Underrecruiting Students & Underestimating Financial Aid

Posted March 29, 2019 | By Cooke Foundation Staff

Fatima, a BEAM 7 alum now on a pre-med track at Manhattan College, works with Faoziah and Yilin during Open Math Time.

March 29, 2019 – Here’s our weekly roundup of education news you may have missed. Data on recruiter visits to high schools and middle schooler visits to colleges provide notable insights. Also, read concerns about net price calculators and promising programs for academic enrichment.

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Elementary & Secondary Education:

  • New research suggests that students who visit college campuses in middle school are more likely to enroll in advanced coursework when they enter high school. Chalkbeat details the findings.
  • “A fresh look at the college success records at the major charter networks serving low-income students shows alumni earning bachelor’s degrees at rates up to four times as high as the 11 percent rate expected for that student population,” reports The 74.

 

Higher Education:

  • The Chronicle of Higher Education explains new research which suggests that public universities focused on enrolling wealthy out-of-state students may be “underrecruiting” high-achieving students with financial need. Institutions hoping to communicate fairness in admissions can consider advice from Coalition for College’s Annie Reznik in Education Dive.
  • Colleges and universities display net price calculators on their website to help students and families accurately estimate the cost of attendance. “But many four-year institutions are failing to meet federal standards for their disclosures more than a decade later,” states Inside Higher Ed.
  • Enoch Jemmott, a student at Queens College, details the confusion that students with financial need must navigate in order to apply and enroll in college. Jemmott’s opinion in The New York Times recalls overburdened school counselors, the “numbingly complex” FAFSA, and deciphering financial aid award letters.

 

Cooke Foundation Highlights:

  • “We want all of our Cooke Scholars to lead impactful lives and have access to opportunity, and we know that can take many different shapes,” Executive Director Seppy Basili tells Ithaka S+R. Basili reflects on how the Foundation’s mission has evolved over the years and outlines what’s next.
  • Cooke Scholar Alison Parish was one of only 100 students nationwide selected for the Disney Dreamers Academy, a four-day workshop for high school students to develop leadership skills and find mentors. Alison, who plans to attend Princeton University this fall and become a cardiologist, appeared on Good Morning America this week.
  • The Foundation is awarding a total of nearly $700,000 to five innovative organizations. This year’s Academic Enrichment Grants provide continued investments in programs that are playing a critical role in closing excellence gaps.

 

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Photo header: Fatima, a BEAM 7 alum now on a pre-med track at Manhattan College, works with Faoziah and Yilin during Open Math Time. Bridge to Enter Advanced Mathematics (BEAM) is one of our 2019 Academic Enrichment Grant recipients.