The Need To Diversify Education: Welcoming The Poor And Rich In Elite Schools

Social inequity stems from the lack of opportunity. Failing to climb up the social ladder is not a sign of sloth, but the existence of an inaccessible system only available to those who can afford to pay. Those who are poor remain to be poor because they are only qualified for jobs their level of education can suffice for---their family's resources not being able to afford so-called elite schools of whose admission policies shrink per se the population of students coming from poor families.

Director of Jack Kent Cooke Foundation, Harold Levy reports in The Washington Post the disappointing turnout of poor students in elite schools. According to a study done by the foundation, only 3 percent of students at the most competitive colleges in the United States come from 25 percent of families with low incomes while 72 percent come from the richest 25 percent of families.

Why Are Elite Schools Inaccessible To Poor Kids?

nPREd lists five ways how elite schools shut poor kids on the onset. First, it's easier to enter an elite school if a father or a mother is an alumnus of the school. This automatically removes poor kids on the running to receive the privilege because most likely than not, parents of poor kids weren't able to finish their own education.

Second, students who can visit the campus of elite schools are given preference because it shows "demonstrated interest." Most poor kids don't have the money to fly or go from one state to another compared to the rich kids who can visit the campus anytime.

Third, students who give early decision applications are five times more likely to be admitted to an elite school, according to nPRED. Poor students can't afford to decide early because they are still assessing their family's finances and the available aid they can get from their school choices.

Fourth, elite schools give importance to GPAs but poor kids, unlike the rich ones, are not offered many AP, IB or advanced courses to boost exam scores. This results to lower GPAs for poor kids compared to rich kids who can turn in GPAs that top out at 5.0, as per npRED.

Fifth, even in recruiting athletes for the sports program of an elite school, "wealthy, suburban, white" students are prioritized. This is because most of the Ivy league sports are fencing, crew, sailing, diving, water polo, squash, skiing and hockey that rich kids play.

Why Is There A Need To Diversify Education?

The New York Times columnist Frank Bruni emphasizes the need to diversify education. It's not treating poor kids as charity cases but rather benefitting the whole studentry by exposing them to a close mock-up of real life: the poor and the rich thriving in the same society.

In his column, he writes "It's a plus for richer students, who are then exposed to a breadth of perspectives that lies at the heart of the truest, best education. With the right coaxing and mixing on campus, they become more fluent in diversity, which has professional benefits as well as the obvious civic and moral ones," Frank Bruni wrote. "It's a win for America and its imperiled promise of social mobility."

He also quoted Amherst College President Biddy Martin who believes that talent in young people exists everywhere. If elite schools are left with kids coming from the privileged end, it is automatically stripped of the talent and intelligence poor kids can deliver as well.

What Should Be Done To Diversify Education? 

According to The Atlantic, elite schools must be convinced to prioritize high-achieving, poor kids. Instead of offering more merit-based scholarships, there should be more need-based aid available. Also, when admitting students, the income of their families and the communities they come from must be taken into consideration.

To encourage elite schools to open more doors for poor kids, they must be given an incentive. As per The Atlantic, the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation started awarding last year a $1 million prize to elite schools who attract and accept poor kids in their institutions. In its 1st year, Vassar College received the award; this year, the foundation will be presenting Amherst College the recognition.