Inequality is rampant throughout the college admissions process. In the 1930s, as societal norms began to favor inclusivity, universities began creating opaque processes designed to grant wealthy but academically under-qualified students admission. Recently, the FBI revealed its dramatic report on the college admissions scandal, when dozens of families paid standardized test proctors and college coaches to obtain admission for their children into elite colleges otherwise out of reach. College admissions have historically been unequal; but once admitted, college is often viewed as an equalizer. Higher education is seen as a ticket to social mobility, but even once students reach universities there are still huge barriers for students from lower socioeconomic families. Even upon entry to a top tier private school, or even to a public state school; the socially elite and wealthy students are often privileged. Rather than focusing on the scandal that affects only a tiny subset of already advantaged students, institutions and their consumers should recognize and address the thousands of students struggling to continue their education each day without the financial resources to do so.
The practice of inequality within institutions was brought to light most recently by Brown University’s Granoff Dinner, an event that occurs multiple times a year with a guest list of the wealthiest and most connected individuals on campus. Designed to be a networking opportunity, students at the dinner make connections for future jobs and work around the Residential Life office at Brown. Such opportunities are examples of how elite structures assist an already privileged group.
The barriers faced by low-income students are evidenced by college completion rates. Students from a higher socioeconomic status are vastly more likely to complete college than those from a lower class. A National Student Clearinghouse Research Center study looked at the percentages of students who completed a college degree within six years of enrollment. While 45 percent of students from high-income high schools completed their degrees, only 24 percent of students from low-income schools graduated within six years. Even within the college experience, there are factors that distinguish wealthy students from their less-privileged counterparts. There are simple ways to decrease this disparity, such as prioritizing need-based financial aid over merit-based aid, that would allow more low-income students to complete their degrees without facing crippling debt. This is essential, especially when most public universities cannot have guarantee meeting all demonstrated financial need.
Low-income students face a plethora of barriers throughout college that often force them to drop out. Many students participate in work-study programs, which often yields both financial and professional benefits. However, work-study is an activity in which only a certain subgroup of students must partake, and these students often lose out on key time for academics, extracurriculars, and social engagements. Students who must work jobs are at an inherent disadvantage to other students in universities, missing not only time that could be used to succeed academically but also other aspects of college — such as writing for the campus newspaper or attending a political rally — which are helpful to success beyond college. While wealthy students attend networking events, other students hold full-time jobs while maintaining a full class schedule.
Even beyond work-study, the nature of college campuses themselves is causing problems for low-income students. Colleges are building lavish amenities and dormitories to attract students to campus, but these features often make on-campus life unaffordable to low-income students. For example, the University of Kentucky built new freshman dormitories in 2017 (including in-room sinks, separate bedrooms, and Tempurpedic mattresses), but the price of room and board is now more expensive than in-state tuition. Across both public and private colleges, room and board rates are increasing at the same rate as, or even, faster than tuition. These rising costs have left many students to scramble for housing solutions off campus. In 2014, Forbes found that 54 percent of college students chose to live at home and commute to save money, a statistic up from 43 percent just four years earlier. However, despite saving money, students may be missing out on key opportunities. The 2017 Student Academic Experience Survey found that both commuter students and students working more than ten hours a week learn less from their classes; both of these groups are primarily low-income. Additionally, commuter students are more likely to drop out of college, often leaving them with debt from college loans and without a degree.
Many students recognize these issues, and some have taken a stand. At the University of Kentucky, several students in the organization Sustainable Solutions to Overcome Poverty participated in a hunger strike in protest of the inadequate services provided to food insecure students, a category including 43 percent of students surveyed. This problem is not unique to the University of Kentucky, and students’ educations are suffering from inadequate food in addition to struggles with housing accommodations and assistance. Many studies illustrate a correlation between food insecurity and lower grades, as students are often unable to focus when hungry and when their basic needs are not being met. These are significant barriers faced by significant numbers of four-year university students around the country and involve supplying basic needs — not simply the ability to attend an elite institution.
Though the FBI’s report was dramatic and scandalous, involving celebrities and well-known families, it exposed only part of the problem. The inequality present in American universities extends far beyond just admission. While the public focus has been on the few who gained back-door admissions, thousands of unnoticed students face insurmountable barriers in obtaining a college education. While America claims higher education as the path to social mobility and decreased inequality, life at American universities paints a different picture. Universities should be finding solutions to allow commuter students to participate more fully in college life and to ensure that low-income students have enough financial aid so that they aren’t forced to work a full-time job while enrolled as a full-time student. There are broader inequalities in our country’s higher education system, and we need to be supporting students unable to attend any college rather than focusing on a few elites already guaranteed an education cheating their way into top universities.
Photo: “UCLA Campus“