Top-notch college recruitment strategies in low-income areas of the United States are changing, Fox News Latino reports.
Traditionally, universities appeal to low-income high school students by offering large amounts of financial aid. This way, the “high end” universities become more attractive and less expensive than state colleges. However, the recruitment technique needs to be altered to fit the demographic.
Caroline Hoxby, a Stanford economist, co-authored a study in March using College Board statistics from the class of 2008. Her findings could provide possible answers to growing problem of reaching Latino students in low-income areas.
“When they think about Latinos, they say, ‘Well we’ll just translate what we have and that will be good enough,’” Deborah Santiago, co-founder of Exelencia in Education said. “But they still have to find a way to get them.”
A $6 college information packet maximized the likelihood of low-income students to apply to schools that they were academically suitable for. Public universities saw a 19 percent increase as a result of the cost-saving packets, while private universities and liberal arts schools saw 17 and 15 percent increases, respectively.
These brochures more often affect college applicants who live near universities with a high population of low-income students. However, many students remain unaware of their opportunities and full potential regarding higher education.
This is where the brochures come into play. The information clearly projects costs, deadlines and programs. Low-income suburban students were more likely to apply to colleges after exposure to the information than not.
“At the end of the day, an institution still has to find ways to help that student afford an education,” Santiago said.
(Photo by wyoguard via Flickr)
