I’m delighted to see our Chasing the college acceptance letter report making the rounds in the blogosphere and beyond. Some comments on those blog posts have made particular mention of the fact that it has gotten more difficult for qualified low-income students to get into a good college.

This got me wondering as well, but unfortunately the data didn’t provide any concrete answers as to why this would be the case. The report was based on a national sample of students, so it wasn’t possible to dig deep into the data to find out why it is more difficult for low-income students to get that acceptance letter. It is a disturbing trend that needs to change. State and local policy makers need to look into the admissions practices of their local colleges to determine if low-income students are getting a fair shake at getting into a good college.

However, as the report points out, this is not just a postsecondary education problem, it’s a K-12 problem as well. There is a silent achievement gap that hasn’t garnered much attention. As the report finds, low-income and minority students are three to four times less likely than their higher-income and white peers to earn the credentials they need to give them a decent chance of getting into a good college.

So high schools need to be more effective at providing all students, especially minority and low-income students, with the rigorous courses colleges look at when determining which students they will accept–courses like trigonometry and chemistry. In order to do this,  students will need the appropriate math and science skills when they enter high school to be on-track to complete such courses. Hence, middle schools also play an important role in giving students the best chance possible to get into a good college.

For more information about the importance of preparing all students for postsecondary education—even those students not planning on going to college—check out the Center’s report Defining a 21^st Century Education.

 – Jim Hull