those less inclined to think about college—to give college a second thought. That means there are bright kids who have no impression —or worse, the wrong impression— about what college can do for them. Presenting a generic College Information Night at a middle school can open some eyes that need to see the possible — and these programs need to focus on both students and parents, since parents need a better understanding of college (especially the idea it doesn’t have to cost $60,000 a year).
Reach out online to urban and rural high schools Colleges tend to visit high schools where they know students are interested, and high schools that are close to each other. That only feeds the vicious Colleges Are Elite Places for Elite People beast. Use Zoom to visit far away or hard-to-get-to schools. It’s not as good as in person, but at least students can get access to college they aren’t getting now.
Get states to increase funding for dual enrollment College is less of a mystery if students take college classes in high school—but right now, tuition for those classes tends to come out of high school budgets. States need to create separate pools of money for first gens to get a taste of college. Data shows dual enrollers are more likely to go to college, and to finish college.
Consider college advisers College advisers are recent college grads, and most are first gens, who help students like them get to college. They get great training in college advising, not to replace counselors, but to serve as role models, and help make college more of a possibility. This is also a funding issue for states to consider—the training model is already there—and these folks can make a huge difference.
If we’re serious about expanding college access, it’s time to stop deferring.
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