Key Moments
Chapter Two: Expanding College Opportunities with Caroline Hoxby | LFHSPBC
Hoover InstitutionKey Moments
Low-income high achievers often miss out on selective colleges due to lack of information, not cost or ability.
Key Insights
Many low-income, high-achieving students do not apply to competitive colleges, despite being academically capable.
The cost of selective colleges is often significantly lower for low-income students than perceived, due to financial aid.
Low-income high achievers who do apply to selective colleges are admitted and graduate at rates similar to their high-income peers.
Students who do not apply to selective colleges have demonstrably worse long-term outcomes.
The lack of application is often due to insufficient information and guidance, particularly for 'one-off' students in certain high schools.
Colleges and counselors struggle to reach these dispersed 'one-off' students, highlighting the need for targeted information interventions.
THE PROBLEM: LOW-INCOME HIGH ACHIEVERS ARE NOT APPLYING
Research analyzing the entire graduating class of 2008 revealed a significant underapplication of low-income, high-achieving students to competitive colleges. Despite being in the top 10% of test scores and having strong GPAs, a large number of these students either did not apply to college at all or only applied to non-selective institutions. This phenomenon was observed across the nation, suggesting a systemic issue rather than isolated cases. The initial interest in this topic stemmed from observations at Harvard University, where admissions officers noted a scarcity of low-income high achievers, not because they didn't exist, but because they weren't applying.
UNDERSTANDING APPLICANT BEHAVIOR ACROSS INCOME GROUPS
High-income students, generally in the top income quartile, typically employ a strategic college application approach. They apply to a range of 'safety,' 'peer' (or 'match'), and 'reach' schools, balancing their options based on their academic profile relative to the college's median student. While they may occasionally apply to non-selective schools, these are often for specialized programs like art or culinary schools. In contrast, the majority of low-income high achievers, even those with excellent scores, primarily apply to non-selective institutions, often submitting applications to just one or two such schools. Only a small percentage, around 8%, exhibit application behaviors similar to their high-income counterparts.
DEBUNKING MYTHS: COST AND ACADEMIC PROWESS
Several hypotheses were explored to explain this disparity. Contrary to common belief, the prohibitive cost of selective colleges is not the primary deterrent. Data shows that for low-income students, the out-of-pocket cost at the most selective institutions is often the lowest due to substantial financial aid and subsidies. Furthermore, once admitted, low-income high achievers perform just as well as high-income students with similar academic profiles. They are admitted at similar rates, progress towards their degrees at comparable paces, and graduate on time at the same rate. Even at non-selective institutions, where one might expect easier progression, low-income students have lower graduation rates than their peers at selective colleges.
THE 'ONE-OFF' PHENOMENON AND INFORMATION GAPS
The research identified a key characteristic of low-income high achievers who do not apply to selective colleges: they are often 'one-offs.' These are students who are the only, or one of very few, high achievers in their high school. This contrasts with students in highly selective schools (like Stuyvesant in NYC), magnet schools, or schools with a historical legacy of sending students to top universities, where a cluster of high achievers and informed counselors create a path. The 'one-offs' lack peer support, readily available guidance, and exposure to college application strategies, leading to a significant information deficit. This geographical dispersion makes it difficult for colleges to establish recruiting pipelines.
CHALLENGES FOR RECRUITMENT AND COUNSELING
The dispersion of 'one-off' students presents challenges for traditional college recruitment and counseling efforts. Even if colleges send admissions staff to high schools with a threshold of high achievers, a significant portion of low-income high achievers—those not already applying—remain unreached. Similarly, guidance counselors often lack the specific expertise or sufficient high-achieving caseload to effectively guide these students. A counselor's expertise is often tied to their own educational background or the concentration of high achievers in their student body, leaving many low-income students without knowledgeable support for navigating the selective college application process.
THE CRITICAL ROLE OF INFORMATION AND TARGETED INTERVENTIONS
The data strongly suggests that a primary reason for underapplication among low-income, high-achieving students is a lack of critical information. They are unaware of the actual costs, the application process nuances, and the potential for success at selective institutions. The study suggests that interventions should focus on providing this vital information directly to students. Because these students are not geographically concentrated, interventions must be designed to reach them individually or in small, dispersed groups, rather than relying on school-based or cluster-based strategies. Addressing this information gap is crucial for improving college outcomes and ensuring equitable opportunities.
Mentioned in This Episode
●Tools
●Organizations
●People Referenced
Common Questions
A low-income high achiever is defined as a student whose family income was at or below approximately $40,000 in 2008, who scored in the top 10% on SAT/ACT exams, and had a GPA of A- or higher.
Topics
Mentioned in this video
A highly selective exam school in New York City that accounts for a significant number of low-income high achievers applying to selective colleges.
A selective magnet school in Virginia mentioned as an example of a school that produces many high achievers.
A traditional feeder school in San Francisco, mentioned as an example of a school that sends many high achievers to certain colleges.
Standardized tests analyzed to assess college readiness and performance, including preliminary versions.
Standardized tests analyzed to assess college readiness and performance, including preliminary versions.
A system used to rank colleges and universities, categorized by selectivity (e.g., most competitive, highly competitive).
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