8/22/2011: I don’t like the apparent narrow focus on racial and ethnic diversity in this paper, in comparison to a more inclusive definition that includes first in family to go to college and SES. But I suspect the message extends. As reported by Insidehighered.com:
A paper presented here Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association found that black and Latino students with academic credentials equal to those of white students are slightly more likely than their white counterparts to apply to and enroll at selective colleges.
The finding, the paper’s authors say, suggests that those who want more minority students at elite colleges need to focus not so much on colleges’ policies but on improving high schools (and the entire K-12 system) so that more black and Latino applicants have similar academic credentials to their white counterparts’.
… Many elite colleges face considerable pressure to expand their outreach efforts to attract more minority students, or to consider changes in admissions policies. But Goyette said that the data in the new study show that those efforts — while laudable — may not have a huge impact, given that the central issue appears to be the relatively small number of black and Latino applicants with academic backgrounds comparable to those of white students. “The most effective way” for top colleges to enroll more black and Latino students, she said, is to improve high schools that serve black and Latino students.
Obviously universities are not going to take over K-12. Teaching 9th graders is a long hard day and if it’s easy to do well I sure haven’t figured it out. But UO can increase support for programs like SAIL, which focus on helping low SES students of all races to do well in HS and prepare for college.
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